Most of my flock were rehomed birds, and many had been on man-made or processed diets, or diets that were otherwise inadequate and/or inappropriate. Once I devised my super-slaw, I never again had a bird that refused healthy food.
I start with Simple Sprouts, germinating them for 18 hours (or so), then draining and rinsing them, and leaving them to continue growing for another 6 hours (or so). Another good rinse, and they go into an electric food chopper. To this I add a handful of frozen mixed veggies, some greens, some herbs twice a week or so, and sometimes even a couple of cornflakes just for fun.
After chopping the mixture to the consistency of regular cole slaw, I can mix in some extras that they don't usually get, like some sesame seeds or a half-tsp or so of flax meal or some red pepper flakes...whatever. Then I feed most of the super-slaw to most of the birds - all except my pionus hens. For them I chop more veggies and greens and into the super-slaw, to reduce the protein content to a more appropriate level for them. In addition, I have a little lovebird hen that tends to get into breeding behaviors now and again, during which she also gets the "diluted" super-slaw.
Remember that this makes up one daily meal; while healthy, I don't use it as a complete diet...although after molts, when the larger birds are regrowing feathers, I will often give them a spoonful of Simple Sprouts after the initial 18-hour soak and rinse. They enjoy picking through them and taking what they like, and tossing what they don't like for me to pick up :).
I have also mixed in other foods, and during the summer when we have fresh produce I put larger chunks on top for the larger birds, and in clips for the smaller ones...even in the winter I give them pieces of the imported produce we get here in northern Michigan. But the basic super-slaw is the same.
If you have picky eaters or seed junkies, give it a try! If it's not accepted at first (part of our success is due, no doubt, to the newer birds seeing how excited the rest of the flock gets at slaw time), try mixing your bird's seed mix in with the super slaw just before feeding it. In picking through for their seeds they'll get used to the taste of fresh healthy food! Plus, unless the environment is hot, it should be good in their dishes for a couple of hours at least!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The Popularity of Birdie Breads
Birdie breads are a popular addition to many birds' diets, and a great way to sneak veggies into the beakies of stubborn eaters. However, many people unwittingly make sodium- and preservative-laden birdie breads even though they have the best of intentions. It's not necessary to use boxed cornbread mixes to make either an easy, an inexpensive, or a nutritious birdie bread. You might be surprised to know that it is just as easy to make a great "from scratch" bread - and just as inexpensively! Here is the basic recipe, and you can modify this basic recipe in any number of ways!
1c corn meal
1c whole-grain flour
2 eggs*
1/4c oil
3/4c liquid (water or juice or a little of each)
To this basic batter you can add chopped vegetables, greens, nuts, fruits, or any other healthy natural food. Stir it in, and bake at 350F as you would any cake, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
This basic recipe will give you a heavy moist bread. You can slice and freeze the slices individually for future use, or refrigerate for a couple of days. They will spoil or mold fairly easily, since there are no preservatives.
A couple of notes and tips:
Whip the eggs until pale yellow and doubled in volume, then stir in remaining ingredients and beat well until the batter's color pales by several shades; this will produce a little lighter loaf. You can also add 2 tsp of baking powder; I prefer aluminum-free, but it's your choice.
If you use any dried/dehydrated foods, you may need to increase the liquid content, depending on how much dried food you add. Also if you are adding dried ingredients, you may want to grind them in a coffee grinder (that's used only for food and not for coffee) so that they'll be dispersed evenly throughout.
I don't feed many cooked foods, for several reasons: One, birds' digestive systems were designed to eat raw foods, and I've read in several sources (cites not saved, sorry) that cooked foods - grains especially - may cause some issues in birds. Two, heat destroys all phytonutrients and most vitamins that are better served in keeping my flock healthy. However, a small portion of their diet - 10% or less - consists of foods cooked in one way or another, just for the variety.
Happy beaking!
