pasta

[pattiej]

I know it's good to give other birds pasta and veggie mix but what about finches? I have zebras and gouldians. I bake the cornbread bridie bread for them but I was wondering about pasta... maybe with some corn or other frozen veggies... Do any of you feed your finches pasta? I bought some teenie tiny pasta but when I cooked it it blew up bigger then I thought it would ... should I put it in the food processor?? and what other things can I add?? Your suggestions will be appreciated.

[cindy]

I've used whole wheat spaghetti, it seems to be a little softer than the regular spaghetti. Over cook it a little until it is soft and mash it with a fork, serve it with some cooked, chopped frozen veggies or chopped or mashed steamed carrots and broccoli tops well drained.

[Ursula]

My budgies like cooked pasta, I chop it in very small pieces. But I never saw any of the finches eat it...

[debbyloo]

Try couscous! Go ahead and prepare it according to package directions - very quick and easy. It is a tiny micro-pasta and birds love it. I mix mine in with my home-made egg food (made with jiffy cornbread mix, eggs, etc.).

[Ursula]

All my birds love couscous! I mix it with hardboiled mashed egg, grated carrot, broccoli (just the small ends, no stem), and a little cornmeal to make it more crumbly. They all like that mix. I had to put it in for a few days in a row before they touched it but now they just love it.

I noticed that whatever new things I put in I have to try for a few days first. They hardly ever eat something new on the first day.

[cindy]

Oh,couscous! I forgot the owls love it. I tried it the last time it was mentioned on the forum, made a big pot of it. I froze little bags of it and thaw it, I serve it along side boiled eggs, veggies.

The owls dive on it. The trick is to serve it for a few days in a row in the same little bowls you serve treats, veggies in.

[L in Ontario]

I had heard of but never knew what 'couscous' was. I've now Googled it and I'll be making sure to pick some up next time I'm grocery shopping. Sounds very interesting in some recipes and I'll be sure to make some for the fids too! Thanks!!

[cindy]

I picked up an all natural one in the grocery store. It is called Whole Grain Blends Wheat Couscous (original plain) By Near East. 100% natural, whole durum wheat semolina and durum semolina. If you make the whole box, freeze little baggies full for future use.

[L in Ontario]

Yes I imagine I can mix it with their eggfood and soak seed and then freeze and use as needed... another food stretcher!

Do I find 'couscous' in the oriental section of the grocery store or in the pasta area?

[cindy]

I found it in the Pasta/Rice section. I wonder if you can chop frozen veggies, combine it with the couscous and freeze it?

[Ursula]

Last time I made couscous I made more too and froze the couscous/egg/veggie mix in a little freezer bag. I put it in the fridge yesterday and this morning it was ready to serve. Didn't see a difference from the fresh one, so I guess that works.

I also tried it when I read about it here on the forum. The nice thing is that it cooks within minutes.

I think mine is organic couscous and I got it in the organic section of the supermarket.

[Sally]

My grocery store carries it in the pasta/rice section (it's sort of right in between). I will have to try it with my birds. I'm thinking of freezing eggfood/etc ahead, as this making up fresh eggfood every morning is getting to be a chore! Chop the eggs, add the oils, add this and that dry stuff, add soaked seed, chop veggies, serve all those cages!! Then I sit down with fruit and yogurt for myself, can't be bothered to cook for me!

[cindy]

Sally you have to save some of the couscous for yourself, add some steamed veggies, it is really good!

Making up a batch and freezing it is so much easier, and we all need to save some time!

[L in Ontario]

My grocery store carries it in the pasta/rice section (it's sort of right in between). I will have to try it with my birds. I'm thinking of freezing eggfood/etc ahead, as this making up fresh eggfood every morning is getting to be a chore! Chop the eggs, add the oils, add this and that dry stuff, add soaked seed, chop veggies, serve all those cages!! Then I sit down with fruit and yogurt for myself, can't be bothered to cook for me!

Oh defintely make up a large batch and freeze in individual sandwich ziploc bags until you need them. I boil 18 to 24 eggs at once and soak 2 pitchers 1/2 full of soak seed (to allow for expansion). Add the Orlux dry eggfood and veggies. Then add the 2 oils after I thaw a bag and mix a little more Orlux dry eggfood. This way I only have to make the batches about once a month. Sure beats doing it everyday!

[pattiej]

Well I gave them the pasta with some carrots, corn and peas from the food processor and they didn't like it! They just made a big mess with it and the pasta just sticks to their beaks, too hard to eat for them. Guess I'll just stick to the birdie corn bread....