Molting Food

[lnlovesorange]

Hey all, just wondering if there is anything specific I should give my Zeb fledges. who are being weaned when they start to molt into their adult plumage. Is there any special supplement, or seed that they should be given. A run down of what I give now is : Spray millet, the tonic seed mix (by ladygouldianfinch.com, specifically for fledges) romaine lettuce, kale, spinach, cucumbers (all left in the cage, only have ever seen them pick at the romaine) a regular (breeding mixture) seed, egg food (which i make with Hard boiled eggs, I add Morning Bird Miracle Meal, bee pollen, and Quicko powedered egg food into it, and sometimes i add Zupreem Fruit pellets ground up into powder. I also put Ecotrition Vita Sol into the parents drinking water (only in one of the 2 sources of water in the cage) Also egg shells (from the hard boiled eggs) Oyster shell, dried greens, and sprouted seed. Thes are all available in the cage every day. Is there anything else they should get, or any of these things that they should have more of while they go through their molt? Also, is there a difference between soaked seed and sprouted seed? Should I do a soaked seed? Can anyone tell me about this ? Also, noticed my parent birds aren't going to the egg food as eagerly now as they were before, when they were feeding the hatchings, i barely got my hand out of the cage, and they were at it, but now they kind of "eh...." at it. But, if the babies go for it, they chase them away...unless I'm standing there, then they look at me, like "i know i'm not suppose to do that...." but i work, so i can't always be there. Anyway, sorry I know this is a hodgepodge of a post, but mostly my question is about the moulting food. And once they are full on weanies, anything special they should be provided with everyday? The other thing, is that I want to take away a lot of the "breeding" foods from the parents as they are already trying to have another clutch (have removed 3 eggs already) and I want this increased breeding foods (i've read that the extra protein kind of puts them in a breeding "mode") so i want to deter this breeding mode a little. So once weaned can I go to a lower fat content (non breeding) seed, and lower the egg food to twice a week? Or should I wait until they put some of their weight back on (they both seem a little skinny from feeding the 4 feldges) Thanks all, sorry this was such a long post. it's just these are the things I'm wondering about, as I want ALL of my birds, to be healthy, and as far as eating goes, these are the couple of things that I think of together, parent health and maintaining their proper weight as well as fledgling/weanie health!
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[lovezebs]

lnlovesorange

I would offer molting birds the best diet, and it sounds like you're doing a good job already. I have never bought tge tiny expensive molting food packets that they sell I the shops. If your feeding your birds well, then you don't need that.

Protein is important for growing new feathers, so I would continue with the eggs. If they are not eating all that much, just offer smaller amounts

I would continue with veggies. Kale is very nutritious, so I would offer that, along with other veggies and take withhold the romaine. How do you serve your veggies by the way?

GOOD LUCK

~Elana~

[lnlovesorange]

lovezebs They love Romaine!!! I was just putting them on a flat dish on the cage floor, but now i have one of those "salad feeders" it has splits in it and it hangs on the side of the cage, and you put the veggies through the slots. What other veggies do you recommend? You said I shouldn't give them romaine? What other veggies can I give them? They really don't like fruit, I've tried grapes (green & purple) apple, banana, melon, orange, pineapple, strawberries & blueberries. But they do love their veggies!!! But i've only given them what i mentioned, so if i shouldn't give them romaine, what else can i give? Thanks!!! OH btw, did you see the genetics post? I guess both my fawns are females!!! Now the lady that I work with isnt' going to take any of the offspring (she doesn't want two of the opposite sex cuz she doesn't want babies) So I am going to have a LOT of birds!!! lol (not that I mind)

[lovezebs]

lnlovesorange

So why doesn't the lady from work take the two fawn females?

Regarding the veggies.
As mentioned above, there are different options. I have nothing against romaine btw. Just meant, that maybe withhold the romaine, and offer other options, so that they don't 'only' eat the romaine, and will try other things as well.

Options are:
Kale
Broccoli
Cucumber
Beet Greens.
Red Swiss Chard
Parsley
Spinach
Carrot Greens
Grated Carrots
Corn on the Cob
Bok choi
Baby Sprin Mix.....