1c corn meal
1c whole-grain flour
2 eggs*
1/4c oil
3/4c liquid (water or juice or a little of each)
To this basic batter you can add chopped vegetables, greens, nuts, fruits, or any other healthy natural food. Stir it in, and bake at 350F as you would any cake, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
This basic recipe will give you a heavy moist bread. You can slice and freeze the slices individually for future use, or refrigerate for a couple of days. They will spoil or mold fairly easily, since there are no preservatives.
A couple of notes and tips:
Whip the eggs until pale yellow and doubled in volume, then stir in remaining ingredients and beat well until the batter's color pales by several shades; this will produce a little lighter loaf. You can also add 2 tsp of baking powder; I prefer aluminum-free, but it's your choice.
If you use any dried/dehydrated foods, you may need to increase the liquid content, depending on how much dried food you add. Also if you are adding dried ingredients, you may want to grind them in a coffee grinder (that's used only for food and not for coffee) so that they'll be dispersed evenly throughout.
I don't feed many cooked foods, for several reasons: One, birds' digestive systems were designed to eat raw foods, and I've read in several sources (cites not saved, sorry) that cooked foods - grains especially - may cause some issues in birds. Two, heat destroys all phytonutrients and most vitamins that are better served in keeping my flock healthy. However, a small portion of their diet - 10% or less - consists of foods cooked in one way or another, just for the variety.
Happy beaking!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Plants for Birds' Enjoyment and Enrichment
There has been an interesting dialog on rec.pets.birds this month re: plants that captive birds can not only live on (and in!) but even eat. A couple of significant quotes:
from Bev:
"...this is a subject I've been greatly
interested in for some time as I dearly love house plants, but with
the birdies, was afraid for a long time to even try to have any. I
also have a 2 year old cat and a small (knee-high) 17 yr old poodle.
I don't remember everything I used to know about plants when I had an
almost forest in my home many, many years ago (like around 40 years
ago), but have in recent years really missed their beauty and decided
to start over again with them, As a very practical person, I
justified this, with my husband, as a natural way to add humidity to
our very dry house in the winter especially in the room the birds
inhabit the most as we were loosing viable eggs to dehydration,
Being on a limited budget, I researched 'bird safe plants' on the
internet, then set about asking friends and neighbors for starts of
plants they had that fit that category. What I didn't find they had
that they had I asked for on "Craigs List" and on our local Yahoo
Groups "FreeCycle". And eventually, bought a few 'Terrerium' plants
from local green houses.
After the plants were rooted, I potted them in coffee mugs and placed
them on top of the birdies nest boxes - adding humidity closest to
where it was needed the worst and forcing the nest box tops to stay
shut because of the weight (and had less escapeing birds when it was
not conveneint). It worked great! And the birds had a few 'greens'
as the plants got big enough for the birds to reach them through the
bars of the cages.
However, plants grow. And as they grew, they became too big for the
tops of the nest boxes so, the hanging and vining type were placed on
top of the cages and the more upright or bushy plants were placed on
stands near the cages and eventually theses later plants have ended up
in larger planters on the floor.
The problems I've had are: 1.) some of the birdies favorite plants to
eat have had to be replaced several times or put in another room to be
given a stem cutting and let regrow. 2.) the Mother-in-laws Tongue
once too big for the cages and put on the lower stand died due to the
cat liking it too well, not only eating it but then using it for a
litter box as well. 3.) my birdies have a 20% seed diet and thrown
or dropped seeds and shells end up in the pots and some, if it is
really fresh seed, sprout and you never know for sure just what you
may end up with. Seed shells can simply be blown out of the planted
pots. 4.) 30% of my birdies diet consists of cooked beans, legumes,
pasta, and grains and when they throw or play with this mixture and it
ends up in the plant pots, if I'm not vigilent and pick it out right
away, it will spoil and I'll have a mold problem. 5.) 20% of the
diet is fresh and frozen fruits and vegies and another 20% is
pellets. When these are tossed into the plants, they will also mold
and are harder to take out as the pellets always and some of the
fruits and vegies turn very mushy and are hard to remove from the
plants and their leaves. 6.) with birds comes bird dust and bird
poop. That means to have healthy plants the leaves must occasionally
be washed to keep the plants healthy.
