FINCHforum

what are your thoughts on feeding finches and canaries grit and or charcol? ive heard some say absoluetly and some say birds have died from a belly full of charcol

what type and how often do you recommend?

I offer a mineral mix of oyster shells, egg shells, charcoal, salt and clay

C&G
I give charcoal + crushed egg shells.
BUT, I watch the birds. Some birds will pig out eating charcoal. To prevent them from just eating charcoal rather than food, I either refill it 1x a week or 2 weeks, or give them less charcoal.

Debbie
What does the salt do for the birds?

Many moons ago I was told by an old time breeder that I should add sea salt to my mineral mix. Since then I have read several of Robert Blacks books and pamphlets, one of the reasons for tail pulling and feather plucking in finches is to get the salt in the living parts of feathers. I only add a pinch to a large jar of mineral mix so if they want it it's there. Thought I'd cover my bases

I'm no expert, but I add Hatched eggshell and some charcoal to mineral grit. When I refill the dish and put it in, they pick out some of the charcoal at once, but they don't get any more until the grit is mostly gone and I refill the dish.

I'm glad to hear about the salt. Sometimes I give mine veggies that I have cooked for myself that have some salt (thought I usually have a pretty light hand with it) and was wondering just today if that was a problem. I'm glad to hear that some will probably be ok. It's not an everyday thing.

I give my guys oystershell and hatched eggshell. They enjoy this combination.

I think the charcoal stems from wild birds in areas of the world that eat it in nature. The gouldians eat it in Australia after the wildfires in the eucalyptus forests. Not sure which others.