Bengalese finch seed mixes?

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Zebra-mutations
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Bengalese finch seed mixes?

Post by Zebra-mutations » Wed Jan 08, 2014 6:42 am

Ok i would like to know what seed mixes you provide your Bengalese finches?

I would like to know what seeds and ratios you provide in the winter and why.

I would like to know what seeds and ratios you provide to bring them into breeding condition and why.

I would like to know what seeds and ratios for rearing chicks and why.

I buy a standard seed mix for finches and feed all year round. But as i do not know the ratios of the seed mix im wondering weather i should mix my own up.

HELP!

wellingtoncdm

Re: Bengalese finch seed mixes?

Post by wellingtoncdm » Wed Jan 08, 2014 7:56 am

Bengalese prefer a larger parakeet mix.
Euro bengalese have a tendency to get fat while American and Japanese do not. You can offer more canary seed or millet in the winter.
For breeding and rearing food I add soaked/chitted plain parakeet seed, egg food and greens. You can even soak millet sprays.

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Re: Bengalese finch seed mixes?

Post by Zebra-mutations » Wed Jan 08, 2014 8:58 am

At the moment they are getting a foriegn finch mix with your different types of millet. Panicum/wjite/canary seed/red millet.

I also add hemp/niger/groats. And dried mealworms. I also dust the seed with Diatomaceous earth. Which is good for internal parasites and calcuim.

They always have access to millet spray, cuttle bone, oyster shell and kelp.

And 1 day a week they usually get (winter) eggfood with rearing food to dry it out and sprouting millet. MABY they will get fruit/veg too. Most likely apple and orange and carrot and brocalli.

During the summer they will have something new to eat every day. Eggfood, veg, fruit, leafy green, sprouting seed, blended soaked oat groats, and maby some live food.

Plus they have vitamins in their drinking water once or twice a week and some ACV water once or twice a week too. They also have a few ACV in their bath waters to kill external parasites. I use ACV water as a cage cleaner.

My main concern is the seeds ratio. How much of each seed should they be eating?

Rox
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Re: Bengalese finch seed mixes?

Post by Rox » Wed Jan 08, 2014 9:17 am

What you are feeding sounds more than fine for both Begalese and Zebra finches.

The only way you will know what ratio of seed is preferred by your birds, would be to offer each seed in it's own dish (same quantity per seed/dish) and see which is consumed the most and/or quickest. From there you can work out that they prefer say 60% panicum, 20% canary etc etc.

Otherwise I really wouldn't worry. You sound like you have their diet very well covered :)

Your higher protein seeds like hemp should only really be added during breeding season. I also added hemp to my mix in the beginning and then decided it was overkill. They have more than enough protein from other sources in their diet eg eggfood.
Roxanne

Gouldian's, Blue Breasted Cordon Bleu's, Orange-cheeks, Violet-eared, Black-cheeked waxbill's and Peter's Twinspots

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