Help With Isaac's Diet

[SRSeedBurners]

You might try stopping the Kaytee Exact formula. We're feeding a baby Jardines and I started giving some to Greycie twice a day as she was begging for it. That's about the time she started acting out real bad. We put up with her behavior for about two weeks before I decided to try and remove two items from her diet: Kaytee and a junk bird food mix that we were using as a treat-time snack. She calmed down after that and I pinned it to the Kaytee formula. It's only a theory in our house but we're going with it because we did see a noticeable change. You can probably replace it with an oatmeal treat - Greycie will beg for that even more and I've never seen her react to it.

[Elvenking]

You did perfect with the egg thing! Chop up the good stuff he needs so it sticks to bad stuff he loves! Let him help you cook too! Bongo has a perch over the sink and is on it when I am cooking. (I keep a very close eye on him though because when he sees something he wants, he will fly to it. I keep something that he hates near the stove so he doesn't get tempted to taste test) Snap peas are a staple here, but only 3 eat them. Something weird I have noted with all my guys, with sweet potatoes if I buy just the normal ones they will not eat them at all but if I get the organic ones, they eat it every time. That doesn't happen with all their food, just those. Also, get a butternut squash and steam it ( skin and inners removed first, lol) Then mash it up like you would for mashed potatoes. That is a treat here and replaced the formula fixes for them. They all love their formula here too and I do still give it to them, but there is something about the butternut that they like even better. They don't/won't eat it from their bowls, we either spoon feed them that or in the feeding syringe.

Holy cow, and I mean that, my flock loves their meat and they get it in small amounts. I can't read too much into what the internet tells us or our birds would starve. I stay away from the known bad foods, onions, chocolate, avocados etc. but everything else is fair game!

He will snub everything at first, but that doesn't mean he doesn't like it, it means he knows you worked hard and by flinging it he is saying, Gee dad, you shouldn't have gone through so much trouble, sunflower seeds would have been just fine. lol Just keep offering it and one day when he flings it, he will get a taste of it on accident and find out he actually loves it!

 

 

So make sure my sweet potatoes are organic and try some butternut squash....got it! I do agree with the internet thing....there are definitely proven bad foods for our greys....but I think there is an article pinning badness on every last thing out there as well. I do try to get everything for Isaac Organic. I will keep trying sweet potatoes...I think he just needs some time with those. This morning, I gave him some whole grain noodles boiled up and glazed with red palm.....this is a pretty good go-to food for him. Then when he finishes that...I leave him with a wide array of veggies in his dish when I am off to work. Carrots, broccoli, kale, apple, pear, and snow peas today. Whew. I'll have to see how he does when I check on him at lunch. Raw veggies are all over the place...sometimes...out of the blue he will start trying something...or appear to....it is almost impossible to tell if he ever actually swallows veggies...but I do get some proof when he eats carrots....lol. He like to put pieces in his water dish....and I understand that they do this purposely...so I try to leave it in for a little while....but replace his water often enough to not make it a mess for him.

 

I got my birdie cookbook and am going to pick a recipe for him today...a good one that will build up a stock of food that can be warmed up in the morn.....have to find one of these that works for him. Wish me luck.

[Elvenking]

You might try stopping the Kaytee Exact formula. We're feeding a baby Jardines and I started giving some to Greycie twice a day as she was begging for it. That's about the time she started acting out real bad. We put up with her behavior for about two weeks before I decided to try and remove two items from her diet: Kaytee and a junk bird food mix that we were using as a treat-time snack. She calmed down after that and I pinned it to the Kaytee formula. It's only a theory in our house but we're going with it because we did see a noticeable change. You can probably replace it with an oatmeal treat - Greycie will beg for that even more and I've never seen her react to it.

 

Yeah....I have kind of let him hang on to his formula for a long time now. It is hard to resist a bird that actually does aerial acrobatics over my head when he sees his formula.....but he does have times where is not that excited about it too. At any rate...I am going to shelf this little treat for as long as I can for now to get him interested in trying other things. I also believe that it sort of has him in its grip. LOL. I am going to try the butternut squash from a spoon or syringe...see if he likes that. One doesn't nccessarily have to use the syringe to "feed him" I could squeeze it out and let him lap it up in his beak. Ohhh how I love the little guy. With all my heart I do.

Edited July 1, 2014 by Elvenking

[murfchck]

Too many choices at once may overwhelm him! LOL

You are doing great for your special little boy, just keep smiling when all your hard work gets tossed out at first. Bongo landed on my head tonight when I got the pasta out, it is his go to and you will find yours too, just don't give up! Best of luck!!!

[Elvenking]

Too many choices at once may overwhelm him! LOL

You are doing great for your special little boy, just keep smiling when all your hard work gets tossed out at first. Bongo landed on my head tonight when I got the pasta out, it is his go to and you will find yours too, just don't give up! Best of luck!!!