So, in other words, having plants with birds is more work to keep
everyone and every thing healthy and happy, but in my humble opinion,
very well worth the effort."
from Ted, quoting Diana:
"I provide my birds with Sansevieria (mother in law tongues) plants.
These plants can take almost anything. Had one female cockatiel who
worked to bend down the leaf so it was horizontal. She liked just
sitting on her perch.
"My cockatiel loves Coleus--just lost the last plant--that I buy by
the flat in the summer and pot up for them to enjoy during the winter.
"Dracaena is another "bird safe" plant. As far as I know, orchids are
safe too but too expensive for me to let the birds tear up.
Cryptanthus is another bird safe plant but my birds didn't bother
them.
"I tried growing Tillandsia's but they didn't have a chance. The birds
thought they were the latest play toy and had lots of fun destroying
them.
"I don't know where you are but the local Meijer's store (big chain
out of Grand Rapids, Michigan) carries organically grown herbs in
their produce department. I check them every time I visit. My
cockatiel dearly loves his rosemary plant. He'll pull a leaf off and
chew on it for several minutes--always reminds me of grandpa's cows
chewing their cud. I always check to see if there are any rosemary
available and buy 2 or 3 of them. 1-for the birds and 1 for another
room in the house where it is protected. At $1.99 a plant, it is a
really inexpensive yet healthy bird toy.
"Here's a link to check out additional plants--I just wish they would
use the scientific name so I could be sure we were all talking about
the same plant. Take ANOTHER look at the url--it is NOT
plannedparenthood like I thought when I first found it.
http://www.plannedparrothood.com/plants.html
"If you have a place to grow in the sun, invest in a good sized pot of
hens and chicks (sempervivum species). Plant some in the garden for
lots of growth--plant up a small pot for inside.
"At one point in time, I bought some "Haworthia" plant starts off Ebay
from a nursery that uses no pesticides. Liberty cockatiel took care of
these plants for at least a year. He would walk around his container
of plants tapping each one and then he very patiently mixed the
chicken grit I use for a mulch on my succulents into the soil with his
beak. I call him my "Farmer bird". Unfortunately, while I was in rehab
with a new knee, the plants got mealy bugs and my Dad didn't notice
because he's never grown succulents. He just thought the white spots
were part of the plant.
"My lineolated parakeet (true parakeet--not a budgie) from Central
America likes hiding in my plants more than chewing on them. Of
course, he is a bird of the forest canopy and most likely hids under
leaves when the big birds come around.
"Tip: Check the list out of safe plants and then start some cuttings
that you can be sure have NEVER had pesticides on them. This pesticide
problem is one reason I now tend to stick to coleus and herb plants.
You just never know and the store often doesn't know the conditions
plants were grown in.
"I've tried growing "wheat grass" and my birds promptly rejected it.
Check into "sprouting" seeds. You can often find watercress. I'll grow
a package of these and both birds seem to enjoy the peppery taste.
And then, after I requested permission to share the information: 'You
may share the information, but please, not the email address. They
might want to visit livingwithpetbirds.com to see pictures/videos of
my very spoiled fids.'
"I forgot to mention that I've tried thyme and basil. They both
ignored the thyme. The basil plant was totally destroyed in just a few
minutes. Couldn't really tell how much, if any, they actually ate.
"Suggestion for your budgies: start offering them organically grown
greens. I am able to buy Earthbound brand but I suspect Canada will
have some brand available. They come in plastic "clamshells" and cost
about $3. There are different mixes including spring greens, spring
herbs, baby greens, etc. I feed a small handful everyday and the
container lasts about a week. Have to be sure to check expiration
dates. Don't feed ICEBERG type lettuce--just use the dark green
varieties. May take some time to get your budgies used to it but they
will be healthier."
