Feeding Schedules

[Elvenking]

So I have gotten a load of suggestions for bird foods and recipies. Now what I am really interested in is seeing how the days feeding schedule goes for those who give their birds a happy healthy diet. Things I am interested in are:

 

Amounts..like if you do give nuts or seed mix, how many or much. How many separate bowls or do you just lump everythign together. What times of day do you give food and which foods.

 

Things like that.

 

Right now, I give Issac his formula first thing in the morning, and when I get home after work around dinner time. Before I leave for work in the morning, I cut up a little bit of every veggie I have. This morning that was red bell pepper, broccoli, sugar snap peas, butternut squash, carrot, and a bit of pear as well. I also top of his seed\nut mix and fresh water. I will throw about 6 pine nuts in sometimes as well. Not sure how much nuts to let him have. Then there is the futile effort of putting pellets in, as I do not know if he is grinding them up yet. If he is, I have never seen it.

 

I just want to guide my little friend down the right path and make sure he is kept healthy. So please, on with the suggestions and your own schedules as well. Thanks!

 

Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/03/25 19:18<br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/03/25 19:19

[danmcq]

I moved this to the bird food room.

 

In response to your questions: I use 3 bowls for foods. 1 - A seed nut mix and I place about 6 in the shell pine-nuts on top of the mix. 2 - I place a bunch of different chopped up veggies and 6 bean mix. 3 - I place Harrison's Pellets in which he eats randomly. Lastly of course he has a water bowl.

 

In the evening, he eats some of our dinner and desert later. :-)

 

I do the same for Jake the conure as well.

[crossfit]

This is the link to what my breeder does for her birds and what I plan to emulate at least at first when Hawkins comes home:

 

http://fofaviary.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56&Itemid=70

 

I didn't get the volkman's simmer thing because I didn't want to order from so many different companies and I got the bird paradise mix that doesn't have pellets so I can add in different types of pellets since I hope to get him on Harrison's. I will keep him occasionally with all types of pellets. Variety is good plus that way if something ever happens to my harrison's supply, he will still recognize the other brands as food.

[JillyBeanz]

Harvey has roughly the same as Dan gives Dayo - apart from I mix his seed and pellets together. He has a separate bowl for his veggies and also his veggie kebab on some days, just to vary things.

 

I put "drier" veggies in his cage during the day (carrots, peas, green beans etc) as they are less likely to "turn" whilst I am at work, and at night when I come home he has his bowls on his java tree with pellets, seed, mushy bean mix and wetter veggies (peppers, tomatoes etc). Once he's out of his cage when I am home I remove all the food substances, clean his cage out and just use his stand for his food source. I empty the bowl about twice per evening too - just to get rid of the "waste".

[Elvenking]

I just found some 16 bean mix last ngiht that I am going to soak over the next day. I hope he likes it. But your routine sounds pretty close to mine. I am just looking to see what works for people and get ideas on how to care for my baby beyond what I already know. He's still weaning.

[jessdecutie18]

Yoshi always has pellets available... has grown to understand now that she only gets seeds after she eats her pellets... so dried fruits and veggies, plus pellets and a little seed during the day (all in one bowl, I think Yoshi likes to forage through the mix ). At night she gets whatever we have for dinner, plus some cooked rice or veggies or pasta. She does most of her interacting with us at night, and eating treats and stuff.

 

If she gets a honey seed treat, or a pine cone seed treat (only on special occasions or if we are going to be away from the house all day) we now place the seed treat over a bowl, as that catches over half the wasted bits falling off, and she ducks down and eats out of that too. It's a good tip for saving a bit of food that would otherwise fall to the floor

 

Also, Yoshi likes stringed cereal and almonds and stuff... it makes eating fun for her and only takes a moment.

 

Yoshi has 4 bowls in her cage... a water bowl, a food bowl, a treat bowl, and a sleep bowl. Now I'm gonna go post about that sleep bowl lol.

[Elvenking]

Lol....yes...I saw your post on the sleep bowl....too cute! I am going to try another brand of pellets to see if he will take another kind. I think he sees these little bricks of Harrisons that I give him and is quickly discouraged. I have tried wetting them a little bit, but he didn't go for it at the time. I will try again.

[danmcq]

You could try some of the Harrison's Birdy Bread mixes as a step towards pellets. Their breads are full of the same contents as the pellets, but softer and in different flavors.

 

Also, you can take some Harrisons pellets and place them in a baggie, smash them with and hammer into small bits and mix in with oatmeal, your own birdy bread, eggs etc. if you desire or think he needs the minerals and vitamins from the pellets.

 

I stopped worrying over the common promulgated theory that pellets are superior to natural foods a long time ago. As long as your grey is eating a well rounded diet of seeds, nuts, veggies, legumes and a little fruit, along with some UV lighting or outside sunshine, your fine. :-)

[Elvenking]

Thank you Dan, I am now finding out that if I am feeding him the right veggies, fruits and other healthy goodies like birdie bread, beans and mash...that i do not have to worry so much about the pellets...I will rpobably take the crushing method up in my next batch of birdie bread though. Not a bunch...but a little bit for the added nutrition. You think that is okay?

 

I have heard about the UV light as well, he is out in the main living area of my apartment where the I leave him with plenty of incoming sunlight. While not direct sunlight, it illuminates the room quite well. Is this sufficient for UV light?

[Greywings]

You can soak those pellets in an unsweetned juice or coconut milk prior to making your birdy bread the add your eggs and other ingredients.

[Spock]

:laugh: Feeding time at Spock's house:woohoo: The 1st photo, 'Tiel veggies, 2nd, Buddy conure, the res ..

<br><br>Post edited by: Spock, at: 2010/04/01 01:32

[Xtreme575]

Wow Spock! Jay and Maggie sure are good to you fids! That's an amazing spread that is offered. If only I could eat like that, I might lose some weight!!!

 

Stephen, keep in mind, breakfast and dinner are the big dinners. I don't know about Isaac, but Paco's dinner time is between 8-9 pm. He likes to eat classy (to late for me!). He finishes his breakfast whenever, and doesn't eat many of the pellets I offer during the day. I just have the food there for him to munch if he wants to, but the pellet crumbs are only evident after he has them for his dinner.

[Greywings]

Beautiful breakfast! No wonder you have such a handsome flock.

This page has a photo of breakfast at our house for 2-Too's and 2-Greys, the Tiels and bugies get the rements in the bowl.

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa264/Firefly_mom/<br><br>Post edited by: Greywings, at: 2010/04/01 15:01