FINCHforum

A quick note to those using Mike Fidler's Complete Soft Food.

Many customers have given us feedback that they are feeding Mike's soft food directly to their birds, as they prefer not to sprout seed. This is fine, but you should only feed 1/8 teaspoon per finch per day when feeding in this manner. Mike's soft food is HIGHLY CONCENTRATED and it should not be used in the same volume as other eggfoods such as CeDe or Orlux.

Mike would encourage you to mix it with sprouted seed per the directions on the box, but some are misinterpreting the directions and feeding it directly at 1/2 teaspoon per finch per day, which is incorrect. You should feed 1/2 teaspoon per finch per day of the soft food/sprouted seed mixture, but only 1/8 teaspoon per day if feeding the soft food directly.

Also, do not use any other vitamin or mineral supplements when feeding The Complete Soft Food as you might when using a typical commercial eggfood (other than a calcium grit such as oyster shells and/or egg shells).

Hope this helps with the feeding directions!

Bill Van Patten
http://www.FabulousFinch.com

Bill,

Thanks for the info. I just ordered Mike Fidler's Complete Soft Food from you. As I am currently sprouting seed as well, I will try combining it as you suggest.

My Gouldians are breeding successfully for the first time. They only had 2 eggs hatch but the babies are already banded and nearly 2 weeks old. The parents are currently feeding them my home-made egg food, plus "white" and "black" sprouted seed (also purchased from you), and whatever millet spray the parents are eating.

BTW, I use Aviclens in the water (in the % as directed) when I sprout seed. I assume it's OK for that - because it's the only way I've found to avoid having the sprouted seed eventually smell bad.

Nipper06 (Ron)

Hi Ron,

Great news about your first clutch of Gouldians!

Aviclens works great for sprouting seed as long as you don't plan to freeze and store it for long periods after sprouting. If you are having no problems, then stick with it!

Mike uses Virkon S for sprouting, which allows him to freeze the soft food/sprouting mix for up to a year. Mike talks about Virkon S in his DVD, and also in his article "A New Way of Sprouting Seed" in the Save the Gouldian Fund April 2006 Newsletter here:
http://savethegouldian.org/newsletters/April%202006.pdf

But no need to change horses if you are having success.

Thanks for the update!

Bill