Eating fruits and veggies

[bonnie]

I went out today and bought a variety of frozen berries and veggies. I have tried before to encourage Chicken to eat them, but with no luck. So, here is my problem.
1. Do I offer a mix of the fruits and a mix of the veggies?
2. Do I mix the fruits and veggies together and offer a mix of them all in one bowl?
3. Do I offer one thing at a time?
HELP!!!! I just want to do it right so he will start to like them.

I purchased a bag of mixed berries, a bag of blackberries, and a bag of black cherries.
For veggies I got a big bag of mixed veggies that has lima beans, green beans, peas, carrots and corn. I also got a bag of black eyed peas and a bag of baby carrots.

Also, I purchased a bag of zupreme food today. Should I mix that in with the pellets he already has? How do I offer these things and not overwhelm the poor bird? lol

[Patty, Linus and Co.]

I sometimes mix the carrots and corn with the fruits but only if they're cold or room temp. Try buying corn on the cob and cutting it into wheels. I have yet to have any of my birds turn it down - even the teils. They can't pick it up like the big birds but they have fun with it while they are eating it. I cut a 2" peice of carrot for Linus and cut a smaller peice into quarters length wise for Theo. The baby carrots are perfect for this. Aside from carrots and the corn wheels they seem to like their veggies warm.
Keep trying everything and anything over and over abd over - even when they aren't touching it. Just a very short time ago, Linus started eating broccoli and now he devours it. I've been offering it to him for 3 years and he just now has decided to try it and likes it! I know how frustrating it is to serve something and just keep throwing it away uneaten. Linus is finally starting to come around, but,please...3 years?? Don't give up.
I don't personally think it's a good idea to mix things with their pellets because fruits and veggies give off liquid which will get into the pellets and can harbor bacteria after a period of time. I serve wet things seperately.

[EasySpirit]

Lima beans need to be cooked before serving.

Fruit can be offered in different ways. Mine prefer their whole wheat pancakes with pureed fruit as the syrup. works n french toast as well. Make sure you crumble some nuts on top. Leave a couple of blueberries whole. Once tasting the slurry they sometimes start eating the whole berry. Blueberries are one of the very good fruits.

Easy

[Dot]

and a bag of black cherries.

Remove the pits from the cherries. They are poisonous. That is where we get arsenic (I think that is the one).

a big bag of mixed veggies that has lima beans, green beans, peas, carrots and corn.

I used to buy those but noticed that if you buy mixed veggies, there is salt added. If you buy the veggies in individual bags, there is no salt. The ingredients on carrots is carrots, etc.

I put two dark leafy greens in the bowl while I am running hot water over the veggies. Then I towel pat them and put them on top of the greens.

I think that carrots are the only food you listed that has beta-carotene.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=125

Food sources of beta-carotene include sweet potatoes (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=64), carrots (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=21), kale (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38), spinach (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=43), turnip greens (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=144), winter squash (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=63), collard greens (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=138), cilantro and fresh thyme (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=77). To maximize the availability of the carotenoids in the foods listed above, the foods should be eaten raw or steamed lightly.

I offer fresh winter squash in the morning and frozen winter squash in the afternoon. Fergie (Scarlet) and Tommie (BFA) are my good eaters. They eat that squash both times I serve it.

Odd that sweet red peppers were not listed as a source for beta-carotene.

http://www.foodreference.com/html/artbellpepper.html

The above site lists them as a good site for beta-carotene.

The one thing I can tell you is to keep offering it. Vary the way it is cut up. Big chunks. Little chunks. Thin strips. Triangles. Little bitty bite sized pieces. Just keep offering it.

I have noticed that mine will tire quickly of a food. If I offer kale four days in a row, they will stop eating it, but jump on carrot tops when I change. I have just accepted that even with four birds I will have to waste food. I try to take it to a friend who has birds, but I am usually too lazy to go over there.