Wild Finch Food For Finches and Canaries

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30 Seconds to Bob
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Wild Finch Food For Finches and Canaries

Post by 30 Seconds to Bob » Tue Feb 18, 2014 11:19 pm

I picked up this 5 lb bag of this wild finch food at a closeout store (at a great price). It seems to have wholesome ingredients including several different millets, canary seed, nyjer, sunflower chips, ground corn and a whole bunch of vitamins and minerals. I'm thinking about using it as a "mixer" into my birds' regular seed for my javas and canaries. Does anyone see anything wrong with this? Is it somehow "unsanitary" because it is formulated for wild birds? Bob

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3 canaries
2 orange cheeked waxbill finches
2 java finches, 1 split to normal, 1 white
2 bourke parakeets
1 american staffordshire/american pit bull terrier
1 boston/jack russel terrier mix
6 adopted stray cats
2 adult, 1 young leopard gecko
4 fish tanks and 4 fish bowls
3 turtles
2 teenage kids and 1 wife

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katlovesaandw
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Re: Wild Finch Food For Finches and Canaries

Post by katlovesaandw » Tue Feb 18, 2014 11:39 pm

I have thought about doing the same thing so curious as to answers....
IMHO, I would think it would be ok as it is all good stuff.
9 Society Finches- Morticia, Fester, Wednesday, Pugsley, Lurch, Flora, Fauna, Banty and Nefertiti
1 Owl Finch- Stitch
5 Zebra Finches- Unamed at this point as they are new!
2 Cats-Tinkerbell and Taz
2 Dogs-Leia and Niko
1 Bearded Dragon-Norberta
17 Chickens
4 Ducks
Fish indoors and out
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Angela&Shalamar
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Re: Wild Finch Food For Finches and Canaries

Post by Angela&Shalamar » Tue Feb 18, 2014 11:52 pm

I often buy wild finch mixes for my birds and they have done just fine.
Angela&Shalamar

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Re: Wild Finch Food For Finches and Canaries

Post by katlovesaandw » Wed Feb 19, 2014 12:22 am

Good to know!
9 Society Finches- Morticia, Fester, Wednesday, Pugsley, Lurch, Flora, Fauna, Banty and Nefertiti
1 Owl Finch- Stitch
5 Zebra Finches- Unamed at this point as they are new!
2 Cats-Tinkerbell and Taz
2 Dogs-Leia and Niko
1 Bearded Dragon-Norberta
17 Chickens
4 Ducks
Fish indoors and out
2 Teens, 1 Husband, 6 Childcare Kids

debbie276
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Re: Wild Finch Food For Finches and Canaries

Post by debbie276 » Wed Feb 19, 2014 5:22 am

I see nothing wrong with wild bird seed if the mix is right. Only thing that could be different is that the seed isn't as dust free as "pet" bird seed.
Debbie
long time breeder of lady gouldians:
Green
SF Pastel (SF Yellow)
Pastel (Yellow)
Blue
SF Pastel Blue (SF Yellow Blue)
Pastel Blue (Yellow Blue)

GREAT articles on avian lighting:
https://mickaboo.org/confluence/downloa ... ummary.pdf
http://www.naturallighting.com/cart/sto ... sc_page=56

Nerien

Re: Wild Finch Food For Finches and Canaries

Post by Nerien » Wed Feb 19, 2014 8:47 am

I would just be careful of your source--any time we have bought wild bird seed from our local Agway, it is full of bugs, very quickly the bag or the container we put it in becomes laced with webs. Don't have this problem if we buy elsewhere. That one store just seems to have a perpetuating problem. Guess the way they store their wild bird seed isn't the best.

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cindy
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Re: Wild Finch Food For Finches and Canaries

Post by cindy » Wed Feb 19, 2014 10:26 am

I tried that with seed from feed stores and Home Depot..laced in the middle with bugs and webbing...seed is often stale and not clean, dusty. Some of the seeds where to hard and wasted.

