Birds fight over this seed....

[ranchnanny]

I have been feeding my finches mostly pet store Finch/Canary seed mix and have been throwing most away. I ordered from Laraine's her Deluxe Gouldian Finch Seed Mix and started doing my own test. I use the seed hoppers and filled each one with one type of seed. Well the Deluxe Gouldian Seed mix is winning hands down. They barely go to the other hopper which is right next to the other.
In fact they fight to get in the hopper to eat.

Not much seed to throw away... which is GOOD!!

[6finchfriends]

Fantastic! I love reading about all the seed tests! I'm so sick of my cage floors covered with uneaten seed! Do you only give the seed to your Gouldians or all the finches you have?

[Foosa101]

Does it list the individual varieties on the label by chance...I would love to know.

Glad you found a mix that your feathered friends love!

[ranchnanny]

All the finches are eating it. I watch two or three birds trying to eat at the hopper and there are no birds at the other seed hopper. Go Figure!!!! They do know what they like and it isn't reg. Finch/Canary seed mixes.

[ranchnanny]

Nancy I am still eager to try your seed mix and can't wait until it comes. I threw the bag away cause I put the seed into containers but I will try and find out.

[ranchnanny]

Ok Nancy here is what is in the seed mix.
Taken from "Laraine'sLadyGouldian.com"

White Proso Millet
Red Proso Millet
Canary Grass Seed
Japanese Millet
Golden German Millet
Red Siberian Millet
Niger & Rape Seed

She says its the ratio of each seed that makes the difference.

From what I can see there is very little Niger & Rape Seed.

[6finchfriends]

Everyone says too much millet is not good for finches but a lot of the mixes have mostly millet. Are some millet's good and some not so good for your finches? Like spray millet is full of fat so maybe Japanese millet isn't? Just wondering. I know practically nothing about seed nutrition.

[ac12]

I read something about this.
The birds could be like kids, eating the desert first.
What one article suggested is to only give enough that they can eat in a day. That mean if they are hungry at the end of the day they will eat the seeds they skipped over earlier.
I see this with my wife's canary and fresh food; first it eats the egg, then the green veggies, and last the carrots/yams. It needs the carrots and yam to keep its orange color.

Also, depending on the season or where in the breeding cycle it is, their food requirements change.

When I got a bag of seeds from LGF a while back, I determined that the seed mix was a "resting mix." You had to add other seeds to it for molting/breeding.

[Foosa101]

Everyone says too much millet is not good for finches but a lot of the mixes have mostly millet. Are some millet's good and some not so good for your finches? Like spray millet is full of fat so maybe Japanese millet isn't? Just wondering. I know practically nothing about seed nutrition.

I am going to contact IFAS (University of Florida) or Clemson and try to find out the specifics but I am guessing that they are comparable but we shall find out. It may take me a while to get in contact with the appropriate person but I am determined!

[Foosa101]

Ok Nancy here is what is in the seed mix.
Taken from "Laraine'sLadyGouldian.com"

White Proso Millet
Red Proso Millet
Canary Grass Seed
Japanese Millet
Golden German Millet
Red Siberian Millet
Niger & Rape Seed

She says its the ratio of each seed that makes the difference.

From what I can see there is very little Niger & Rape Seed.

I have no clue as to what Siberian Millet is muchless Siberian Millet - nothing I have ever dealt with nor some of the growers I work with. I find this strange. Even if I "google" it all it lists is that it comes in different bird mixes but no crop info. Are they eating the Canary a lot? Basically everything else is what Cindy and I have been playing around with - she just left here about 2 hours ago to pick up the rest of the seeds (Red Millet, German FT Millet, and more Browntop and Japanese.

My Goulds really like the following: German Foxtail, Browntop Millet, Red Millet, and Japanese Millet.

Today will be the first day that I am offering the White Millet, not to be confused with Dove Proso, but my hypothesis is it is not going to be a favorite since its larger. We shall see.

[debbie276]

Everyone says too much millet is not good for finches but a lot of the mixes have mostly millet. Are some millet's good and some not so good for your finches? Like spray millet is full of fat so maybe Japanese millet isn't? Just wondering. I know practically nothing about seed nutrition.

Millet is highly nutritious, non-glutinous and like buckwheat and quinoa, is not an acid forming food so is soothing and easy to digest. In fact, it is considered to be one of the least allergenic and most digestible grains available and it is a warming grain so will help to heat the body in cold or rainy seasons and climates.

Millet contains a myriad of beneficial nutrients. It is nearly 15% protein, contains high amounts of fiber, B-complex vitamins including niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin, the essential amino acid methionine, lecithin, and some vitamin E. It is particularly high in the minerals iron, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium.

[Foosa101]

Everyone says too much millet is not good for finches but a lot of the mixes have mostly millet. Are some millet's good and some not so good for your finches? Like spray millet is full of fat so maybe Japanese millet isn't? Just wondering. I know practically nothing about seed nutrition.

Millet is highly nutritious, non-glutinous and like buckwheat and quinoa, is not an acid forming food so is soothing and easy to digest. In fact, it is considered to be one of the least allergenic and most digestible grains available and it is a warming grain so will help to heat the body in cold or rainy seasons and climates.

Millet contains a myriad of beneficial nutrients. It is nearly 15% protein, contains high amounts of fiber, B-complex vitamins including niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin, the essential amino acid methionine, lecithin, and some vitamin E. It is particularly high in the minerals iron, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium.

Do you know if this is consist with all varieties of millet varieties..

[debbie276]

The article specifically talked about four major types which are Pearl, which comprises 40% of the world production, Foxtail, Proso, and Finger Millet.

Another article talked about Millet (Panicum miliaceum)
12 percent protein
8 percent fiber
4 percent fat
Calcium
B vitamins

[Foosa101]

The article specifically talked about four major types which are Pearl, which comprises 40% of the world production, Foxtail, Proso, and Finger Millet.

Another article talked about Millet (Panicum miliaceum)
12 percent protein
8 percent fiber
4 percent fat
Calcium
B vitamins

Was the article referring to seed or forage? B/c that is very comparable to the TDN for millet crops used for forage and green chop - Hybrid Pearl would be the highest yielding.

[6finchfriends]

That's very interesting. Maybe it's just 'spray millet' (I have no idea what kind of millet it actually is) that is full of fat. At least that's what I always hear. "don't give your bird too much millet! They'll get fat!" So there must be differences in nutritional value of different millet. It stands to reason not only should a seed mix get eaten but it should also have the nutritional requirements for healthy finches. If I had a seed mix without the added vitamins should I keep a hopper full of store bought seed so they could get their vitamins that way and also get the other seeds like niger and rape that might not be in a mixed seed? I have vitamin supplements but hate to put it in their water.