Variety vs Basic Feeding

[Christian]

I have noticed several breeders that DO NOT provide a variety of foods to their birds. Instead only giving them basic pet store seeds and water. I like to offer wild grasses/seeds, plants, green veggies, bee pollen etc. Is there any evidence that providing a larger variety of foods makes for a healthier bird or chicks? Those with just basic seed, seem just as happy and healthy looking as mine who get variety. I will continue with how I feed, but does it really make much of a difference? Any side by side studies on this? Your thoughts on this matter are very much of interest to me.

[cindy]

It is best to have a base diet and build from there... I use a basic seed mix and pellets Roudybush mixed in, finches get a 50/50 mix, grasskeets a 80/20 mix, javas get what the grasskeets are served... reviewed all this with my avian vet. Roudybush is organic, contains alfalfa, herbs, contains other nutrients. Birds all eat it well, especially the grasskeets and javas.

I use sprouted/chitted seed, from time to time the birds get broccoli, chopped kale and shredded carrots. I also use pigeon mix that is fresh, mung beans, different grass seed found in seed mixes and spray millets to sprout. Sprouting seed (most nutrition when the little tail root starts to show, triples the nutrients of the seed 3 times the food value of plain dry seed)

The veggies and fruits in most diets should be extras and not in larger quantities than the base diet.... birds do not need salad dishes of greens.... fruit and watery greens can actually do more damage than good if given in large quantities... the waters in these food can displace nutrients from good base foods. Fruits tend to be high in sugars and water, most finches will not eat these.

If the birds are indoor birds not exposed to direct sunlight a good vitamin mineral supplement with D3 (if not using pellets that contain D3)....should be offered mixed in soft foods not water.... since vitamins added to water can turn rancid, grow bacteria within 24 hours... some birds drink more or less than others and some are put off by adding supplements to water and may drink less.

Mine get dried egg food when molting and raising young.... they often get it along with dried herbs or a special seed mix added. Some of the seed I sprout are Japanese millet, white proso, millet sprays, Brown Top.... fresh pigeon mix without corn added.

You can grow wheat grass and oat grasses for your birds.... you can even grow dandelions in clean soil, indoors... the leaves most birds enjoy.... avoid feeding yard clippings.

A seed alone diet is not healthy or adequate for birds.

[cindy]

I refer to this publication often... chapters on malnutrition (chapter 31) and nutrition (chapter 3)

http://avianmedicine.net/publication_ca ... -medicine/

[cindy]

another really good reference.... it is mainly talking about parrots but this valuable info can be used in regards to finches, canaries especially in the department of overdoing and underdoing certain vitamins and minerals....

https://www.beautyofbirds.com/nutrition ... sofparrots