FINCHforum

So I've decided to offer steel cut oats and hulled oat groats after reading info on this forum....how often should I give it to my birds? Should I mix it with their regular seed?

Thank you!

Does anyone out there routinely give steel cut oats and/or hulled oat groats to their finches?

slwatson

As I recall, some folks do offer them.

Personally, I just offer plain oats in their natural state. My birds enjoy them, especially the Canaries.

lovezebs

How often do you offer them? I know they're higher in fat, so I wasn't sure if they could get them daily or not.

There are normally oats in any small bird/parakeet mix. My finches never really cared for them though, budgies and tiels sometimes pick at them.

Dante

Thank you! I wanted to offer them just to see if they like them, so I'll do it tonight. They seem to be a little picky with new things.

slwatson good luck! You can always try mashed and mixed in the eggfood

lovezebs wrote: slwatson

As I recall, some folks do offer them.

Personally, I just offer plain oats in their natural state. My birds enjoy them, especially the Canaries.

When you say "Plain oats in their natural state" are you meaning the "flake" version that we make into oatmeal for breakfast? Or is there a natural/organic oat that we should be getting?

I wanted to give mine oats, but I was not sure if the flakes were ok or if there was a difference between the kind you have to cook for 30 minutes and the kind that cook in 5 minutes. I have some of the kind that you cook in 5 minutes. Would those be ok?

AzillaFinch

I'm not sure what natural state means either...I just bought some hulled oat groats, and some steel cut oats, but I haven't used them yet.

I think they are talking about the whole oat seed right off the plant or steel cut oats bought at a pet shop or bird supplier, not the rolled oats that you cook. Also, oat groats can be bought at a pet store. I bought some of the steel cut oats at the health food store. My birds don't eat the rolled oats.