FINCHforum

My local bird store really pushes this seed. Has anyone had any experience with it. The seed I currently use has alot of white millet which he says is just a filler and not good for my finch. any thoughts??

I bought a 25 lbs. bag last year at a birdmart in Pleasonton. I think they are out of Rancho Cordova by Sacramento, CA.

I liked the seed but they were not able to tell me the percentages of each seed they had in the mix.
There are 3 grades of their finch seed mixes. Obviously it is worth paying extra to get their best.

I was about to order more recently but it cost almost as much to ship it 250 mile to me as for the seed.

I do know they mix their seed fresh every week, per the person I spoke to.

I was able to have my local pet store order me some VOLKMAN's Avian Science Super Finch Seed.
This seed has everything in it from dried spinich flakes to oyster and egg shells in the mix!

I would like someon's thought on the Volkman seed since I have just started using it this week.

I order from Herman Brothers and alternate between ordering the Finch Mix called EM Special Finch and TM Special Finch mixes. Sometimes I order a canary mix for my green singers, which I mix in with the other finch seed mix. The price is good if you purchase 50 or 100 lbs, even with shipping included, it costs me about $175 for 4 months of seed for approximately 50 finches. Which ends up costing me about $45-50 a month. When I bought seed at the petstore, it cost $8-10 for a 2 lb bag and if I bought enough for all my finches, it would cost about $200 minimum a month. You can see the big savings. $200 a month versus $175 for 4 months or $45 a month.

I forgot to mention, I know some breeders who use Volkman seed mix and they seem to have a healthy flock. Millet is a large portion of most seed mixes. You'll see red millet, Japanese millet, German millet, etc. So, that is the staple for many finches. There are other things too, but I never thought of those millets as filler. I do think of millet sprays as a treat, but the other types of millet are typical in finch mixes.

Thank you for your input. Im trying to find a seed mix that will result in little to no waste. And ultimate health. I'm almost ready to buy vulkman, abba, aND the premium mix I currently use and just mix them all together.

No matter what combination or mix I've tried, there is always waste/leftovers the finches don't eat. I noticed the seeds they eat and don't eat seem to vary with the seasons, or they get bored? Whatever the reason, they change their choices throughout the years, so I assume we have to deal with leftovers. I toss any leftover seed in my back yard for the wild birds and they eat it all up!

Between my button quale and golden phesent they do a good clean up job.

This seed has everything in it from dried spinich flakes to oyster and egg shells in the mix!

(per Sitting Duck)

I just dried a bag of spinach (in the oven) & ground it up to add to the smashed boiled eggs. (just a little at a time). To the daily egg mix I also add ground up oatmeal (sometimes corn meal) & millet left in the bottom of millet spray bags, & other ground up seeds. They seem EXTREMELY peppy right now; I wonder if it's just spring or if the oatmeal is giving them extra energy.

On the side I feed white & red millet in vacation feeders; canary seed in vacation feeder hoppers, kelp & calcium in tube feeders, & a mixed mineral grit in separate feeders. They also get millet spray & Romaine.

I feel if you add enough of the really good & necessary supplements, you don't have to worry to much if your "every day" seed has everything in it. Of course, quality mixed finch seed is a given.

I have seen some elaborate devices the sift and blow a fan across falling used seed. The uneaten good seed is heavy enough to fall past the blowing air but the husks from the eaten seed is blown away.
This captures any wasted seed to reuse.

I am afraid to purchase too much seed in bulk at one time because I do not want it to become satle.

I try to only buy enough to last 2 to 3 months at a time.
I have 25 finches. 2o lbs bags last about that time.

Sitting Duck, I only order the 100 lbs when I have babies because my numbers get up to 50's. Either way, when the seed arrives, I put it into plastic containers and put those containers in the freezer. The freezer kills any bugs or their eggs in the packaging with the seed and then, it stays fresh longer. I just take out a tub a week and it's ready to go!

I can see freezing killing bugs.... My wife will never let me freeze 100 lbs of seed. So it just sits in my hobby room. Great idea though

Well I'm not sure what to think. Compared to my old seed the birds are going threw the preferred seed faster. Is that because they like it better, it something new, or that's it more candy like and less nutrition?? Is if they eat it faster is that a true tell??,