A Good Diet Needed

[Larry, Baby and Me]

I need some input about diet.

What EXACTLY is the best diet?

Please tell me what you feed. In What amounts. And what time of the day.

Baby is a 4-1/2 year old Umbie hen. What do you suggest?

When responding - please type it slowly because you all know I can't read fast. ;)

[birdie]

:rofl: I can't type fast, so no worries here.

Stella, U2, gets daily; Am~ fresh vegies{carrots, peas, corn} 16 bean mix, acorn squash, brown rice, fresh broccoli, seeds {Don's parrot mix} and some pecans, almonds, pistacios. also a few pellets that she's being weaned from. PM~ more fresh veggies, cauliflower {3X weekly}, Don's soak mix, apple{green or red} whole wheat spaghetti.
ocasional items: whole wheat cracker, cheerios, yogart or cottage cheese
tuna, poms, banana, PB on bread, a tastie treat of grape juice.
These are the main things, I'm sure there are things I'm forgetting.

www.donsbirds.com (http://www.donsbirds.com)

[Evelyn]

Larry -

I have had one avian vet tell me to feed 80% pellets, rest vegetables and fruits.

Another avian vet (this one certified), said the majority of their diet should be healthy people food: fresh fruits and veggies, or cooked without salt, sugar or butter; cooked lean meats, brown rice, beans (also cooked w/o salt or butter), some nuts and non-fatty seeds.

Our birds get fresh fruit in the mornings, eggs if we are having them, plus some cereal (not sugared), maybe toast and peanut butter or toast and sugar-free jam. I leave them with pellets, seeds and nuts for the day.

I'm usually not home at lunchtime. If I am, I will usually give them some of whatever we're having for lunch.

At dinner, they usually eat whatever we are eating unless it has something in it that isn't good for the birds. They love spaghetti. I use a plain marinara sauce and add mushrooms. Sometimes I use brown spaghetti and sometime the white. I know the brown is better for the birds, but I don't like it as much as I like the white.

At bedtime, I will give them a small treat of some kind and tell them, "Nite-nite."

I think the diet ends up being about half pellets and the other half people food, some seeds and nuts. I don't feed the same kind of pellets all the time so they don't get bored with them. I switch between Harrison's, Roudyboush, Kaytee and Volkman.

I'm not saying this is the best diet--just that it works for mine and the avian vet is OK with it, and they are all healthy and fully feathered. If I tried to feed them an all-pellet diet, they wouldn't eat it. They sit and wait. They know I'm not going to let them starve and will give in eventually.

Evelyn

[Evelyn]

Larry -

Just saw Brenda's reply which reminded me that I also give mine fat-free yogurt, fat-free cottage cheese, soy milk sometimes (they love it).

Sometimes, if I think they need some comfort food, I will mix a small amount of the Exact baby formula they were weaned on. They all love it. I read somewhere that a lot of it is not good for birds because it contains nutrients, vitamins, etc. meant for growing babies and not grown birds, so they don't get it often.

Evelyn

[bonnie]

Wow. I feel like such a slacker. Chicken has been offered fresh foods, but doesn't act interested. He perfers his pellets. My vet says it doesn't surprise him given Chicken's background. (All seed for at least the 2 yrs with the MIL) He eats the pellets and I offer fresh things whenever i prepare it for us. I just hate to try to bully him into switching over. I know they would rather not eat than eat something they don't want.

[Evelyn]

Bonnie -

I find that when I eat something in front of the birds, they usually want some.

Evelyn

[FoxersArtist]

We have to mix things up a little, literally, in order to save time so I take all of the birds solid foods and mix it together. This includes pellets, some (but not much) seed which is mostly safflower (they like this almost as much as sunflower and it's much better for them), whole almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts and shelled almonds, dried fruit, raisins and/or cranberries, cheerios, wheat chex, dried peas, nutriberries or similar treat and occasionally I throw in a few golden goodies like animal crackers or something to brighten their day when they get an added bonus. That mix stays in their cages with them all day.

I usually offer fresh foods at night, unless it's egg day, and then I offer it in the morning at breakfast. The macaws eat fresh foods all day long because they are in the kitchen and throw a tantrum if I don't feed them something when I eat.

They get a lot of eggs, chicken, raw and cooked veggies, apple, banana, grapes, brown rice, egg noodles, oatmeal...and whatever we happen to be having that is ok to have.

Occasionally my mom comes over to help out with things. We have a no cooking with salt/butter rule especially with veggies and poor mom always forgets. The birds look at me like "Ma! What gives? Since when do you leave us out at mealtime?"
-Anna

[Dot]

In the evening, I put out a mixture of Don's seeds and Veggie and Nut Natural Parrot food. Don's seed is the cleanest available. I put about 1/2 teaspoon of non-colored pellets in the dish. The Amazons do not recognize pellets as food and will not touch it. Here is a list of the ingredients in the Veggie and Nut mix:

Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Green Peas, Broccoli, Tomatoes, Corn, Organic Flax Seed, Pineapple, Papaya, White Prose Millet, Safflower, Canary & Sterilized Hemp Seed, Dehydrated Spinach, Oat Groats, Triticale, Organic Almonds, Garlic, Organic Cashews, Organic Brazil Nuts, Organic Peanuts, Organic Filberts, Jalapenos, Pecans, Rye Seeds, Walnuts, Certified Organic Striped Sunflower Seeds, Hulled Barley, Bee Pollen

In the mornings I offer dark leafy greens, fresh veggies, and sprouts. In the afternoon I offer dark leafy greens and a variety of frozen veggies that I run hot water over to thaw. I also offer fruit in the afternoon.

Sometimes in the morning or afternoon I offer Tails Up Power Mash and dark leafy greens. Here is a list of the ingredients in the Tails Up Power Mash:

Carrots, Beans: (White, Pink, Kidney, Lima & Garbanzo), Sweet Potato, Papaya, Hulled Barley, Pineapple, Raisins, Flax Seed, Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Corn, Zucchini, Par-boiled Rice, Peas, Pumpkin Seeds, White Potato, Oat Groats, Triticale, Banana Chips, Mango, Coconut, Red Wheat, Rolled Oats, Lentils, Soybeans, Split Green Peas, Green Beans, Organic Pasta and Celery Leaf.
Herbs include: Alfalfa Leaf, Parsley Flakes, Flaxseed, Bee Pollen, Chickweed, Red Clover Blossoms & Leaf, Red Raspberry Leaf, Rosehips, Milk Thistle, Barley Grass Powder, Dill Weed, Dulse Leaf, Garlic Powder, Ginger Powder, Wheat Grass Powder, Astragalus Powder, Chili Flakes, Cinnamon Powder and Turmeric.

I also offer the seeds from the bell peppers and the weird squashes, pumpkins when in season, and cantaloupe.

The link to the Grey Feathers food is http://www.greyfeathertoys.com/cgi-bin/quikstore.cgi?category=Food_-_Healthy_Parrot_Food&search=yes&template=database_food

The Tails Up Mash lasts a long time. I feel I can justify spending that on the Veggie and Nut because I mix it with a less expensive seed. I have eaten that seed mix and it is delicious.

[TikiTalks]

When responding - please type it slowly because you all know I can't read fast. ;)
:rofl: Larry, I just adore you Lol. If I had a dad I'd make him take lessons from you! By the way, I typed this VERY SLOWLY using one finger just to help!! :smiles: