FINCHforum

These are foods I found that my local animal supply store manufactures for poultry and game birds. I’ve used both of these with quail, pigeons, doves, waterfowl, and poultry in the past. I have been feeding my finches a basic seed mix with chicken lay crumbles, but I think these may be a good addition to their diet. Can anyone tell me if these would be beneficial? Please excuse the red scribbles; I didn’t want to post the store’s information without their permission. Thanks!

I wouldn't neither eat nor touch that stuff. And why on earth would you want to feed finches with fish meal??

Are your finches healthy?
Do they look like they needed a better food?

Pet/Food Industry wants to sell. They appeal to the pet owner. They don't care on the pets. You can find seeds 'enhanced' with sugar. Do the birds like it? Of course they do. Is it good? No - it isn't.

Fernando wrote: I wouldn't neither eat nor touch that stuff. And why on earth would you want to feed finches with fish meal??

Are your finches healthy?
Do they look like they needed a better food?

Pet/Food Industry wants to sell. They appeal to the pet owner. They don't care on the pets. You can find seeds 'enhanced' with sugar. Do the birds like it? Of course they do. Is it good? No - it isn't.

They put sugar in seed?! That’s terrible!

Birdsandstuff

I can't read the labels very well because I'm old and decrepit, but as I recall, game bird feed has a LOT of corn in it. On that count alone, I would avoid. Ditto poultry crumbles. I don't have an issue with the fish meal, it's protein and even "herbivorous" or seed eaters like finches will still occasionally eat bugs. But the corn is Right Out for me and my birds. NOTE that any poultry feed is way too high on protein, far over and above what finches or similar birds need. It's not the presence of fish meal per se that is the problem, but the total protein content. Not a good idea and may lead to kidney problems over the long haul.

But of greater concern is all the vitamin/mineral supplementation. That may be fine for quail and pheasant, but the needs of finches and other small caged birds are different. Especially of concern is the added salt, which is probably ALSO already in the poultry crumbles as well.

To meet the mineral needs of my caged birds, I use the ABBA blue mineral mix. They free feed on it (and it has a SMALL amount of salt, suitable to finchly needs). They know when they need it. Plus several sources of plain calcium. CRUSHED (I mean MORE crushed than what you give your chickens) oyster shell is good for this but that is already in the ABBA blue mineral mix so I use cuttlebone, crushed chicken egg shell (that has been sterilized), and a scored mineral block. I still have most of the 1 lb bag of Abba mineral mix I bought 3 years ago so - it's cheap over the long haul.

I also use Oasis Vita-drops - that's my preference, but actually any vitamin mix for caged pet birds that is added to their water is probably fine AS LONG AS IT INCLUDES VITAMIN D3.

If you're not already feeding all the fresh veggies they will eat, THAT is what you should be adding to their diet. Fresh greens such as kale, arugula, mustard or turnip greens. Broccoli slaw. Chicory. Brussel sprouts. Broccoli or cauliflower sprigs. Chopped or shredded carrots and sweet potatoes. Etc etc etc. I don't feed spinach at all due to its extremely high oxalic acid content which can lead to calcium deficiency. Just check the online lists of Bird Safe Fruits and Vegetables and act accordingly.

And dump all the poultry feed. It's for poultry.

EDIT: OH YEAH. And avoid chick feed at all costs. It's medicated and can kill your small birds. I assume you already know that but I figured I better mention it anyway in case some person comes along in the future and gets the notion that poultry feed is a Good Idea for their finches or other small pet birds. I Don't Recommend poultry feed in general, but chick feed is TOTALLY out because of the medication added to it.

These are fine to add to a diet. I would not feed them exclusively.