what is the right way to give supplement to my finches?

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gouldian_finch
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what is the right way to give supplement to my finches?

Post by gouldian_finch » Fri Aug 25, 2017 8:19 pm

most of my finches are kept in separated small cages of their own, this caused some problems when I try to give them different supplements

every month I filled water into a few one litre size bottles, then added different supplement into these bottles with right dosage. One bottle for calcium, one for vitamin, one for tonic ....... then I store these bottles in refrigerator.

then I add water from these bottles to the drinkers for birds of each cage... there are only 1 or 2 birds in each cage, they obviously can not finish the water each day, thus I only changed their water every 3 or 4 days

I was recently told vitamin become ineffective immediately once in water, has to be fed to bird straight away, thus my approach is totally useless

I also know it is best to change the drinking water every day, but what is the best solution to go through many cages one by one ? esp most of them barely touch the water, thus waste most of the supplement if I change them everyday?

I was curious to learn how you guys do it, many thanks

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cindy
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Re: what is the right way to give supplement to my finches?

Post by cindy » Fri Aug 25, 2017 8:38 pm

Too complicated... they recommend not to add vitamin, mineral supplements to the water... they dilute, go rancid quick... with 24 hours the vitamin water combined with bits of food, salvia can grow bacteria 100 fold within 24 hours....

Try a good powdered supplement that is complete... add it to soft foods or feed pellets that are balanced/complete.

AviTech AviVita Gold is very complete.... will get you the break down, it blends easily into soft foods and the birds readily eat it. I'm not sure what tonic is but I never use it... providing three different tubes of different liquids does not guarantee your birds are drinking from all three and getting enough of the calcium, enough of the vitamins they need.

The break down for AviVita Gold.... it also contains much needed amino acids

AviVita Gold Vitamin, Mineral and Amino Acid Supplement for Birds
Guaranteed Analysis
Vitamin A 1000000 IU
Vitamin B1 1500 mg
Vitamin B2 3000 mg
Vitamin B3 12600 mg
Vitamin B5 4000 mg
Vitamin B6 1300 mg
Vitamin B12 10500 mg
Vitamin C 16000 mg
Vitamin D3 125000 mg
Vitamin E 6600 IU
Vitamin H 1 mg
Vitamin K1 50 mg
Folic Acid 400 mg
Choline 6550 mg
Inositol 130 mg
Aspartic Acid 800 mg
Alanine 500 mg
Arginine 250 mg
Cystine 250 mg
Glutamic Acid 1550 mg
Histidine 140 mg
Proline 325 mg
Serine 430 mg
Isoleucine 500 mg
Leucine 1000 mg
Lysine 2400 mg
Mechionine 2200 mg
Phenylalanine 350 mg
Threonine 450 mg
Tyrosine 70 mg
Calcium 4000 mg
Copper 250 mg
Iodine 100 mg
Iron 3000 mg
Manganese 1250 mg
Zinc 1250 mg
Last edited by cindy on Fri Aug 25, 2017 8:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: what is the right way to give supplement to my finches?

Post by cindy » Fri Aug 25, 2017 8:39 pm

This is from an avian medical book.... egg food if fresh and veggies should not be left out even at room temperature for no more than 2 hours, less if outside in heat.
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Last edited by cindy on Fri Aug 25, 2017 8:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: what is the right way to give supplement to my finches?

Post by cindy » Fri Aug 25, 2017 8:45 pm

organic pellets... Roudybush, Harrisons

Zupreem, Lafebers are also very good.... if using pellets and still feel you need to supplement in soft food only do so once a week.

If you use pellets or a supplement in the soft food and want to use a liquid calcium supplement with D3 for hens going to nest do so at half the strength so not to overdo the calcium and D3, it is harder for birds to get rid of too much D3... the liquid calcium D3 at half strength goes in the water when the hen goes to nest before eggs are laid and stop when the last egg is laid. Calciboost is good.

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Re: what is the right way to give supplement to my finches?

Post by Sally » Sat Aug 26, 2017 11:20 pm

I don't use any supplements in the water, just fresh clean water each day. This way, you can give them the water without wasting any supplements. I add supplements to my egg food.
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gouldian_finch
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Re: what is the right way to give supplement to my finches?

Post by gouldian_finch » Tue Aug 29, 2017 10:21 am

Thank you so much for the help

the problem is, my birds do not like soft foods neither, they barely touch it, I have tried different ones, commercial eggs food, home made etc

Before, when I had them all in a big cage, it is easy, I just put the egg foods, plus some supplements, if they do not eat it, I just clean it and put some new one the following day

now I need to add it to each small cage, then change it one by one the following day, as most of them do not touch it at all

I think the diet has caused problem recently, I had a one year old male gold finch die last month, he look absolutely normal the day before, and I could not figure out the reason of his death

then last week, my male star finch suddenly stop flying, he hopping around at the bottom of the cage, also one of his legs seems week as well, I add a small dish with calcium water, now this week he start to fly again

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