 

 

Ohh it's not hitting him too fast and I do fully expect to be rejected a lot. No worries. Well get creative and boil noodles and mix em in cold with his veggies....so much to try an no reason to give up. He is doing great! Poop looks good so I think we are okay.

[Elvenking]

The Volkmans is a hit! He has gradually taken to it over the last few days. I have only mix in a tiny bit of his original seed with the rest of it and he goes for the soft stuff.

[jbsmomto1]

I make storm "birdie mash" with sweet potatoes or pumpkin or even both, I add in some fruit and veggies baby food, some oats, some diced up green peppers, usually some beans or some other sprouts, some pineapple juice if it seems a bit dry, add in some palm oil. Scoop it by the teaspoon onto a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper and freeze it. He gets 1 a day every morning, warmed up with a piece of birdie bread on top....he LOVES this and reminds you that he needs "help" why its help I have no idea it just is lol

[Elvenking]

Ohh my word......sprouts are also a hit....now...he might be picking and choosing....but I do see him eating multiple kinds and he stayed by the pile I poured out of the sprouter for about 10 mins.....this was after we had already sat and had chicken together. I think he will like em!

[Elvenking]

Let me correct that. He freakin' LOVES sprouts. I was in my room and he was on his play stand....he sat there for about 30 mins munching sprouts continuously. More orders to come for sure. His little beak smells so fresh and healthy of sprouts!

[SRSeedBurners]

Make sure you freeze/fridge the bag. I opened mine up yesterday: worms. Got to expect that with all organic.

[Elvenking]

Make sure you freeze/fridge the bag. I opened mine up yesterday: worms. Got to expect that with all organic.

 

Yeah....I went ahead and placed them in a slightly vented container in the fridge after drying them out from the final rinse. I am going to make sure I have another wave coming for sure. He clears em out....he loves them more than I would have imagined. I am really getting lucky with new food trials!

Edited July 6, 2014 by Elvenking

[SRSeedBurners]

Oh, I meant the pre-sprouted seeds. I had mine sitting in a lock box (don't ask why) in my garage for the longest time. This week I went to go get another batch for sprouting and...damn worms. I bet if I let them go they probably become moths. My chickens scored big as I sprouted the whole bag for them.

[Elvenking]

I now use Almond Milk in my cereal and my lil guy can still perch bowl-side for a few licks. No more flirts with Dairy. He hasn't had any baby formula for about 3 weeks now. Here is how the food trials are going:

 

He likes Kale and Ocra

He likes the Volkmans with and without red pam added

He really took to the sprouts. I can almost get rid of his regular seed, but I still put some below the sprouts.

...about the only thing he is not taking to is birdie bread. On one of the first times...he ground up a lot of it. All subsequent times have been met with some rejection. I have two loafs though...so I will continue to try to defrost pieces and give him the option.

 

I still have to make something from the cook book. I just got the ingredients for some Parmesan Rice....I think he will like that as it has brown rice, eggs, parmesan cheese, celery seed, and carrot juice. Well...he is saying "Hi Boooyeee" and asking to get out. So I have to go for now. Cheers!

[Elvenking]

We can add "Parmesan Rice" from the Nourish to Flourish Parrot Cookbook. He is still face down in there after 15 mins.

 

[Elvenking]

We can add "Parmesan Rice" from the Nourish to Flourish Parrot Cookbook. He is still face down in there after 15 mins.

 

1/2 cup of cooked brown rice

1 beaten egg

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese grated

1/4 cup of carrot juice

 

Cook rice normally, add other stuff, stir simmer for 5 more.....yummy yummy for Isaac.

 

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[katana600]

Look at you go Mr. Mom, or Gourmet Dad. I love the picture of Isaac eating right out of the pan. With Gilbert, she may reject a favored food of months of insisting on it. It looks as if Isaac is trying new things and I bet he gets excited at all the changes and delicious offerings you have been whipping up for him. It has to be stimulating his appetite as well as his curiosity and imagination. Also, kudos on the almond milk. I would never have believed my husband would even try it but after months of putting it in my daily steel cut oats so Gilbert can eat her share, guess who started drinking it on his own cereal? Now it's all we use unless we have company.

[Muse]

Have you tried making a toy from the birdie bread? Hide it in something like a paper bag, or if it is dense enough, run a skewer through a cube of it. I found there are things mine will only eat if they can play with it.

 

I have been on almond milk for years now. Tried soy and it was almost as bad as being lactose intolerant - gave me lots of upset stomach. I love almond milk and so do the birds. I even got my husband drinking it.

 

What an adorable boy you have.

