FINCHforum

My finches (zebras and gouldians) will pick through the seeds and leave behind seeds that they do NOT want to eat. These are the dark/black seeds. I have a large yogurt tub full of it, as I could not bring myself to throw it in the garbage $$.

A few days ago, I notice that when I refill the seed dish for my wifes canary, the canary mix remaining was only the light canary seeds. The dark/black seeds were all gone. So I started adding a little of the finch rejects into his seed dish, and he is eating it.

He is going thru his molt, so maybe there is something in the dark/black seeds that helps his molting. He used to eat a lot more of the lighter seeds before he started molting.

Would these be nyger seeds? I think they are high in fat. My goldbreast and society don't care for them at all...until they are sprouted. They LOVE the sprouted seeds, so you might try sprouting them for the finches, as well as for the canary, as a special treat.

Sounds like black rape seeds. Mine too eat very little of it until winter. I think they are high in oils too. I don't have my nutritional guide handy right now to check.
Its one of the base seeds in Canary mixes along with linseed. My canaries love it too.
As I mix my own seed over the years I have figured out just how much my finches eat of each seed type and I offer them such, so luckily I don't have that wastage any more.
Glad you have found a use for them. Franny's suggestion is worth a try too.
Waste not want not! LOL