Should I add something to their diet?

[Ameza]

Hi everyone.

My zebra finch pair has 5 egg and hopefully some chicks later on (I haven't candled the eggs so I don't know).

I was just wondering if I should add something to their food, expecially when (if) the chicks hatch. A person I know that had finches said it would be ok to just stay with what they have, just give them more, but I wanted to make sure with you experts! ;)

Right now they are fed on mixed seed, dry eggfood, vegtables, cuttle bone and recently boiled egg as well.

[Rayray]

you giving the perfect food already so no worries .... when they hatch you can give them more ( only i wouldn't give then dry eggfood , just make that a bit moist )

Ray

[Ameza]

Ok! Good to know

[Sally]

Hardboiled egg is one of the best foods for parents to feed their babies, lots of protein. You can dry it out a bit by adding some dry eggfood, handfeeding formula, nestling food, or even just yellow cornmeal.

[Ameza]

What is exacly this 'nestling food' people talk a lot about it but I have never found out what is in it :/

[ac12]

It is food for newly hatched chicks.

Some under the title of handfeed food.
Here are a couple commercial examples.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... catid=5746

https://www.birdsupplynh.com/catalog/pr ... 2e4c851ce7

Another would be a hardboiled egg mix.
http://www.finchinfo.com/diet/egg_mixes ... _foods.php

[Ameza]

Thank you! I think I will try that hard boild egg mix since I have not noticed any kind of nestling food in the animal shops around here

[ac12]

My local PetSmart has both the LaFebers and Kaytee hand feed mix.

[Ameza]

Afraid there is no PetSmart store here in Iceland ;) Though there might be once place that has something like this, will have to check it out.

[cindy]

Another old time nestling and breeding food is Petamine. I have used this through out the years.

I don't know if it is available there.

http://www.wingdom.com/kellogg.htm

[Sally]

This link will tell you about Abba's nestling food. Not available to you, of course, but at least it gives you an idea of what we are talking about when we mention nestling food.

http://www.abbaseed.com/Seed_Products/N ... en_92.html

[Ameza]

Thank you! Now I won't be all wtf when people talk about nestling food I am going to my best and smallest bird shop here in Reykjavík today and check this out!