Greens and Vegetables

BillD · Post by **BillD** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 10:53 pm

I've been looking for a list of greens and vegetables that are suitable for finches. Know they are mainly seed eaters, but I see many threads where people add veggies and greens to their diet and they enjoy them. I've searched the internet, but found nothing that provides a nice list of what to offer and what not to offer.

Found that spinach, parsley and a few others may be toxic and others like Iceburg lettuce is not great because it is mostly water. I offered my 'kids' some Romaine lettuce hearts (the very small leaves on the inside) and they seemed to like it. Saw that dandelion, kale, turnip leaves may be an option also (make sure your dandelions don't have any chemicals to kill them in your yard before you offer).

I've read some threads about Milk Thistle and other 'weeds' we all seem to get in our yards. I have some Poke weed in my yard that the wild birds seem to love (not the wild finches) and I see how much they like it on my car later.

I would like to hear what you all consider acceptable greens and veggies. Maybe we could put a list together for all of us.

BillD · Post by **BillD** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 11:14 pm

http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php ... highlight=

Thanks MickP.

I have a supply of Spirulina for my Koi and I see that lettuce is not great (they did enjoy it though). I'll do some research on the Spirulina and see if adding it to their diet will be good. Possibly adding to egg food, since it is a fine powder.

would appreciate all input.

DVBourassa · Post by **DVBourassa** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 12:39 am

I regularly give mine eggfood (homemade), bird bread, sprouted seeds, broccoli, and shredded carrots. Sometimes I give them hearts of romaine because they like it so much. Usually I have to offer anything new for several days before they'll give it a try.

If you go to the Finch Information Center link on the left there is a pretty good list of safe and unsafe foods.

http://www.finchinfo.com/diet/safe_toxi ... _foods.php

BillD · Post by **BillD** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 1:00 am

DVBourassa wrote:I regularly give mine eggfood (homemade), bird bread, sprouted seeds, broccoli, and shredded carrots. Sometimes I give them hearts of romaine because they like it so much. Usually I have to offer anything new for several days before they'll give it a try.

If you go to the Finch Information Center link on the left there is a pretty good list of safe and unsafe foods.

http://www.finchinfo.com/diet/safe_toxi ... _foods.php

thanks DV..
My Socieities do like the romaine hearts I offered..probably not the best for them though.
Appreciate that you linked it here. I didn't find it with my search..

My 'kids' will appreciate it..

Post by **Sally** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 1:17 am

Bill, you will find that not all finches will eat all recommended veggies, so you just have to experiment with it. Societies are usually pretty good about trying anything. If they like the romaine, I'd go ahead and let them have it from time to time. One thing that is usually popular this time of year is chickweed. My yard is full of weeds, so I have a plentiful supply of chickweed and dandelion greens.

BillD · Post by **BillD** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 1:40 am

I put a thread up from MickP. was to the forum reply.. sorry..
This was the one I meant to post.. Thanks to MickP..

http://www.birdsrus.com.au/?page=162

I am going to make some egg food (have a dozen new chicken eggs in my frig) anticipating the outcome and I will introduce a small amount of Spirulina in it to test. My kids have been in the nest for a couple days now, but they have done that before.

gomer · Post by **gomer** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 1:43 am

I give mine daily,sprouted seeds,seeding grass (phalaris,cocksfoot,Rye etc)what ever is available in the yard or freezer.And am currently trying to get them to eat lebonese cucumber,As i have heard this improves breeding results,But to this point only one in six avairys have tryied it,monkey see monkey do.And am in day four of the trial.

peas and corn are another you could try.

BillD · Post by **BillD** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 2:09 am

Sally wrote:Bill, you will find that not all finches will eat all recommended veggies, so you just have to experiment with it. Societies are usually pretty good about trying anything. If they like the romaine, I'd go ahead and let them have it from time to time. One thing that is usually popular this time of year is chickweed. My yard is full of weeds, so I have a plentiful supply of chickweed and dandelion greens.

Thanks Sally..
I had dandelions in my yard. I put chemicals down to make sure they didn't grow (the typical home owner stuff). I don't do that anymore.. Know that I can pull them up and offer to my kids now.. without the chemicals.

I don't know about chickweed. I may have it too..
Is this it?:
http://www.gardening.eu/arc/plants/Pere ... ndex_a.asp

I was just trying to put together a list of favorable/optional/alternative/don't feed natural
vegetation for our finches.

I haven't found one when I searched the internet.

I'm a novice fincher, so I'm just asking for input.

I do appreciate what you tell us..

BillD · Post by **BillD** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 2:28 am

gomer wrote:I give mine daily,sprouted seeds,seeding grass (phalaris,cocksfoot,Rye etc)what ever is available in the yard or freezer.And am currently trying to get them to eat lebonese cucumber,As i have heard this improves breeding results,But to this point only one in six avairys have tryied it,monkey see monkey do.And am in day four of the trial.

peas and corn are another you could try.

Thanks gomer..
I am just trying to put together a list of finch vegetation. Sprouted would be in another category, but I do appreciate your comment.
I know that we have different variations of Rye here in the states, may not be the same for you, but I am ignorant on phalaris and cocksfoot.

guess we need to define peas and corn.. dried/frozen/canned.. hehe (don't eat the canned ones)..

I'm just trying to put together a lot of information. Know it will benefit my 'kids'..

mickp · Post by **mickp** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 5:13 am

lebanese cucumber is the prefered green of my birds. I put a whole one in the aviary each morning (cut in half length wise) and by mid afternoon there is nothing but the out skin left. all of my finches eat it.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 6:38 am

Lebanese cucumber is a favourite in my aviaries too. Mine also get johnson grass and veldt panic seed heads daily.
Gomer, I am suprised more of the aviaries weren't striaght onto the cucumber. The only birds in my collection that don't touch it are gouldians and nuns. I am sure the majority of my birds would rear young without livefood and sprouted seed, as long as cucumber was available.

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 7:32 am

I thought my bccb would raise young on cucumber since they loved it so much, but it didn't work

My birds LOVE sliced cucumber. I never thought about slicing it lengthwise. I usually just do regular slices. I am going to try that! They only eat the middle anyway.

I also give them chopped up greens. They love romaine lettuce leaves and the green leafy lettuce. No iceberg.
I give them corn on the cob . I buy the fresh in the husk and just shuck it and wash it. They will clean it up. Sometimes I give them those little round green peas. They like them, but make a mess because they only want the inside of them. And of course they love chickweed.

mickp · Post by **mickp** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 6:54 am

once a week I cut a couple of those small yellow squash in half and put them in for the birds. not sure what goodness there is in squash but if the birds like it they get it, only found out by accident that they like it. my daughter put the fresh greens out for the birds one morning and she gave them one plus the usual mix

FinchMommy · Post by **FinchMommy** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 12:15 pm

My finches will eat almost anything I give them. Same with my canaries. My budgies on the other hand, refuse to eat anything other than seed and butter lettuce. All my birds love butter lettuce and romaine. They also really like corn. They don't get it that often, since there's not a heck of a lot of nutritional value, but they love it. I give them fresh, but my cousin's inlaws (who run a bird rescue) said I could also use frozen. I take a few kernels out of the freezer, and run it under the tap for about 30 seconds, and scatter it on the floor of the cage (for obvious reasos, I do this right after I change the paper, lol), and the "forage" for it. Periodically I also do this with Multigrain Cheerios. The birds go nuts. They are also big fans of broccoli and carrots, those would have to be the favorite.

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 12:21 pm

Mine love corn on the cob I steam some or raw,they all like it the gouldians not as much