Softfood ingredients

[Thinus]

Hi everybody!

I, like all of you (well hopefully all of you ), strive to improve and vary my finches' diets as much as possible. Bearing this in mind I thought it might be nice if we exchanged some ideas on feeding and personal experiences on different methods.

As this is my idea I suppose I should get the ball rolling.

My softfood mixture differs practically every time I make it but basically it includes the following:

- Hard boiled eggs
- Sprouted seeds
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Beets
- Vitamin supplement powder
- Calcium supplement
- A pinch each of Paprika, Turmeric, Spirulina and Alfalfa powders.
- A mix of rolled oats, wheatgerm, molasses bran and AVI-Plus (a very good local commercial eggfood.)
- A splash of a mix of oils specifically made for avian use.

So that is kind of that. So over to you guys...

[DVBourassa]

That sounds impressive.

I simply use hard boiled eggs with miracle meal. I also give sprouted or soaked seeds, carrot, broccoli, collard greens, cucumbers, and birdie bread in different combinations but not mixed with the eggs.

[lovemyfinch]

I am just learning the tricks of the trade:

Eggfood (including the shell) I add to it:
-crushed sunflower seeds
-dry eggfood (for texture)
-prime
-cod liver oil
-omega 3-6-9
-daily supplement for plumage
-wheatgerm oil

I also give them a mixture of chopped (very finely) carrots, broccoli, and almonds.
I also have a herb garden that I planted just for them that I chop - parsley-oregano-basil-thyme.
They also get soaked seeds.
I also give them 1 to 2 times a week-a mixture of fruits that I have on hand(so far only that eat them are the juveniles)

If anyone can think of anything that I should be giving them please let me know.

[Sally]

My bird's diet is constantly changing, depending on what is available and what I feel like doing.

Hardboiled eggs, mashed shell and all
wheat germ oil
cod liver oil
Tropimix (a sort of dry eggfood by Hagen)*
yellow cornmeal
Vitamins - different ones for breeding birds and juvies, molting birds, general population.

I got the Tropimix to try out, and of course, I got a big bag, and then my birds didn't like it--the egg granules are not small enough for finches, I believe. In desperation, I put some thru the blender till it was ground fine and added it to the hardboiled eggs--they seem to love it this way, and it adds a lot of nutrition to the eggs.

I do veggies separate from the eggfood, and it is whatever is on hand.

[mickp]

my birds dont get any soft food like that. as they are in a well planted aviary I dont see the need for it.
all the plants are edible. fresh greens are provided daily. livefood daily. homemade grit which consists of crushed eggshells, charcoal, crushed cuttlefish, ground oystershell and bio-cal (a vitamin mix).
sprouted seeds are available to them on the floor of the aviary as I empty the seed dishes onto the ground every second or third day.
am guessing the birds are happy enough as they have been breeding like rabbits. the gouldians are still busy nesting even though the night time temps are averaging 3 to 5 degrees celcius

[maru]

I make my lady gouldians the soft food with hardboiled eggs, with shell, cod liver oil, wheat germ oil and bread crumbs. I live in Veracruz, Mexico, and I found it difficult to get the wheat germ oil, so I finally found it in a fishmarket, it was in a whisky bottle, (Red Label), and with a piece of plastic with an elastic band holding it at the top. I don´t know if I´m making myself clear. (I find it difficult in English). I didn´t feel very comfortable giving this to my birds, but I really wanted to give them soft food and the recipes I found in the internet had cod liver oil, so I have been given it to them and it seems there has been no problems, (they eat very little, anyway, the ones that eat it much better are my two societies). When I read one of your posts: "oils specifically made for avian use", I was more worried. The wheat germ oil seemed much more trustable, it was from a brand. Do you think I should continue using this cod liver oil? Maybe if my birds have vitamins (which I also give them), they don´t need it, what do you think?

[B CAMP]

I too would be cautious with that cod liver oil like you said if brand ok,you might check in drug stores or walmart,thats where I got mine

[Thinus]

The avian oils I was referring to is actually just a mixture of oils. One of them being cod liver oil. You do however have to be careful and make sure the oil is not "off", or you will have real problems.

[ac12]

Help me understand something about broccoli and carrots.
Broccolli and carrots are HARD.
How small do you chop up the pieces for your finches?
Do you cook them to make them soft?

I'm looking for ways to get my finches to eat something other than lettuce.

[lovemyfinch]

I have a small food chopper made by starfrit, I use it as well for my egg food. For the brocolli and carrots I put both in together and chop away for a few minutes until it gives me the texture that I am looking for, I then add some ground almond.

[Leda]

To answer your question ac12, I grate mine on one of those cheap graters. Use the fine side. Works like a charm!! I add that to my egg food mixture.
Leda

[GOULDYGIRL]

The brocolli heads are easy for the finches to eat. I sometimes leave them whole on a clip and they pick off the little florets. I feed raw.

I also found this little mini food processor for $10 in a discount store. I make my eggfood and also chop my veggies in that as well if I'm mixing it with the eggfood.

Renee