Hard-Boiled Egg

[JohnBoy]

I am interested in knowing if everyone gives egg to their birds everyday or just when there are chicks in the nest. And if the enclosure is an aviary how would you keep the others birds from getting the egg. It is impossible. The reason I am asking I read an article recently by a breeder that claimed egg is actually bad for the birds. Because it is high in cholesteral. Well we all know that, and I have always given my birds egg on a daily basis regardless of weather there are chicks in nests or not. I have not noticed an ill effect of giving egg every day. What is your take on this subject?

[cindy]

John,

I have tried hard boiled egg mashed, with seed , veggies mixed. They will not go near it. I give then ABBA egg with greens or Quicko for finches dry in a little cup or sprinkled on their food. I am so afraid of spoilage and moldy stuff especially as hot as it has been.

They also like Lafeber pellets, the owls eat them out of a little bowl, I mix the dried egg in with it.

[Sally]

My birds all get and eat hardboiled egg, whether they are breeding or not. Some eat better than others. I used to be more careful with the fresh egg, but after reading some postings on other forums by a breeder who has probably 3-4 times as many cages as I do, I am trying out his program. He puts fresh dishes of eggfood and veggies in each cage every morning. He leaves these dishes till the next morning, when he removes them and replaces them with fresh dishes of eggfood. I have been doing the same, and have had no problems that I am aware of.

I wonder if the birds are not bothered by salmonella, as we are, similar to the fact that they can eat poke berries with no effect, while we would be very sick if we ate them. I mostly use the dry commercial eggfoods for times when I can't put out fresh egg, or rather replace it in a timely manner, and as additives to the fresh eggfood to dry it out some. Now I'm not promoting this method, as I know it would bother some, but just saying what I have been trying.

[JohnBoy]

I mix scott's petamine breeder blend with the egg, pellet food, trace mineral powder, insect meal, featherific and coco loro. Once a week I also add pure diatomaceous earth. They eat eat all up. I usually have to refill in the early evening and its gone by the time I go to close up the aviaries for the night.
Cindy my birds won't touch the Fabre finch pellets unless I put it the eggfood. I just ordered a 10 lb bag of roudybush, It's the only pelleted food my birds gobble up by itself.

[debbie276]

I give my gouldians hard boiled eggs that I have run through either a potato ricer or garlic press. I add to it Exact handfeeding formula to dry it out a bit. I've been told not to dilute the egg with all kinds of additives otherwise they will have to eat more to get all the nutrition. I feed it about 4 times a week unless there are chicks, then they get it every day. I just put it thinly in a shallow dish first thing in the morning. By having it thinly in the dish it will dry out as time goes by rather then spoil. I change it out in the morning, usually it is all gone within a couple hours though. I have never had a problem with giving too much egg food.

[B CAMP]

I give all my finchs egg food every day they don't all eat every day but most do a little anyway

[cindy]

I mix scott's petamine breeder blend with the egg, pellet food, trace mineral powder, insect meal, featherific and coco loro. Once a week I also add pure diatomaceous earth. They eat eat all up. I usually have to refill in the early evening and its gone by the time I go to close up the aviaries for the night.
Cindy my birds won't touch the Fabre finch pellets unless I put it the eggfood. I just ordered a 10 lb bag of roudybush, It's the only pelleted food my birds gobble up by itself.

I use Petamine also, I sprinkle it on seeds and dried egg food. As soon as I am close to finishing the Lafeber pellets I have I will order some Roudybush nibbles. I add the Zupreem fruit blend to the seed. I figure if the birds are feeding young they may like the boiled egg food, so I will try it then also. I don't like leaving cooked foods and veggies out long, I have known birds to get ill from this, my vet does not recommend it. I am home during the day so if I do offer it, the food is in the cage for a short time, an hour or two.

I also provide them all with shaved cuttlebone, mixed with shaved (pineapple, fruit) mineral block and oyster shells. Every morning they all eat that before going to the seed cups, especially the Gold Breast and Orange cheek.

[L in Ontario]

I also give fresh hardboiled egg/shell mixed with Orlux commercial eggfood and soakseed every morning and collect the empty dishes every evening. There's rarely anything left on the "plates" They get this 365 days a year. Breeding or resting - doesn't matter - every cage gets this every day.

[cindy]

Oh, I forgoot to ask...I have heard of people baking the egg shell. How long and at what temp? Do they like this better than the shell from a boiled egg?

[L in Ontario]

I only ever nuke the shell of an egg I cracked to make scrambled eggs or use in baking - in the microwave for 2 minutes on high. Any egg that is hardboiled (for 15 mins) - the shell is done and gets tossed in the food processor along with the hardboiled egg to 'fluff' it up for 3 seconds.

[dfcauley]

Mine get fresh egg food every day. I put it out in the morning and collect it in the evening. There is usually none left, they love it. I grate the eggs and mix miracle meal with it along with a pinch of garlic salt.

I don't both with shells anymore.... I love those you can buy "Hatched".... it is great!

[lovemyfinch]

I also give all of mine fresh eggfood every morning, whether nesting or not. My zebras cage will actually squack until I give it to them. Everyone seems to be healthy on my end as well.

[Ursula]

Mine get fresh egg food every day. I put it out in the morning and collect it in the evening. There is usually none left, they love it. I grate the eggs and mix miracle meal with it along with a pinch of garlic salt.

I don't both with shells anymore.... I love those you can buy "Hatched".... it is great!

What kind of eggfood do you feed? Do you make your own mix or is it commercial food?

[ac12]

I give most of mine egg
- the gouldian pair REFUSE to eat the egg, so I stopped giving it to them.
- The penguin pair did before, but now the hen won't eat egg. But she will eat some of the miracle meal, so that is what the get. The hens diet changed as she laid eggs. She seems to be a fussy eater.
- the other zebras & the fostering societies will eat egg. The 2 hens in the female cage usually devour the egg.

I make the egg mix with egg + corn meal + miracle meal. The additional stuff is primarily to dry out the egg. If I don't add it, the egg gets clumpy.
Then when I get ready to serve, depending on the bird, I may add more miracle meal.

[poohbear]

I am interested in knowing if everyone gives egg to their birds everyday or just when there are chicks in the nest. And if the enclosure is an aviary how would you keep the others birds from getting the egg. It is impossible. The reason I am asking I read an article recently by a breeder that claimed egg is actually bad for the birds. Because it is high in cholesteral.

Whatever next...Breeders have been successfully raising young 'uns on a hard boiled egg mix for donkeys years...me included.
Not all birds go for it but removal of the seed dish for an hour in the morning usually makes them take an interest.Just throw it before it goes sour especially if you have a warm climate.

I wonder if egg eating snakes,rats, and racoons worry about their cholesteral levels...