Tasty or Terrible !

Post by **Sally** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 2:22 pm

Kathleen - how did your birds do with that cold? And I love the idea of the Christmas lights! I can't do too much in my bird room right now, with breeding going on, but I could lay a string of lights on top of the top row of cages without causing too much commotion. In the future, I think I would wind the string of lights in with the plastic vine I have on the top of the cages.

And I love your way of recycling every bit of seed! I use the seed hoppers, and with the new mix I'm using, don't have much waste, but I used to do the same thing, when I used seed dishes.

Kathleen · Post by **Kathleen** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 2:33 pm

Sally.....I keep hearing the term "seed hopper" and don't know what that is, but I will check it out after this post.....What new seed mix are you using? and where are you ordering it from? I'm open to all ideas and suggestions for the betterment of the Z's. They seemed to do well with the heat lamp, however, I did put four layers of covers over the cage to ensure they were nice and toastie up top during the 32 degree night. The next evening I did the same even tho it was not quite as cold. I think they were a bit upset with me ruining their normal view with the coverings, because when I would remove the covers they had a lot to say to me, lol. I really don't ever cover them....tho they do have the roof over them....I really want to completely close in the area so they can come out of the cage when they want to and fly around freely. The only thing I worry about is a hawk or other bird seeing them through the screening and try to get at them. Do you think that's possible? I think I will post this question as a new topic?

Post by **Sally** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 1:44 am

The seed hoppers, or vacation feeders as some call them, are gravity feeders that can hold up to a weeks worth of seed, and they have a catch tray underneath to catch most of the hulls. You fill them from the top. I got mine from TammyS at Just Bird Stuff. I love them because they cut down on waste and mess, and female finches shouldn't be able to lay eggs in them, like seed cups--however, I recently found an egg laying in one in a Goldbreast waxbill cage. Those birds are so tiny, that she managed to squeeze one out in that small space! Also, it is harder for the birds to poop in their seed, though someone always tries it--think they like to aggravate me!

I ordered seed from Herman Bros. in Michigan. I think what I got was their own special finch mix. When I opened the bag, it smelled so fresh and good enough for me to eat! It is also made up of lots of different seeds, almost all very small seeds, which I think are easier for the finches to eat. Some of the finch mixes have pretty large seeds in them. All my finches seem to like this mix, except my green singers are in the canary family, so they get this mix, plus canary seed. Here is the website for them: www.hermanbros-seed.com

I just read your other post about the hawk. This probably only happens rarely (of course, if it is your birds, once is too often!), but I would think you woud need to worry more about your birds getting caught in the screen if you give them free flight. If you are there, it is probably OK, but if you aren't there, they can catch a nail in the screen, and they will fight to get free till they hurt themselves.

Post by **Sally** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:39 am

I meant to add to my other post, I used to buy my seed locally. It was OK, one of the big brands, but I finally realized that since there aren't just tons of finch owners, finch seed may sit on the shelves for quite a while and not be very fresh. Plus, ordering seed with shipping added made it quite expensive, I thought. Now, though, for me it is worth the extra expense, plus I'm not wasting as much, and I feel I am providing much better food for my babies. With Herman's, you can order smaller amounts. I also keep seed and all kinds of finch foods in my freezer--no seed moths.

Kathleen · Post by **Kathleen** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 3:06 am

Well I must get the seed hopper.....my Z's love to do all the things you mentioned. Oh and don't forget how they love to sleep in the dish too. I will check out Herman's for the seed, thanks for the info. Gee I didn't even think about them getting caught in the screen, that would not be good. I really must rethink this out....thanks again....and how many birds do you have? Sounds like you have many different kinds too....

S. W. Houston · Post by **S. W. Houston** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:50 am

Kathleen,
YES, I had thought of using a string of X-Mas lights too, but are you using all the colors, I’ve read that Red is best at night for them?, that color sure works for us (humans).

But about the shells/husks, somewhere I read to blow it out off the good seed, and have been doing that (reluctantly) ! Is this really necessary, can’t they scratch through it like most Birds do ?

Hillary,
YES again, those little buggers can NOT see well in dim light. I noticed (when I first got mine) that when I approached the Cages to wrap them up for the evening, they (then) were a bit afraid and got out of place in the Cage. I left the Light on in the Room for a few minutes after, so they could find their way back to the Roost.

Have a good Day !

Post by **Sally** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 12:45 pm

Hi, Kathleen, right now I'm up to 45 and counting. I have Stars, Owls, Cordon Bleus, Goldbreasts, Senegal Fires, Strawberries, Green Singers, a Shaft-tail, Gouldians, Zebras, and Societies. I just expanded last year, and this year will sort of decide if I want to expand more or downsize.

Kathleen · Post by **Kathleen** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:29 pm

Houston.....I had a set of outdoor lights in multi-color and am using them until I can locate an all red set. All the X-mas stuff is on sale now, but the all red may be hard to find. Wall Mart did not have them, so I will check Target, etc... The multi ones seem to be a bit brighter than what is needed, but they do look nice. Yea...I was blowing the shells off the top too, and then a thought came to me as I was beginning to hyperventilate, "what in the world am I doing?" seed is so cheap. So this led to flipping the seed and then letting the wild birds finish it off....so all is good right?......the wild birds think so...so there ya go!

