FINCHforum

With the merger of Finch Niche with Lady Gouldian Finch, I noticed that the seed mix I normally buy from Finch Niche is no more. Now, they only offer the seed from Lady Gouldian Finch, which has no vitamins in it. The site suggests that you need to buy vitamins and supplements to include in the diet along with the seed.

Now, I know that the vitamins that are normally included in seed bags aren't all that the birds need for a day, so I usually try giving them some supplements every couple of days or so, but I just don't like that it feels like I am being put in a corner here. I don't know, maybe I am just being crazy or something. I stopped buying pet store seed mixes because they always put in the pellets and my birds don't eat them, so it was a waste of money to buy them. I guess I might have to start shopping around again.

I would love some suggestions in this area too, as I have been using one of the kaytee blends, but my birds also don't eat the pellets. They put them in their bath water, so every day is a mystery as to what xolor the water will be when I get home from work.
I am now considering one of the ABBA blends (1900), because the store I get my food from just started selling it by the pound. I *think* it has vitamins etc mixed ito it.
I don't really want to order online because shipping for most places adds so much onto the cost of the seed, so I was very happy to see ABBA at my local place!

Two really really good multi-vitamins are Morning Bird Hearty Bird and Zoo Med's Avian Plus.

The only "downside" to Zoo Med is that you can not administer it in drinking water.

If I am using it (I switch between), I add it to egg food or sprouted seed.. You can also sprinkle it onto oiled dry seed if you do not feed fresh egg food or sprouted seed.

I ran into a similar problem when the MF Softfood became unavailable - without it, it's necessary to supplement the birds with a high quality multi-vitamin, but I am happy to report that development for a US manufactured version is beginning so I'm excited to have that back into my regimen once it's complete.

Either way, those are the vitamins of choice for me.
Hearty Bird can be administered in the drinking water but I suggest changing it frequently especially during these hot summer months as nearly anything supplement wise added to drinking water can cause bacterial growth.

I don't know if this is available in your area, but I have found a brand of seed called "Sleek and Sassy" Standard Finch Mix (20 lb. bag) which contains only seed (no pellets, no flakes of dried vegetables, no weird colored bits, etc.). It is a lot of seed, but, you can keep it in the freezer and it will stay fresh and bug-free. I get it from Southern Pet Supply in Louisiana. This brand also offers a garden finch seed mix which contains seed and bits of dried veggies, etc. But, I just wanted the seed, since I always offer fresh chopped veggies anyway. I was tired of buying stuff my finches don't eat, so I am happy with their standard finch seed mix. I do stir in a bit of canary song bird seed for added variety. And, I use liquid vitamins in their water everyday. Hope this helps.

Raleighwheels, if you like your vitaminized seed -- ABBA 1900 (Exotic Finch Mix) may be a viable choice for you.

I order it via phone from ABBA since local Pet Stores don't carry it -- it's actually cheaper that way anyway since you cut out the middleman.

You can go to the ABBA Seed website and check out all their products --- along with the other products recommended on this thread they have some pretty good stuff, too.

I use a finch seed blend and either mix or serve in a separate dish Zupreem finch fruit pellets...it contains the vitamins and minerals they need and is easier to eat than some of the pellets premixed in the bags of seeds the pet stores offer. I have tried all kinds of seed blends, different companies. The one that my finches eat and like is Kaytee Supreme finch, no colored seeds or hard pellets added. I noticed the fortified seeds are not eaten, so it is wasted. Besides if the only the hull is enriched with vitamins, they don't eat the hull. They roll it around in their beak and discard the hull.

cindy wrote:I use a finch seed blend and either mix or serve in a separate dish Zupreem finch fruit pellets...it contains the vitamins and minerals they need and is easier to eat than some of the pellets premixed in the bags of seeds the pet stores offer. I have tried all kinds of seed blends, different companies. The one that my finches eat and like is Kaytee Supreme finch, no colored seeds or hard pellets added. I noticed the fortified seeds are not eaten, so it is wasted. Besides if the only the hull is enriched with vitamins, they don't eat the hull. They roll it around in their beak and discard the hull.

I used the fruit pellets for over a year with no luck at all. In fact, the birds just used the dish to poop in, so it was an expensive waste. I have been looking around and found a company called Volkman that makes a pretty good looking finch seed mix.

this site carrys Volkman in bulk but does not list the finch/canary...contact them to see if they can get it for you.

http://www.foryourbird.com/mm5/merchant ... de=Volkman

My finches also do not like the Zoopreem pellets, but a few eat them. So, I give them a choice of a plate with seeds, pellets from LeFeber and Zoopreem and eggfood. They get veggies in the afternoon too. The seeds are varied between Kaytee Supreme Fortified Finch Mix and Ecotrition Essential Blend. I find that all the seed is gone, the Lefeber is mostly gone and the Ecotrition is about half gone. The Zoopreem is only eaten by the Owls and OCW's. No one else eats it, but I offer it in case they change their mind or want something different sometimes. It's hard to tell sometimes if they eat at all, as I see so much left over, but if I look close, they have broken the pellets and eaten parts of them and picked through the seeds.

cindy wrote:this site carrys Volkman in bulk but does not list the finch/canary...contact them to see if they can get it for you.

http://www.foryourbird.com/mm5/merchant ... de=Volkman

Thanks for the site. I'll send them an email once we are close to running out of what we have.