FINCHforum

Hello,

I know that most people use bogena or Canaxathan for red color in food/drink for canary. Alto ught I use the latter, I also rely heavily on the natural foods.

Now this list is simply what I feed them, I'd like t see what others feed too, it so far I've had average results.

Red raspberry
Red bell pepper
Paprika
Strawberry
Red and Purple Grapes
Grated carrots
Mashed red sweet potatoes
Red apple
cherries
Red Mulberries

They all seem to be typical foods people use. I also feed the red canary egged by Quicko. Can they have red mulberries? I thought those were poisonous...

finchmix22 wrote: They all seem to be typical foods people use. I also feed the red canary egged by Quicko. Can they have red mulberries? I thought those were poisonous...

Mulberries aren't poisonus to us or birds. I see them eat from my tree all the time. They are loaded with sweet juice too. They will stain your hands so be careful when picking them.

Here is a list of non this and toxic plants, fruits, foliage etc to birds:

http://www.parrot-and-conure-world.com/ ... birds.html

finchmix22 -- I think you're thinking of the unripe mulberries. Those are, indeed, toxic.

TailFeathers
You can also add:

Beet greens, stalks included.
Some grated beets.
Red Swiss chard, stalks included
Pomegranates

With natural foods, you might not get the deep dark red as you do with colour food, but I trust them a lot more.

Best wishes.

~Elana~

lovezebs wrote: TailFeathers
You can also add:

Beet greens, stalks included.
Some grated beets.
Red Swiss chard, stalks included
Pomegranates

With natural foods, you might not get the deep dark red as you do with colour food, but I trust them a lot more.

Best wishes.

~Elana~

What is your experience with pomegranates ? I was asking the other day if anyone has fed them to canaries or finches.

TailFeathers
Sorry, didn't see your other post.
I got the idea for pomegranates from the breeder where I got my Luciano. He got it from his father who had bred Canaries for ever first in Italy, and then in Canada. Apparently, they swear by them. I offered some nibbletts to Luciano, and he did peck at them, as did my other finches. I don't know that it really made a difference to his colour too much, but I thought I'd include them here with the other natural colouring foods.

~Elana~

lovezebs wrote: TailFeathers
Sorry, didn't see your other post.
I got the idea for pomegranates from the breeder where I got my Luciano. He got it from his father who had bred Canaries for ever first in Italy, and then in Canada. Apparently, they swear by them. I offered some nibbletts to Luciano, and he did peck at them, as did my other finches. I don't know that it really made a difference to his colour too much, but I thought I'd include them here with the other natural colouring foods.

~Elana~

Oh. I'm not worried about color feeding with
Pomegranates i was just worried they may swallow the seed and chocke, but if canaries can consume them, it's a great fruit to feed them and very healthy too.

I'll try to feed this upcoming weekend. I fed too many fruits this week.

lovezebs wrote: TailFeathers
You can also add:

Beet greens, stalks included.
Some grated beets.
Red Swiss chard, stalks included
Pomegranates

With natural foods, you might not get the deep dark red as you do with colour food, but I trust them a lot more.

Best wishes.

~Elana~

Hello,

I know that most people use bogena or Canaxathan for red color in food/drink for canary. Alto ught I use the latter, I also rely heavily on the natural foods.

Now this list is simply what I feed them, I'd like t see what others feed too, it so far I've had average results.

Red raspberry
Red bell pepper
Paprika-----> careful as too much can cause liver disease
Strawberry
Red and Purple Grapes
Grated carrots
Mashed red sweet potatoes
Red apple
cherries
Red Mulberries
Beets
Red Swiss chard
Red quinoa / lambs quarter seeds
Pomegranates

Thank you all for the contributions. Please add more to the list if you get a chance.

Also to anyone who color feeds birds, do not rely solely on commercial color feed which contain high amounts of beta carotenoid chemicals, but give at least a 50/50 split.

Thanks for this marvelous topic. I still have a question on how to proper color feed the birds. How often, how much and when.

Deborah...in regards to the Red Mulberries "Red Mulberry (Morus rubra) sap and unripe fruit contain toxins"

list of toxic plants/fruits http://www.tgpa.com/Plants.html (detailed list)

cindy wrote: Deborah...in regards to the Red Mulberries "Red Mulberry (Morus rubra) sap and unripe fruit contain toxins"

list of toxic plants/fruits http://www.tgpa.com/Plants.html (detailed list)

Red mulberries are perfectly fine for both humans and birds. I don't know that unripe berries are toxic, but they will give you a tummy ache--but who eats unripe berries anyway? I have a fruitless mulberry tree--what a waste, though I have to admit I don't miss the mess.

you may want to add on grapes that they should be fed in moderation due to high sugar content and they contain a lot of water which can loosen the droppings.

Red quinoa can be found in grocery stores...mine carries it. Quinoa is great soaked over night until it chits...mix it with other veggies and egg food and they down it! Great protein as well.

fredbernie wrote: Thanks for this marvelous topic. I still have a question on how to proper color feed the birds. How often, how much and when.

Hello,

It depends on what color canaries you have if you want to color feed. Normally you want to color feed all the red factor family birds. They go by many names, but there's quite a few like: red factor intensive. Red frosted, rose, red ivory, red brown, cobalt, mahogany bronze, etc.

It also depends on how you want them to look. Feeding after first molt. The birds will retain ground color feathers and give a two tone look. This is like the red factor with white wings.

If you want to color feed for all the wing, you must put the mother or. It's parents on red food at least two weeks before breeding them.
Some people use bogena red intensive to mix in water and some use canthanaxthin it's a beta carotenoid, or what birds convert beta carotene to get their red color in nature.

I personally don't beleive in feeding straight beta carotenoid chemicals. Some studies say it's ok and safe. In fact they feed it to chickens and turkeys a lot, but not to color feed.

I will experiment on my next clutch using both bogena and beta carotenoids along with the red food list. The other clutches will not receive both chemical feeds. One will only have red food and canthanaxthin and the other will have red food plus bogena. So il see how it goes and keep you guys posted.

Thanks.

Bogena Intensief contains canthaxanthin, they call it Carophyl. I have given it to them dissolved in the water and my dad, who bred bronze canaries this year, fed it to them in the egg food. Both sets of birds colored up nicely. Next year I will just offer it in the eggfood only because it is less messy. I give it to them dry all the time anyway, so I will just not offer any in the water and see how that works.