Pellet feeding vs. seeds

albert · Post by **albert** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 3:25 pm

I have to put my Gouldians back to seed diet after they went through 3 weeks totally on pellets, because they did not feed their babies when they ate pellets, even my best breeders.

I lost the total of 9 chicks during the last 2 weeks, and prior to that for 6 months or so I did not lose any for this kind of abandone. I could not stand to see them die 1 by 1 like that.

Albert.

EmilyHurd · Post by **EmilyHurd** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 3:51 pm

I'm so sorry! That totally sucks!!!

Are you sure it was because of the pellet feeding?

You could always try mixing pellets and seed, now that you know they'll eat the pellets.

rottielover · Post by **rottielover** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 3:55 pm

Albert,

I'm surprised that your birds wouldn't feed the pellet's to the chicks... It sounds like Chris is having great success on with the pellets.

I myself have converted my Gouldian's over to pellets and they have been doing great, though I have not really tried to breed the Goulds yet.

That being said, I haven't totally replaced seeds from the diet either.

The pellet manufacter says that pellets should make up 80% of the birds diet. I now feed seeds only in "treat" cups.

Here's what I do:

I have a couple of the large "tube" like feeders or trough feeders (whatever you call them) that have pellet's in there 24/7. I then use small glass dishes and put a varried ammount of seed mix (it's actually a commercial blend with dried eggs in it, Egg-Cite or something like that), and other "goodies" in the cup (freeze-dried meal worms, spinich leaves, various veggies, etc.) Once I had the birds switched to pellets, I went about a week or so of just 100% pellets (I wanted to make sure they were taught to eat them). After that I started with the treat cups, and then only randomly (once a week, sometimes more often, sometimes no treat cup that week, just depends). I also give millet sprays now and then as a treat.

My birds picked up on this quickly, they eat the "meals" from the hoppers of the pellets, and when treats are offered they go for that. In addition I'm also now keeping crushed oystershell and powdered kelp in seperate dishes as "free choice" for the birds. I noticed that when I first offered this dishes the birds went after it zealously, so much so I was worried at first. However, the "newness" soon wore off for the birds and they went back to feeding normally, and now very rarely ever touch the oysershell or kelp.

When breeding, I plan to offer the "unlimited" supply of pellets as normal, but I'm also going to offer nearly unlimited supply of eggfood, millet, and treat cups of seeds mixed with pellets to stimulate feeding.

RH/WB · Post by **RH/WB** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 12:52 am

I have had no luck whatsoever getting Goulds, Society, Java, Weavers, keets or lovebirds to eat any brand name pellet. Even without any alternative choice they refuse it. I hope to have some hatching in 3 days from 2 pair, think a few may have already and L'Avian plus seed is all they'll take, not even corn muffens. I had to give up on pellets.

albert · Post by **albert** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 3:39 pm

Prior to that I had them on a pellet & seed mix called Kaytee Fortified Diet, it is about 30% pellet and 70% seed mixed, so my Goulds actually got pellets. That's why I did not have any problem getting them switch to 100% pellets.

But funny they did not feed their babies when it came to rearing chicks, they just sit on the babies and let them starve to death. My 4 pairs did the same thing, untill I put them back to Kaytee, 1 pair even totally ignored the babies so I had to foster them to Society (this is the first time I foster my goulds thou)

So I now have 3 with the Society, 4 from different parents in 1 nest with Gouldian parents, lost 9

Hope they will breed again soon

RH/WB · Post by **RH/WB** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 4:38 pm

I'm going through about the same horrible thing. One pair has only one chick, just born and they haven't tried to feed it yet.
I have some societies sitting on eggs for about one week and wonder if they'll accept and feed this single baby. I'm wondering if I put the lone chick in there with the societies, will they feed him?
Is there any point to me trying to hand feed this sole pink baby with crushed and watered pellets and an eye dropper? He's active, pink with his head up and alone so far. Probably this is his second day alive.
Usually they ignore a single baby, but these are new 1st time parents that may ignore both this one and the unhatched egg.
I'm perplexed and need some HELP on what to do.

Thanks ahead of time!

Post by **Sally** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 12:06 am

If the parents won't feed this one baby, I'd try putting him with the Societies first. They may not take to him, since they have eggs right now, but no babies. You may even have to take their eggs away, so they will concentrate on the baby. Handfeeding would be a last resort (be prepared to lose a LOT of sleep, they eat every 2 hours at first!). If you do handfeed, you need to get handfeeding formula. You can use Kaytee or Lafebre's but I found the Lafebre's to be less grainy, so easier to use. It needs to be mixed with warm water, and then you can use a syringe, pipette, or even a flat toothpick to feed the very runny formula. There is an article about handfeeding at finchinfo, also at www.ladygouldian.com, so if you decide to handfeed, be sure and read these articles--it is not easy to do, because of the tiny size of the babies.

rottielover · Post by **rottielover** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 1:35 pm

Here's a thought...

