Grits - Vitamines

[Sandra]

Is there a issue with using grits/gravel? I've heard of some health issues related to it but also that they need that for digestion. Charcoal, Oyster any different?

Any input?

Also, do you use vitamins in the water? Or a good seed mix is enough?

Thanks again you guys, love this forum

[Ameza]

I have always given my finches grit, fine oyster mix. I have heard both that it is needed and that it is not. But since my finches really like eating grit, I give it to them

I don't add any vitamins in the water, I try to supply it through vegetables and fruits and eggfood, though I sometimes add a "booster" to the water, which is a mix of natural products like oregano essence or something that is supposed to boost their immune system and take care of most stomach problems.

[debbie276]

I use a oyster shells, egg shells and charcoal mix. No added vitamins in the water but add hard boiled eggs often to their diet.
Here's a good article about grit:
http://www.efinch.com/grit/grit.htm

[Sandra]

Ahh, thanks for the info.... I should try some egg shell.

The hard boiled eggs, you just mass it up and put it in a dish for them?

We'll see of my Gouldian will get to it. Took 3 days before they even tried the spray millet!!! I guess they never had it before.

[Sally]

Some birds will eat mashed hard-boiled egg as is, but some birds like it a little drier. You can add a bit of nestling food, commercial eggfood, or even yellow cornmeal to dry it out a bit. The confusion with grit comes from the terminology, IMO. Plain gravel is not what I use for my birds, I don't believe it is good for them, but oystershell grit, charcoal, eggshells--these are all good for our finches. I am using sand as bedding in some of my cages (thanks to debbie276), and I see them foraging around in it. Are they eating some? Perhaps, and I have had no problems since I started using it.

I don't add vitamins in the water, but I do add powdered vitamin mix to my eggfood.

[FancyFinch]

I try to add some vitamins to the water, they drink it, I don't know how beneficial it is though. Lol they get fresh greens, hardboiled egg with ground eggshells sprinkled over it, and assorted herbs sprinkled on the top. Dill is great for digestion. They pretty much eat everything on the safe list. Good luck!

[debbie276]

Ahh, thanks for the info.... I should try some egg shell.

The hard boiled eggs, you just mass it up and put it in a dish for them?

We'll see of my Gouldian will get to it. Took 3 days before they even tried the spray millet!!! I guess they never had it before.

I mash the hard boiled egg and add a bit of hand feeding formula to it just to dry it out a bit. I give it to them in a dish spread thinly so that the egg drys up rather then goes bad as the day goes on. The shell I just give as it comes off the egg, they spend hours playing with and breaking off pieces that they want.