FINCHforum

Tried to make a new Dried Eggfood today....8.5 oz of enriched cornmeal, 6 eggs and the shells, about 1/8 cup of steel cut oatmeal and an 1/8 cup Lafeber's Finch pellets.

Mix well crushing the eggshells. Slow bake in the center of the oven at 350* in a lightly buttered (no salt) pan until a toothpick insterted through the center comes out clean (about 20 minutes).

Turn off the oven and leave the pan in the oven to help remove additional mositure until the oven cools....when it cools I will grind it and serve it up to the birds. I will let you know how it works out!!

This came out more dry and hard to the touch than the Jiffy mix for some reason.

Cindy, I made alot of this type meal all summer for my birds and they loved it. I added some shaved cuttle bone to mine along with a little probiotics. I think it last longer than fresh egg food in the summer. Let us know how they liked it!!!

I will Donna....hope they like it. It would save me time in the morning .

This is what it looks like finished before grinding it.

cindy wrote: This came out more dry and hard to the touch than the Jiffy mix for some reason.

I'm thinking this is probably due to the lack of any fat in the mix. Is there a bird safe oil that could be added? Olive oil? Wheat germ oil? Something like that to moisten it up, just a tiny bit? Or is it better dryer?

I would say you need some kind of liquid. In the recipe I use:
3 eggs w/shells
2/3 cup liquid (vegetable juice,fruit juice, etc)
2 or 3 jars baby food
1 Tbsp peanut butter
handful veggies

mix above & put into:
Pkg cornbread mix
2 Tbsp wheat germ &/or dried herbs
1/4 cup rolled oats
handful bird pellets

Bake 400 degrees about 15-20 min. Flexible to change anything.

Actually I want this dry...much like the dried ABBA nestling eggfood.

I roughly ground it and will spread it out on parchment paper and dry it out further at 250* for about 20 minutes. Then it will be finely ground. Next time I will add wheat germ flakes and herbs.

I tried the whole peanut butter, oil thing and my birds will not touch it

That is interesting. I"ll be curious to hear how your birds eat that mixture. Mine always seem to be so picky. Let us know.

They like it...especially the zebras and owls. Rummy liked it.

What a good idea! I have made the Jiffy eggbread before, the one that calls for a box of Jiffy cornbread mix and a dozen eggs, but I like the idea of making a drier egg mix. I have been using Volkman's eggfood, which I love, but to have 15# bags shipped from CA has gotten so expensive.

These recipes all sound good! Does it have to be crumbled up, however? When I had baby canaries - besides giving the parents hardboiled egg and soak seed (and of course fresh fruits and veggies) I'd give them a "birdie egg biscuit". It was pretty hard but they would gobble it up. They even make a special holder dish to fit them perfectly. Bob

Bob, I think it depends on your birds. I grind it because my birds don't do the bicuit bread thing real well. I did the whole organic breads and even little pumpkin mini muffins. Mine prefer to go through it like they go through seed.

I used to give my birds chunks of the egg bread but after awhile it got really hard. I think mine like the ground up egg bread best. Cindy you could add unsweetened applesause to the corn meal....

Sherry, the applesauce would make it moist? In the warmer months I would want it dried out more...I could try that in the cooler months. Maybe had dehydrated fruits and veggies and herbs. When I ground it it reminded me of Miracle Meal.

Cindy, that cake looksso dry. Looking at it makes me want to put on lotion. Glad the birds enjoyed it!!

I served it with a salad on the side!!!!