boiled eggs

[dutch]

I just started feeding my zebra finches boiled eggs...i have 60 finches in a outdoor aivary ..

Is it ok to feed them half a boiled egg everyday...or is that too much..

Mainly feeding it for the vitamin d3 in it
Also noticed since feeding the egg they eat less seed

[cindy]

You can grate it. Since you are feeding outside make sure you remove any extra since it can go bad in the sun and heat if left out to long....a half an egg may not be enough for 60 finches. You can grate two or three eggs and add finely grated veggies like carrots, shaved broccoli to the grated egg every once in a while...alternate with different greens

This is an interesting article on the Green Day diet

http://gulfcoastfinches.com/the_green_day_diet

[Sally]

With 60 finches, you will want to serve the egg in several different places, or not all birds will get a chance at it. And eggs are an excellent source of protein, plus the shells are an excellent source of calcium.

[debbie276]

I offer about a teaspoon a pair so you may want to offer more then just half an egg for that many birds. I don't add anything to the egg other then a bit of handfeeding formula to dry it out a bit. If you spread it out thinly on a shallow dish it will dry out before going off.
Don't forget to also give them the egg shell
good luck

[dutch]

Thanks for all the advice.....i tried giving them a whole egg but they kept leaving about half.....so today i only gave them half mixed in with dry egg and biscuit and they finished it all....took them 2 hours to eat it all...

Will it be ok to feed it daily.....

[debbie276]

When they are not breeding I only feed egg 2 or 3 times a week. When they are molting and/or breeding I feed everyday to increase their protein levels.

[wildbill]

on another note - i once bred about 200 zebs in about a year or less -and they never saw a boiled egg.

[cindy]

I agree with Debbie, if they are not breeding or raising young they do not need it daily.

[wildbill]

i can honestly say zebras by far are the easiest finch to breed in the world. most ozzie kids started off with these and there have been thousand upon thousands bred just on finch mix and water alone.
i suppose once they get used to other foods it may cause a bit of drama in the feeding dept but it will surprise you how simply finch mix -greens and water can bred you young which look no different than those fed on the very best of tucker.
price plays a big factor on how birds are fed. here the zeb sells for $2 or $3ea and i had trouble getting that price for mine. in fact there are times when the local pet shop wouldn't take them off your habds for free.....always too many in stock!

[dutch]

Wild bill....5 years ago when i first started breeding them all i fed them was seeds and greens...and i never had any problems...

I had them in a small aivary all walls were wired..no closed walls..plenty of Sun

Then i moved them into a large aivary closed walls less wire openings...placed placed clear plastic on wire to keep the heat in during winter....

Now my finches haven't had a single chick survive in 3 years.....

Went to the vet....dead birds found with enlarged livers...and yeast infection found in live birds.....

Vet said seed diet was killing them...stop feeding seed....

Came across an article about vitamin d3.....now i have taken off all plastic from wire and started feeding them egg.....

Its been a month...and already my birds are looking better....i have put the nests back in..

If they have chicks this time....then vitamin d3 is the secret to healthy birds...

[wildbill]

i covered my diamond sparrows and gouldians in for the winter - didn't effect their breeding and to combat the vitamin D3 incident is used this product - just add water.

[dutch]

Wild bill how many times a week do you add the soluvite to the water....during breeding is it 7 days a week?

[wildbill]

for the birds not getting direct sunlight -daily. what i mean by direct no plastic on front or side of aviary and no overhead laser light covering.


Product Description

Powder vitamin supplement with increased Vitamin D3 for use in water or added to foods. Contains all 13 essential vitamins required for a balanced diet in birds along with increased levels of Vitamin D3 to support birds with insufficient access to natural sunlight. Vitamin D3 is a particularly important nutrient. Birds housed indoors may lack D3, which can lead to poor breeding success and chick growth, inadequate calcium absorption and many other problems

Recommended for: All birds on seed diets, particularly useful for birds housed in doors with limited or no access to natural sunlight.

Can be used with: Soluvite D should be used in conjunction with a trace mineral supplement (e.g. TRACEMIN) and a calcium supplement (e.g. CALCIVET or D NUTRICAL), for birds on seed diets.

Directions: Add 4g to 400mL of water and stir well OR Add 1g to 1 cup of food and combine well. Daily use of vitamins in either food or water is recommended to supplement the diet. Soluvite D may be used in all species of birds. Prepared water should not be exposed to direct sunlight; replace daily.

Active Constituents: Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Riboflavin, Thiamine Pyridoxine, Cyanocobalamin (B12), Folic Acid, Choline Bitartrate, Biotin, Iodine

[dutch]

Thanks Bill..just ordered it

[wildbill]

you'll find it fine. apart from a drink and the d3 factor they also love to use as the daily bath lol