Reviewing the Green Day Diet, found it interesting

[cindy]

I was reading on how either Roy Beckham and Doug Taylor makes their eggfood. Doug Taylor (Green Day Diet) serves eggfood daily (35% ratio to a variety of greens). His reasoning for doing so is all in this article. I am interested in changing up a little of how I feed especially concerning the amount of seed is wasted with both the finches and hookbill. He uses seed but not as the main staple. The only other thing my birds down is Roudybush. Making up batches of eggfood and freezing it seems easy enough to do, either recipe is doable. http://gulfcoastfinches.com/the_green_day_diet

Do any of you feed eggfood on a daily/year round basis? the Green Day Diet make sense about the best foods being offered in the morning, watching my Scarlet Chested parakeets go to and finish off a soft foods or soak offered first thing then forage their seed and pellets later leads me to think this will work well for them as well. The only question is will it work well for the English Budgies?

[cindy]

Roy Beckham's eggfood

http://www.efinch.com/eggfood.htm

[Perfex]

I found the gulf coast finch site a couple of years ago while I was reasearching and learning before I bought my birds. His feeding regime appealed to me most and I have used it since I bought my first birds last September. Granted, only a year of experience, and with this diet but so far I've not lost a single bird, everyone looks great and has molted out quickly and easily, and they've bred well for me.
To date I have not medicated my birds at all, but now that many are outside I know that I'll do a worming regimen in the fall when it cools down a bit and all the nest boxes are removed.
I LOVE the Green Day Diet!!!!

[mayble]

I tried the Green Day Diet for a few weeks, then couldn't stand coming home every day to my house smelling like cabbage and broccoli. I still feed eggfood and greens, but swapped out the veggies for less aromatic alternatives.
Doug Taylor specializes in waxbills, which are obviously heavy protein feeders. I don't give eggfood every day to my desert finches or javas, only the waxbills and breeding societies. Personally, I think it would be too much for the others to have daily, so they get it a few times a week.

[cindy]

That is my thinking regarding hookbills, javas, and zebras and owls. If you look at his photos though he does have other birds than waxbills. I may do the egg with carrot and kale twice a week and rotate it wih other food increasing the eggfood daily with breeder pairs.

[30 Seconds to Bob]

Everyone seems to comes up with their own thing and will give you a million reasons why they think it is best. While I do mainly use the mentioned veggies (broccoli, collards, turnip, mustard greens, etc.), they are NOT the mainstay ot the birds' diet and are not provided every day. Also, I only provide eggfood during times of conditioning and raising chicks. There is no way in nature that birds will eat anything even closely resembling an egg year round. My birds seem very healthy and their annual cycles seem right on track. JMO. Bob

[cindy]

This is what is confusing and controvisal...I do find certain species are having a bit more of a rougher time with molting....so possibly the diet mentioned may help with this as well as prior to breeding.

The breeder I got my scarlets and javas from uses a teaspoon of eggfood and veggies per pair daily first thing in the a.m.

[cindy]

Right now I have access to fresh eggs that are hormone free. I may make up eggfod and try this diet for a month, noting any changes as we go.

[Sally]

I started using the Green Day diet quite a while back, and I now use my version of it. I like to offer a variety of veggies, instead of broccoli, etc., every day. I also think kale is one of the best veggies around (I'm eating it a lot myself, in smoothies), so my birds get kale frequently. I think breeding birds, babies, juveniles and molting birds can benefit from daily eggfood, but I don't know that adult birds that are not breeding or molting need that much eggfood. I also like Roy Beckham's eggfood recipe.

As Bob has said, there are many variations out there. My feeling is that everyone needs to set up a program that works for them and their birds. For me, it has to be easy, not too expensive, and not too time-consuming. If I start resenting the time or money I'm spending on the birds, then something has to give. If someone enjoys baking, chopping, mixing, sprouting for their birds, that is wonderful, but no one should feel that they have to follow anyone else's program. You take someone else's program, then modify it to suit yourself.

[cindy]

Sally, I love kale in salads, have not tried in a smoothie yet.

found your recipe... http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=73&t=17762

[cindy]

Today was the first day....eggfood, a bit of grated carrot and finely chopped kale on the side. It went over big, tomorrow's side dish is sprouted quinoa and romaine.

My eggfood contained dried Higgins ProTeen 25 eggfood, finely ground Roudybush. Adding Wheat Germ oil in the next batch.

[cindy]

I did some soaked seed and quinoa, served it up with eggfood today....the birds were all excited, waiting for their treat of the day!!!! The Scarlets are always willing to try everything served. The javas, especially the normal Dad stands by the door watching me.

[debbie276]

There is no way in nature that birds will eat anything even closely resembling an egg year round.

I totally agree!!!

I only feed the egg food during the birds moult(2-3 times a week) or during breeding season(daily).

IMO egg food cant just be given to any bird. Many birds will gorge on it and if they are in a small cage and don't have room to fly around and exercise then they will get fat and unhealthy. Species that tend to do this are Diamond firetails, Parrot finches, and a couple others.

Also agree with both of you

[cindy]

Collected the dishes...today they did not bother the eggfood to much compared to yesterday. They did however down the soaked and sprouted seeds...the hookbills loved that best. Gaging it on what they like, need the diet may need an adjustment.

Based on this I may adjust this and do soaked and sprouted seed alternating eggfood to twice a week....one thing is for certain they love the kale, romaine and shredded carrots and soaked seed.

I/2 teaspoon of eggfood per pair along with a veggie a couple of times a week.

[cindy]

Rancel, I know what you mean about parrotfinches they eat just about whatever you give them and will keep eating. Mine where in a flight and constantly busy to burn it off.

Some finches even in a flight may sit more than others. I thought I would try this but judging from today compared to yesterday the eggfood was slightly eaten and they chose the soaked seed over the eggfood. Perhaps they had they protein needs met in yesterday's feed.

I tossed out half the eggfood today compared to yesterday....