FINCHforum

Heya

As the title said, how often should I feed fruit and vegies to my Bengalese and Gouldian's? They have finch seed, and that's about all they have. I asked the 'bird man' and he said not to feed eggs?? just give them some F&V.

I have been giving them, lettuce, carrot, & apple. I grate it up into smaller pieces but they seem to take it out of the bowl and drop it. But as soon as I put it in they go for it, so they obviously love it.

So, everyday? or just so often?

Still confused about the eggs with both shops saying no, yet I read how well it works for you guys the breeders and owners.

Is there anything else I should be giving them? they are nice and chubby and healthy but I have only had them a couple of weeks. So, still a very new newbie !!

I offer my societies (I don't have gouldians) something fresh almost every day - if I'm really rushed I may omit it. Mine have never taken to fruit, but like a few vegetables. Romaine lettuce is the favorite. I don't tear that up - I just put a leaf in the cage. I found when I shredded it at the beginning, it all just went through the grate.

Mine like grated carrot, but loved cooked carrot even more, so I share with them when I cook them. This doesn't go under the grate but all over the wall when they shake their beaks to clean them. Other complain of poop on the walls - we have carrot splash.

Others feed a wide variety of veggies - I'm sure they will make suggestions. I just haven't persevered as much as I probably should. I did give up on broccoli. After a year, mine still detest it. (Maybe they see my expression when I put the icky stuff in for them - LOL).

Boiled egg is good for them if they will eat it, and if they are breeding, they need it. There is also dried egg food - I use that occasionally to mix in with other treats.

My Society's get veggies daily, especially during breeding season. I give the eggfood (hardboiled eggs in food processor on pulse, shells and all) during breeding season or once a month, if I notice feather issues, plucking or lack of condition in feathers. They don't get eggfood year round. My Society's and other finches absolutely love sliced cucumbers (they eat out the seeds from the center, which leaves the skin and some flesh), and also Romaine lettuce, any green leaf veggies, shredded carrots, shredded broccoli (both pulsed in food processor), orange slices, mango, etc. Do not give them berries, as the seeds can cause problems.

Thank you guys.

Now I have a few more ideas to give them, I was sure seed alone was pretty boring and not enough to sustain a healthy diet. I am about to go and give them so cucumber and see how they go. I just gave them lettuce and they loved it

Thanks again.

I am a newbie myself (as you know ;) )

I have two water drinkers (the science test tube looking ones) and I invert so the opening is on top. I put water in it (like you would flowers in a vase) and I put in fresh kale (take out some of the bottom leaves so it actually fits in cause kales have massive leaves!) I do the same to broccoli (cut length wise, and stick it in like a little tree ) but before you stick it in the water.. cut a bit off the bottom so the stem is fresher than how you bought it! and immediately dunk it in the inverted water tube. It works well, the kale doesnt wilt nor does the broccoli!
My societies go nuts over kale, the like to sit on top of it since its quite a stiff leaf and forage through it so I think your societies might like it too!

they always love egg! I also later on in the day tried grated carrots... yeah didn't like that. Tomorrow I will try some apples. It seems like MY societies don't really enjoy fruits more bright greens. I haven't tried spinach but I have read to only give a moderate amount as it blocks off calcium or something like that...

OH! I also tried cucumbers... mehhhh said the finches.
I am still learning I will see what else they will enjoy!

chirpy

Thanks for the info. I just did a search on Google and Kale is not available in Australia. Is it a type of lettuce?

I gave them some Cucumber and so far - no thanks !!

But - my Bengalese are hard working on their nest building, they have been going all day. I have given them feathers and some coconut straw, they have been dragging it up from the bottom and I have stuck some in the wire near their nest.

I might start a new thread about it for advice.....follow me over Chirpy

With Society's, just keep offering a variety of veggies. They may ignore it at first and later will eat ones they ignored previously. Kale is a green leaf, a more stiff version compared to typical green lettuces like Romaine.

Hard boiled eggs are just about the best food you can offer your birds. Eggs have protein for perfect feather growth and for chicks to get a healthy start. They also supply many vitamins and minerals your birds need like Vitamin D3 which they need to process calcium and the egg shell is a perfect source of clacium. If you can't have your birds outside or special UV lights on them they need the Vitamin D3 from eggs.
I also offer my birds greens, clover, chickweed and dandelion are a few. Any grasses with seed heads are devoured. I have a little luck with broccoli and a couple other vegetables but not with fruit.

Here's the page at the Finch Information Center's "Nutrients and their sources"
http://www.finchinfo.com/diet/nutrients_and_sources.php

This chart should help guide you to what foods offer which nutrition

Kale is a leafy green I dont know if its a lettuce as it tastes nothing or looks liek it but it very well may be!
I have friends in sydney (I used to live there) and they came to visit us and we went grocery shopping and they bought a bunch of kale... so maybe they sell it in sydney? i wouldn't see why they wouldnt have it in melbourne as thats a major city here is a picture of it!
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4408/Top ... -Kale.html

-- well a link of it ;)

it is very stiff kind of looks like a MONSTEROUS parsley

debbie276

How do I prepare the eggs exactly? I don't want to do it the wrong way and kill them !!!

I don't have a blender so I am going to have to buy one?

How often do I offer it? and how long do I leave it in the cage?

Thanks

I just hard boil the eggs, takes about 20 minutes. You can mash them with a fork after you peel them. To dry them out a bit I add a little bit of handfeeding formula. When I feed the eggs I put them thinly on a dish is they dry out before going bad. I leave them till the next morning when I give fresh eggs.

How many eggs Debbie? One each for the Bengalese and the Gouldian's cages? and do I use the whole egg at once?

I don't have any formula, can I use just the egg?

Do I use the shell at all?

I feed about a tablespoon per pair. You can hard boil several and keep them in the frig till needed. Instead of handfeeding formula you could use corn meal or bread crumbs just not a lot, you don't want to dilute the protein content. Use the entire egg, yolk and whites. Be sure to offer the egg shells in your mineral mix.

I don't know what a 'mineral mix' is Debbie. I don't have a clue what to do with the shells. And I don't know how or what handfeeding formula is? Gosh I feel pretty dumb right now !!

Why do I have to add to the eggs? I will use breadcrumbs but how many per 2 teaspoons?

I need instructions made clear to me or I get confused pretty easily. I have just cleaned out the cages and given them Lettuce, carrot, apple & cucumber. The Bengalese jumped right in and had a good feed, they are finally used to it. The Gouldian's are not keen yet, I guess in time like the others they will have a go.

But I want to get this egg thing right !!