Sally....Oh my, I can't imagine that many birds, what a job it must be to keep up with them all....food, health, happiness, fighting, breeding and doing silly bird things, not to mention the cleaning....good grief....ya gotta love um....I have been tempted to add, but I think I need to figure out the housing issue first. Then I will need to find what gets along best with the Z's...I hear that spices are ok....we shall see

fairestfinches · Post by **fairestfinches** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:41 pm

We like to use soda bottle feeders, and seed hoppers. The nice thing about the soda bottle feeders is that since they hang it gives the birds another perch and has a slight swinging motion. We take the wires out of the bottom of the cage to allow our birds to forage any dropped seed. You can see the soda bottle feeders on the "Our Aviary" page of our webiste in use.

Sean

S. W. Houston · Post by **S. W. Houston** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 5:13 am

Kathleen.
I think I have the same kind of lights you have (bulbs ¼”dia x 1”L about a 10 ft string) after I retired, I worked part time in a Hardware Store, which was going out of business, and bought a dozen strings, for $.50 ea. So I’m set for a while, but, they all were multi-colored. I found out that the string will still work, as long as there’s a bulb in each socket. Given that I have multiple cages, I had thought to put burned out bulbs in the string, making a dark place between the cages, and just light the Cage with one or two bulbs.
I guess you’d call that “Mood” lighting !

Hyperventilate, YES, been there ! I love my outsiders, but you don’t know how tight I am, when it comes to stuff like that. I suppose you, Sally for sure, others, buy Seed in fairly large quantities, but (me) with only Five Birds (for now), been getting it in the 1-2 Lb sacks. And they’re running $4-$6. So, the seed gets blown/cleaned and recycled to the Offspring males, I do give my Pair fresh every day. (that’s what made the Hopper so attractive)

Just as a little catch up on consumption, it’s apparent that all of them prefer the Kaytee to LM Animal. The change caused about ¼ TBSP increase per Bird per Day, getting them up to about ¾ TBSP each. I still think that’s not enough, but, like Sally/You said, just watch um, and they seem to be spry and doing ok. But, once I use some of what I have up more, I’m going to get some Harrison’s or LeFeber if I can find it here.

Forty Five birds for Sally, no problem I’m thinking, Loving, Caring and doing what ever is necessary for our charges, is replete with the people on this Website, specially Sally.

Sean,
Bottle Feeders !, are those something you made up yourself, or can you give us a URL to see them?
Now far be it for me to question a Pro, but, I thought one was supposed to keep the Birds away from the Debris Trays ! But if that’s a Law, then how do the people with large Flights keep um from going to the floor ?

Have a good Day !

Post by **Sally** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 12:42 pm

Houston, there are two schools of thought on letting the birds have access to the floor. Some people don't want them exposed to the poop on the floor, so they like the wire cage floors. The majority of my breeder cages have removable grates, so I took them out, and I much prefer letting the birds rummage around on the floor. I notice that a lot of them spend a lot of time on the floor, pecking around--I feel it helps keep them occupied. And the wire floors catch so much poop that they are still exposed to it, not to mention the extra work for me to clean those wires!

S. W. Houston · Post by **S. W. Houston** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 12:54 pm

Sally,
Sounds logical to me ! (allowing them to)
Surely they don’t want to get into that “stuff”, and can avoid it.
And, they might pick up a seed or two and eat them in the process.
I like the “keep busy” part too !

Have a good Day !

fairestfinches · Post by **fairestfinches** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:21 pm

We tend to think along the same lines as Sally when it comes to foraging. Birds forage in the wild and keeping the grates in keeps them from doing so. It's great excercise for them and keeps them mentally stimulated as well. We simply clean trays more than we would if we kept the grates in.

Here is a link to the soda bottle feeders we use.

http://www.fairestfinches.com/catalog/i ... 769704.htm

Any size bottle can be used as long as the threads of the bottle are the same as soda bottle.

Sean

S. W. Houston · Post by **S. W. Houston** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:45 pm

Sean,

I SEE now!, how any size (properly) threaded Bottle could be used !
And, that gives me a idea, about a self replenishing Birdbath for my Cages !

However, you might have to install one of those Doors I drew, to get one inside a Cage, any configuration might be sorta tall. I think that design might be for a larger Aviary. (lots of Birds)

Have a good Day !

HAY, I JUST CHECKED THE NEST, and my first Chick has hatched

I guess that makes me a Great Grandpa now !

DUH!, I just re-read your webpage, and see where you recommended a larger door. Sorry, I'm a little excited now !

Post by **Sally** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 5:55 pm

Congrats on the baby! You are going to have so much fun watching the process of them growing up--the only bad part is that they grow up almost overnight!

On a side note, as Sean said, the wild birds forage on the ground all the time, picking up seeds and dirt and bugs, etc. If you watch in your yard, those wild birds will be as busy as can be, pecking at the ground and in the grass. My birds are doing a similar thing, on a much smaller scale. And there aren't any wires on the ground for the wild birds to have to stand on, I think my birds like hopping around on a solid flooring. Of course, it is totally unnatural for them to have to live in cages, too, so I try to do whatever I can to make their life more pleasant.