[chezron]

I will tell you what works for my guys. I buy dried fruit and nut mix from Goldenfeast which I always have in a bowl in their cages. They also have a bowl of Harrison's Organic (containing red palm oil) pellets at all times. Their water is spring water with no fluoride or chlorine. It comes from a local spring and is the best and so clean. Every week or so I make a bowl of organic mixed frozen veggies, and add a half a bag of Trader Joe's Melodious Blend (garbanzo beans, lentils and tomatoes), and half a bag of Trader Joe's Multigrain Blend with Vegetables (grains and veg), then I add one can of mixed organic beans and mix it up. Once it is mixed, I add a heavy dollop of organic red palm oil and ¼ cup of both organic chia seed and organic flax seed. I freeze the mixture in ½ cup portions and pull one out everyday. About every four or five days I buy the freshest produce, fruits and vegetables and sprouted peas and lentils. Today they have (ALL organic) grapes, sprouted peas and lentils, broccoli, carrots, cherries, blueberries, cantaloupe, sweet potato (cooked), apples, mango, pear, kale (they don't eat it), blackberries and strawberries. (Once in awhile if I can find organic corn on the cob I cut that in also) I divide that mixture into bigger two cup portions in glass jars. Everyday I dump a fruit and veggie mix into their bowls with the bean mix on top. They eat it like they are starving. Once a week, I thaw two cooked organic chicken drumstick bones and let them eat those. About every week they get a little pasture-raised chicken egg scrambled or some wild salmon or sardines. No processed food -- ever! No cereal, muffins, toast, pancakes, sugar, etc. Once in awhile I admit to giving them a small piece of cheese or bite of yogurt.

 

Fat is important! Carbs are not! Carbs make birds fat! Veggies, fruit, beans, nuts, and some meat or egg is basically what I feed them. You would think they would gorge on nuts but they do not. They are all very healthy and beautiful, and not at all overweight. Don't forget the sunshine for Vitamin D to make strong bones, and balanced hormones!

 

It sounds like I do a lot of work, and I guess I do, but I have a system and I don't have to do work every day which is a plus.

Edited July 19, 2014 by chezron

[Elvenking]

I will tell you what works for my guys. I buy dried fruit and nut mix from Goldenfeast which I always have in a bowl in their cages. They also have a bowl of Harrison's Organic (containing red palm oil) pellets at all times. Their water is spring water with no fluoride or chlorine. It comes from a local spring and is the best and so clean. Every week or so I make a bowl of organic mixed frozen veggies, and add a half a bag of Trader Joe's Melodious Blend (garbanzo beans, lentils and tomatoes), and half a bag of Trader Joe's Multigrain Blend with Vegetables (grains and veg), then I add one can of mixed organic beans and mix it up. Once it is mixed, I add a heavy dollop of organic red palm oil and ¼ cup of both organic chia seed and organic flax seed. I freeze the mixture in ½ cup portions and pull one out everyday. About every four or five days I buy the freshest produce, fruits and vegetables and sprouted peas and lentils. Today they have (ALL organic) grapes, sprouted peas and lentils, broccoli, carrots, cherries, blueberries, cantaloupe, sweet potato (cooked), apples, mango, pear, kale (they don't eat it), blackberries and strawberries. (Once in awhile if I can find organic corn on the cob I cut that in also) I divide that mixture into bigger two cup portions in glass jars. Everyday I dump a fruit and veggie mix into their bowls with the bean mix on top. They eat it like they are starving. Once a week, I thaw two cooked organic chicken drumstick bones and let them eat those. About every week they get a little pasture-raised chicken egg scrambled or some wild salmon or sardines. No processed food -- ever! No cereal, muffins, toast, pancakes, sugar, etc. Once in awhile I admit to giving them a small piece of cheese or bite of yogurt.

 

Fat is important! Carbs are not! Carbs make birds fat! Veggies, fruit, beans, nuts, and some meat or egg is basically what I feed them. You would think they would gorge on nuts but they do not. They are all very healthy and beautiful, and not at all overweight. Don't forget the sunshine for Vitamin D to make strong bones, and balanced hormones!

 

It sounds like I do a lot of work, and I guess I do, but I have a system and I don't have to do work every day which is a plus.

 

Wow...thanks for this!! Sorry for the late response...somehow I have overlooked this post. With the help I get from you all. Isaac has access now to crazy amounts of food! I am heating up special parrot rice mixes, he gets 4-6 different veggies and one fruit in the morning...after having some eggs or whole grain noodles with red palm. Then I come home and make some Volkman's Soak and Serve for him. Sometimes I'll try the birdie bread again...but I don't think he is into it.....but he took to a surprising amount of foods. I feel like he has a pretty good diet...I'll mix up the order all the time and sometimes add other things. Like...he will sit and eat chicken with wild rice with me a couple times a week...he loves my oven baked chicken. (I do too actually) I let him sip some almond milk from my cereal bowl before I dig in too. Totally stopped any of that kaytee formula...been over 6 weeks without that I think now. No more dairy of any sort. This is one healthy bird. He does get some time out on my patio. He has his avian lamp during the 8-9 hours of the day I am at work. I had to hold off on getting the cage I wanted for outdoors in favor of improving his diet first. But I am getting him a larger outdoor cage so he doesn't need to be out there in a travel cage.