If the parent's aren't feeding the chick's the dry pellet's try moistening the pellet's with a little warm water (or for additional benifit a mix of water and a little bit of apple cider vinager). You'd have the treat the pellet's that are wetted like any other "wet" food and remove after several hours to keep things from growing in it.

My thought is that maybe the partents don't like the dry, grainy consitancy of the pellets and arn't drinking enough water to with with them in the crop to make the food "paste" out of it.

My severe macaw is fond of "feeding" my wife and I, when he does it's a very thick paste, about the consistancy of glue. So I'm thinking that added moisture may be on benifit...

It's just a thought, I'm a novice so use at your own risk ;)

RH/WB · Post by **RH/WB** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 11:29 pm

Thanks for the help ~!!
Very strange and they seemed to be so dedicated.

The chick is gone and can't see where it could have been tossed.

It was way in the back of a deep and very long horizontal box, and the bird would have to have carried it 4" and then up 2" and out. Captivity has really destroyed their natural breeding instinct.

Leaving juveniles in with their parents when they feed the next group is the way to go, then they can learn and live. Were it not for their beauty, they'd probably be extinct by now.
I have 4 more ready or already have hatched and one Society pair sitting for a week on theirs. I'm thinking on sneaking them under the Society as soon as I see no feeding action and hope for the best.
It's all in the timing. The egg was futile aside from the chick and it's gone too.
I don't know if I should stick these 4 furtile eggs or hatchlings under the Societies "right now" or not. Sitting just a week, but..........?
Very depressing and perplexing.

klw · Post by **klw** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 4:51 am

hi all,in australia there are 2 main pellet or crumble as we call it diets.vetafarm crumbles and passwell crumbles.i have used both for my gouldians and they are in top shape.i prefer passwell to vetafarm only because passwell are larger harder pieces so theres no powder wastage whereas vetafarm the pieces are softer and turn powdery so you waste half a bag.shame they dont fix that problem!but anyway im a huge fan of these diets great invention!!!!
karen

chrischris · Post by **chrischris** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 10:47 am

Have you ever used these pellets for breeding birds?

How do the finches do with it?

klw · Post by **klw** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 6:05 am

no i havent used them for breeding as i dont breed i just keep them for their beauty and personality.however,i have had parrot finches,goldfinches,canary's,and budgies(parakeets) and have used crumbles on all and all looked a million dollars.all the small birds i have had went straight to the crumbles but i dont put any seed in their cages for at least a week until they start to actually like it,then i give a little seed as a treat.works great for me.
karen

Shadowfax · Post by **Shadowfax** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 2:45 pm

I just picked up some Pretty bird mini pellets fro my kids to see how they would take to them.
When I put them in the seed cup beside the seeds they pretty much ignored them. But then I put the pellets in the treat cup and regular seeds in the seed cup and they have been eating both. They have actually been spending quite a bit of time at the treat cup this morning.

Don't think I am going to switch them to 100% pellets but I think at least 50% or possibly more over time.

I am not breeding them so for me the feeding babies thing is not an issue. I just want them to have good healthy foods and variety. I know with seed they tend to leave the stuff they don't like so I think pellets with a little seed is a good plan.

sunnydove · Post by **sunnydove** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 1:44 am

Chris,

In reply to your comment:

"By the way I've heard of some finch breeder that have hand fed a gould and they have become very tame to the point of flying to the owner's hands. Makes me want to hand feed a gould when I hear something like this. "

Read the following article I had seen on another site awhile back.

http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/featur ... eeding.mgi

Hope this helps there.

Judy

chrischris · Post by **chrischris** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 10:07 am

Yes Judy I've read this article before but I truly believe if you want to hand pet a bird a parrot is a better bird for it. I have a conure and it is so tame you could pick it up and pet it while it's laying on it's back. It's so affectionate much more than any hand fed finch.

chris

sunnydove wrote:Chris,

In reply to your comment:

"By the way I've heard of some finch breeder that have hand fed a gould and they have become very tame to the point of flying to the owner's hands. Makes me want to hand feed a gould when I hear something like this. "

Read the following article I had seen on another site awhile back.

http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/featur ... eeding.mgi

Hope this helps there.

Judy

FINCHforum

Pellet feeding vs. seeds

crumble diets of australia

Pellet feeding vs. seeds

Re: Pellet feeding vs. seeds