Being here in USA, PA I am not a lucky as some that have access to alot of the native foods for budgies available in Australia... I was wondering if budgies can have...

 

Greated Cheeses??

Canned Tuna in water (not in oil)??

 

Just wondering since you can give them chicken... can they have tuna. I know canned foods are not good because of all the stuff added, but just wondering. And since cheese is a source of calcium and they can have stuff like yogurt, i was wondering if they can have cheese??

 

Also, can you tell me what nutrients are provided by foods like carrots, greens, eggs? What other store bough or garden grown foods can you give them to help? Is there a list of "give" and "never give" foods?? This is for folk like me in USA.

Edited September 23, 200816 yr by chrissy0705

Chrissy, I am a state over here in Ohio . I didn't realize you lived so close. Anyways, cheese is constipating, yogurt is a better source because it also has good natural bacteria for digestion but not a lot of diary because it can either cause the runs or constipation. We have chicken here so I think that is a better choice if you want to give them that OR for protein Egg Food that you can make and that receipe is in the FAQ's in fact there are quite of few receipes in the FAQ's that you can use for your birds .

Chrissy, I am a state over here in Ohio . I didn't realize you lived so close. Anyways, cheese is constipating, yogurt is a better source because it also has good natural bacteria for digestion but not a lot of diary because it can either cause the runs or constipation. We have chicken here so I think that is a better choice if you want to give them that OR for protein Egg Food that you can make and that receipe is in the FAQ's in fact there are quite of few receipes in the FAQ's that you can use for your birds .

 

Thanks Elly. I found the "unsafe food list" in the meantime too... lol. What nutrient provides the best source for "fattening up" a bird. I have an underweight hen and I'd like to get her going better. She still have an 11 day old chick in the nest and I was adviced to put millet in the nest for her (but she's out of the nest more than in it lately) and provide soft foods for easier and faster feedings... but what soft foods (that i might have in the frig or counter) will achieve weight gain the best??

Edited September 23, 200816 yr by chrissy0705

Go through the different receipes in the FAQ section, Egg food is an excellent source of nutrients for a hen breeding, millet is also another great fattening source and unsalted nuts too.

 

Why do you think she is thin? What are you feeding her presently?

Hulled oats is good for fattening up birds as is some sunflower seeds. You can also soaked and crumble up some wholegrain bread with warm water and mix some seed through that.

Edited September 23, 200816 yr by KAZ

Go through the different receipes in the FAQ section, Egg food is an excellent source of nutrients for a hen breeding, millet is also another great fattening source and unsalted nuts too.

 

Why do you think she is thin? What are you feeding her presently?

 

 

I think she is thin just by her current appearance. She looks alot better today then yesterday, but her wings are not touching her sides and her chest and belly that once appeared round and full seem to be thinner and the feathers have made this "line effect" on her chest running down to her belly. I have not gotten ahold of her to feel her breast bone yet (she's pretty bitchy since she became a mum) so I just want to take measures to keep her weight and energy up.

 

As for diet, all my birds get mostly seed mixture (available daily all day long), but are also given grapes, tomatoes, eggs, greens, and treats (like honey sticks) when possible. I wanted to give them some cashews I have, but they are salted so... NO GOOD. None of my birds seem to like the eggs, tomatoes or grapes. They all love the greens and honey sticks. As I have stuff in the house I give it to them like chicken left over from dinner, but that is as available or left over.

 

I have two things against me in that I live here in PA and don't have alot of native things available and I'm a stay at home mom with a husband that works in NY and only have one car (and he has it). So to get things for them consist of weekend trips to the store only and when I'm out, I'm out until I can get the car.

Edited September 24, 200816 yr by chrissy0705

You really don't need native things to make a good diet for our budgies, again read through those FAQ's and you can make your own combinations too. Keep trying with the egg though that is very essential even the eggshells that provide calcium to your breeding birds.

You really don't need native things to make a good diet for our budgies, again read through those FAQ's and you can make your own combinations too. Keep trying with the egg though that is very essential even the eggshells that provide calcium to your breeding birds.

 

 

I will do that Elly. Would mixing or rolling the egg with seed help draw them too it better? Also is there a best time of day to try to introduce the eggs? I know all my bird forage heavy in the morning, but would it be better to give at a different time?

Edited September 24, 200816 yr by chrissy0705

Do it in the morning when they are hungry in fact just give them egg crumbled up with seed and mix it together and use that as their foraging just for the first 1/2 of eating and see if they go for it since they is when they are the hungriest then give them their regular stuff afterwards, you want to make sure you do it very gradually. You don't want a food strike or a quick switch that can cause stress and a molt.

Do it in the morning when they are hungry in fact just give them egg crumbled up with seed and mix it together and use that as their foraging just for the first 1/2 of eating and see if they go for it since they is when they are the hungriest then give them their regular stuff afterwards, you want to make sure you do it very gradually. You don't want a food strike or a quick switch that can cause stress and a molt.

 

Well Elly thanks for the advice... it worked a little bit. Some of the birds had no interest and didn't eat at all until I put the seed in. Others went right for it and some took a little bit longer but gave it a taste. I only put it in for half the feeding time and then put the seed back in for them... almost all of them went to their feed dishes after I put the seed back in. I guess the important part is that the cock of my hen with the one chick did go to the egg mix and he fed the hen so she is the one I'm really worried about getting it and she did so I'll try it again tomorrow and the next day and see if more of the birds take interest. THanks for the advice.

 

Oh... and how long can I leave the mix in? I know like any fresh food there is a time when it's no good if left out too long, so how long before I need to remove it?