Zebra, Gouldians, Java, CBM Shaft tail & Grasskeets


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30 Seconds to Bob
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Re: Wild Finch Food For Finches and Canaries

Post by 30 Seconds to Bob » Wed Feb 19, 2014 11:01 am

Thanks for the input everyone! This particular one actually "looks" very clean and fresh - better than some of the one's I've bought at pet shops intended for domestic birds. I'll try sprouting some to test for freshness, and offer some if things go well. I'm seeing more and more of these "designer" wild bird foods on the market as of late. Not just the typical millet/milo/sunflower seed mix. They are usually pretty expensive, but get greatly reduced on clearance at the end of the season. I guess it's probably not going to harm anyone if I do. Bob
3 canaries
2 orange cheeked waxbill finches
2 java finches, 1 split to normal, 1 white
2 bourke parakeets
1 american staffordshire/american pit bull terrier
1 boston/jack russel terrier mix
6 adopted stray cats
2 adult, 1 young leopard gecko
4 fish tanks and 4 fish bowls
3 turtles
2 teenage kids and 1 wife

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Re: Wild Finch Food For Finches and Canaries

Post by finchandlovebird » Wed Feb 19, 2014 11:06 am

30 Seconds to Bob ... great idea. If they sprout well you'll know it's fresh.
I just bought a 2 oz bag of seeds (radish, broccoli, alfalfa) sprouting mix at the health food store for $2.39. I thought kinda of pricey; where else would be a good place to buy sprouting seeds? I saw someone posted a pic of Snack Attack sprouting seed, but I can't find that here.
Dolly J

1 Canary
, 1 Parakeet
Raised Gouldians & Scarlet Chested Parakeets in past years

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30 Seconds to Bob
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Re: Wild Finch Food For Finches and Canaries

Post by 30 Seconds to Bob » Wed Feb 19, 2014 11:15 am

I saw someone posted a pic of Snack Attack sprouting seed, but I can't find that here


That was me who posted that. You can order it online, or talk to the store manager of any pet store that carries other Higgins products. They will often order for you if you ask them to. Bob
3 canaries
2 orange cheeked waxbill finches
2 java finches, 1 split to normal, 1 white
2 bourke parakeets
1 american staffordshire/american pit bull terrier
1 boston/jack russel terrier mix
6 adopted stray cats
2 adult, 1 young leopard gecko
4 fish tanks and 4 fish bowls
3 turtles
2 teenage kids and 1 wife

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Re: Wild Finch Food For Finches and Canaries

Post by Ginene » Wed Feb 19, 2014 11:38 am

finchandlovebird
Dolly, amazon has awesome organic sprouting seeds!

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cindy
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Re: Wild Finch Food For Finches and Canaries

Post by cindy » Wed Feb 19, 2014 11:48 am

Bob try Pet SuperMarket for the seed and sprout

Zebra, Gouldians, Java, CBM Shaft tail & Grasskeets


~ My Facebook groups ~

*Finchaholics ~ finches, hookbills, softbills & canaries are welcome here!
discussions regarding species, housing, breeding, preventatives, treatments

*Birdaholics ~ Avian Classified Ads Only

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Re: Wild Finch Food For Finches and Canaries

Post by finchandlovebird » Wed Feb 19, 2014 11:50 am

cindy Pet Supermarket here carrys Snack Attack, but not the sprouting. Maybe I'll ask them to get some in.
Dolly J

1 Canary
, 1 Parakeet
Raised Gouldians & Scarlet Chested Parakeets in past years

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Re: Wild Finch Food For Finches and Canaries

Post by debbie276 » Wed Feb 19, 2014 12:32 pm

For sprouting you might want to try http://sproutpeople.org/just-for-pets/bird-seed-mixes/ not sure how the prices compare but worth a look, for you and your pets. :D
Debbie
long time breeder of lady gouldians:
Green
SF Pastel (SF Yellow)
Pastel (Yellow)
Blue
SF Pastel Blue (SF Yellow Blue)
Pastel Blue (Yellow Blue)

GREAT articles on avian lighting:
https://mickaboo.org/confluence/downloa ... ummary.pdf
http://www.naturallighting.com/cart/sto ... sc_page=56

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Re: Wild Finch Food For Finches and Canaries

Post by jonvill » Wed Feb 19, 2014 1:40 pm

In the United States, Nyger is usually steamed so don't count on that seed sprouting. Only American grown nyger is allowed to be sold without being steamed. Something to do with an invasive weed found in imported nyger.
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