Bourke Diet Question

[30 Seconds to Bob]

I know that several of you have bourkes, so I'm wondering what everybody feeds them. The breeder gave me a sample of what appeared to be a small hookbill mix - something suitable for a lovebird or a cockatiel. The only things that seemed to be touched were the safflower seeds and the oat groats.
I began offering a little of that mix as well as a premium canary mix and a premium budgie mix, and it seems like a greater variety of seeds are now being eaten. The only veggie he's picked at was bok choi - snubbed his nose at apples, grapes and broccoli. Is what I'm offering good enough? I'll keep trying with other fruits and veggies. Thanks. Bob

[cindy]

Here the bourkes eat a mix of canary seed, finch seed, keet seed and Roudybush Nibbleds. Veggies....grated carrot, shaved broccoli tops, chopped romaine, chopped kale and collard greens. I do not offer high sugar fruits. They love dried eggfood, soaked seed and millet and love Roudybush soak and feed. Soaked quinoa is also a favorite when mixed with carrot and broccoli. Try different textures, it is good foraging and mental stimulation. The oat they eat like candy so feed them sparingly.

[ranchnanny]

Hey Bob hope you are enjoying your new Bourke.... I feed mine parakeet seed, finch/canary seed, baked egg food, grated broccoli/carrots, soaked seed and soaked branches of millet, kale, romaine etc. Oh! and mine love peas and carrots from a can. I use the unsalted kind rinsed.

[paul-inAZ]

I've only had mine for about 6 weeks so hardly qualify as an authority.
Mine are fed a base diet of lovebird type seed mix with some addition of seeds I give my Gouldians. I give them egg food and they like to chew on leafy greens to some extent. They do seem to like the home grown millet sprays that I give them- leaves, seed spray and all.
Nothing fancier than that so far. I say so far because that was the diet the breeder used in his outdoor aviary. He used a budgie mix and added some straight millet.
I will likely begin experimenting with some of the things others have mentioned.

I'm embarking on something new. I like the Bourkes enough that I went to a mart yesterday I went thinking of getting another Bourke or two, saw none of interest and wound up instead with a pair of scarlet chested parakeets. A normal male and a cinnamon hen. From what I was told these will also be on a similar diet.

[wellingtoncdm]

I also feed parakeet seed mixed with some extra canary seed and finch seed. I also add grass seed and a small amount of safflower. No sunflower sees. I only offered this in the winter months.
Their favorite is soaked plain parakeet seed and romaine. They will gladly eat any ripe green seed as well but go through stages with dried eggfood and mostly eat it when they have young. People also recommend frozen peas, carrots and corn.

[cindy]

I also use frozen peas, carrots and corn or mixed veggies, warmed and drained. A lot of the peas and whole veggies get dropped through the grate...so I whirl it a few times in the food processor. The smaller pieces are easier to eat. Do not make it mush but just enough to chop it a bit.

[Mick M.]

Hi bob

I keep my pair with some cockatiel's and give them a parakeet/lovebird mix by versele laga , lots of millet , some white and striped sunflower seed among other seed , not sure what exactly the bourkes are eating from the mix but they're doing well since I got them ( 3 months ago ) .
I also give them all some washed dandelion leaves , strips of carrot and sprouted seed and eggfood mix once a week , this gets gobbled up too .

The flight they're in has night time sleeping quarter's , I also feed them in here and they have outside access to fly 8 foot long by 6 foot square with natural branch perche's .

The combination of all of these helps with their condition , hope this helps .

Regards , Mick .

[cindy]

I will caution about giving them sunflower seeds unless your birds are outside in the winter. Bourkes tend to be sedentary most of day. If consuming sunflower or any fatty seed (they have a tendency to eat it like candy) and are indoors they could put on extra weight. Best to skip that one unless you have them outside in an aviary and you experience winter weather. You can offer it as a treat but do so in a very small tiny, tiny amount per bird once a week.

I avoid it all together with my scarlets and bourkes and English budgies, parrotlet.

[wellingtoncdm]

Sunflower seed is easy to soak and sprouts fast. This is a healthier way to offer it. I agree about limiting it or not feeding it at all in a seed mix. Some birds pick it out and leave the rest.

[cindy]

Great idea!!! You can also use a premium pigeon seed mix to soak and let chit!