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I cant my zeebs to eat egg food, what am I doing wrong?
Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 12:40 pm
by Strickalator

Ok I have made the following for my parakeets and my finches to eat.
4 eggs boiled 20 min with shells mixed in.
2 teaspons garlic powder
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
all of that is mixed together and crushed into fine pieces. The parakeets pick at it and eat it but bobbie and jessie wont touch it. is there a better recipie for finches?

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 12:44 pm
by L in Ontario
I do not use garlic powder or lemon pepper. That sounds like a lot, to me.
Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 12:46 pm
by Strickalator
well i had tried it just plain as well and they did not even touch it.
A book called finches for dummies suggested using garlic powder and peppers
Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 1:10 pm
by Sally
You really only need to boil the eggs about 12 minutes. Once they have cooled, chop them up shell and all in a food processor. Add just a pinch of garlic powder (2 tsp is probably way too much). Don't bother with the lemon pepper. This makes a mix that is somewhat wet, and a lot of finches don't like wet eggfood. There are all kinds of things to add to it, but for now, I would just add some plain yellow cornmeal. Just keep adding about 1/3 cup at a time (if you are using 4 eggs), then mix and fluff with a fork, till the mix isn't so wet.
With just a few birds, I would just make up one egg each day, chop it in a mini food processor if you have one, otherwise just chop as best you can, add the garlic powder and corn meal, and experiment to see what your birds like best.
Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 1:37 pm
by dfcauley
I agree... way too much garlic powder. I only put a tiny pinch in two eggs.
Then I mixed commercial egg food in with the fresh. Usually half and half so it is dry and not so moist.
Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 1:45 pm
by Strickalator
hehe my finches must think I am trying to ward off vampires
Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:39 am
by fairestfinches
Strick,
Try out our eggfood recipe. Lots of forum members have tried it with much success. It's easy to modify to suit your birds. Here's the link.
http://www.fairestfinches.com/articles/ ... /90955.htm
Sean
Too much yolks for Zebs?
Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 4:53 pm
by Pukasand
Now, what I'm doing is just boiling the egg for 12 minutes, leave it to cool, then mash just the yolk with a bit of white. My Zebs gobble it up so fast. They are feeding young, is there an amount that is 'too much'? They can eat almost a whole yolk by themselves. I give them greens and millet and the reg. seeds/egg food/etc. Should I give them more.. as much as they can handle, or is this making their chicks diet too concentrated on the yolks and not enough of other stuff? If I add anymore food cups to their cage, I won't be able to see them..lol. BTW, they do have cups with oyster shell and charcoal and a cuttle bone. Also a mineral block. Thanks and Happy Holidays!

Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 8:09 pm
by Sally
I use the whole egg, both yolk and white, mashed together. When they are feeding babies, I don't know that you can feed too much protein.
Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 9:19 pm
by Pukasand
Thanks, folks, don't want to overload them before they even fledge. I usually smoosh the yolk, white and shell, but thought I'd try just the yolk since their appetite seems voracious. Guess I'll keep it up then.

Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 9:39 pm
by L in Ontario
I do like Sally and give them the entire hb egg (after placing in the food processor for a couple of seconds and mix it with some soak seed and sometimes mealworms and sometimes a few drops of Cod Liver Oil and Wheat Germ Oil).
Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 3:01 pm
by Pukasand
I'm gonna try that with the soak seeds/mealworms and Cod Liver Oil. Thanks.