All of these and I'm sure there are other options that slip my mind, can be offered.

Some of these guys get stuck on one thing, probably because that's what they were offered as chicks, and are not even willing to try anything else. That's why I suggested tajing away that 'one and only' and making other options availablefor them to try.

~Elana~

[debbie276]

The finch information centet has an area of nutrornts and their sources which may be of help
Www.infinchinfo.com/diet/nutients_and_sources.php

[Sheather]

You won't know the meaning of a lot of birds until you have 20... 30.. 40...

We're at 42, now... 8 more zebra eggs to go... O_O

[debbie276]

The finch information centet has an area of nutrornts and their sources which may be of help
http://Www.infinchinfo.com/diet/nutient ... ources.php

WOW!! That will teach me for trying that on my phone:

The Finch Information Center has an area called Nutrients and their sources which may be of help
http://www.finchinfo.com/diet/nutrients_and_sources.php

[lovezebs]

debbie276
LOL..... I could give you lessons on phone use, Deb. That's all I ever use

~Elana~

[lovezebs]

Sheather

Hi Dylan,
I just counted my birdlings after reading this.... good grief, but I really do have ' SEVERAL ' birds . I might have to upgrade that to 'a number of birds' .

[lovezebs]

fetching

Apricots? Really? I would never have thought of them. I am a great lover of apricots myself. Sadly, they are not available here this time of the year.

~Elana~

[debbie276]

debbie276
LOL..... I could give you lessons on phone use, Deb. That's all I ever use

~Elana~

I'm usually pretty good with the phone but spell check disagrees with my words ... a LOT! LOL For what ever reason I couldn't get copy and paste to work for the link so tried typing it myself.

[debbie276]

fetching

Apricots? Really? I would never have thought of them. I am a great lover of apricots myself. Sadly, they are not available here this time of the year.

~Elana~

Oh my goodness was thinking the same thing, I love love love apricots! When feeding birds I try to think of what they would be finding in the wild for diet, that's why I woulda never thought apricots. I guess you gotta dice them into teeny tiny bits too.

[Koko]

Also my cocks don't like fruit but lately I added some orange juice (self made, without additions) to their water. Tomorrow I will add apple juice. And then maybe they will be encouraged to cut them fruits? I hope so.

[lnlovesorange]

debbie276 I understood your first post (i'm very good at reading what phones want to write, as opposed to what you MEANT to write, cuz my phone does it all the time!!!) but thanks for the correction. And thank you everyone for the suggestions, I actually pulled up your list lovezebs while in the grocery store!!! I got kale, spinach, lovezebs parsley and carrots to try, also mustard greens, which they seemed to like.... there were no apricots, so i tried the canned stuff and i tried pineapple (even sprinkled millet on it) they just ate the millet off, and left the rest!!! They just don't like fruit!!! I wanted to tell you I couldn't find that chard thing you menioned or one or two of the others (along with the apricots) i'm wondering if it's because of my area?? I'm going to try again in the warmer weather, as here in MA our fruits that we get improve GREATLY in the spring & summer actually the veggies too... so I'll try fruits again in another couple of months, but they do love Cukes (they've been leaving them lately though) so i'm offering the other stuff i bought, and they seem to like it, So thanks you everyone!!!
Also, one last quick actually you know, what, i'll just post it in a new topic, that way i can get everyone's imput. Thanks again you guys truly are the best!!

[lovezebs]

lnlovesorange

Hi.
The list of foods, are ideas of the things you can offer, lol. You don't need to offer these choices all at ones, hon .

A good option, if you can't find some things, are those plastic boxed 'Baby Spring Greens', that folks buy as ready made salads. I often buy this when I'm short on time. I just wash and chop and offer. My guys love this mix, and it has lots of good stuff in it, I eat it too.

I know all about certain things not being available out of season, I'm up in Canada ( no apricots this time of the year)
I wouldnt offer canned stuff, no good for birds.

~Elana~