The standard disclaimer: I make no warranty on the reliability of this information since it isn't my own; I'm providing it simply for informational purposes :). Also please note that usenet is public information, and is quote in numerous places on the 'net; therefore I don't believe I'm doing anything wrong by also quoting it here but if you have some evidence to the contrary, please feel free to let me know!
from Bev:
"...this is a subject I've been greatly
interested in for some time as I dearly love house plants, but with
the birdies, was afraid for a long time to even try to have any. I
also have a 2 year old cat and a small (knee-high) 17 yr old poodle.
I don't remember everything I used to know about plants when I had an
almost forest in my home many, many years ago (like around 40 years
ago), but have in recent years really missed their beauty and decided
to start over again with them, As a very practical person, I
justified this, with my husband, as a natural way to add humidity to
our very dry house in the winter especially in the room the birds
inhabit the most as we were loosing viable eggs to dehydration,
Being on a limited budget, I researched 'bird safe plants' on the
internet, then set about asking friends and neighbors for starts of
plants they had that fit that category. What I didn't find they had
that they had I asked for on "Craigs List" and on our local Yahoo
Groups "FreeCycle". And eventually, bought a few 'Terrerium' plants
from local green houses.
After the plants were rooted, I potted them in coffee mugs and placed
them on top of the birdies nest boxes - adding humidity closest to
where it was needed the worst and forcing the nest box tops to stay
shut because of the weight (and had less escapeing birds when it was
not conveneint). It worked great! And the birds had a few 'greens'
as the plants got big enough for the birds to reach them through the
bars of the cages.
However, plants grow. And as they grew, they became too big for the
tops of the nest boxes so, the hanging and vining type were placed on
top of the cages and the more upright or bushy plants were placed on
stands near the cages and eventually theses later plants have ended up
in larger planters on the floor.
The problems I've had are: 1.) some of the birdies favorite plants to
eat have had to be replaced several times or put in another room to be
given a stem cutting and let regrow. 2.) the Mother-in-laws Tongue
once too big for the cages and put on the lower stand died due to the
cat liking it too well, not only eating it but then using it for a
litter box as well. 3.) my birdies have a 20% seed diet and thrown
or dropped seeds and shells end up in the pots and some, if it is
really fresh seed, sprout and you never know for sure just what you
may end up with. Seed shells can simply be blown out of the planted
pots. 4.) 30% of my birdies diet consists of cooked beans, legumes,
pasta, and grains and when they throw or play with this mixture and it
ends up in the plant pots, if I'm not vigilent and pick it out right
away, it will spoil and I'll have a mold problem. 5.) 20% of the
diet is fresh and frozen fruits and vegies and another 20% is
pellets. When these are tossed into the plants, they will also mold
and are harder to take out as the pellets always and some of the
fruits and vegies turn very mushy and are hard to remove from the
plants and their leaves. 6.) with birds comes bird dust and bird
poop. That means to have healthy plants the leaves must occasionally
be washed to keep the plants healthy.
So, in other words, having plants with birds is more work to keep
everyone and every thing healthy and happy, but in my humble opinion,
very well worth the effort."
from Ted, quoting Diana:
"I provide my birds with Sansevieria (mother in law tongues) plants.
These plants can take almost anything. Had one female cockatiel who
worked to bend down the leaf so it was horizontal. She liked just
sitting on her perch.
"My cockatiel loves Coleus--just lost the last plant--that I buy by
the flat in the summer and pot up for them to enjoy during the winter.
"Dracaena is another "bird safe" plant. As far as I know, orchids are
safe too but too expensive for me to let the birds tear up.
Cryptanthus is another bird safe plant but my birds didn't bother
them.
"I tried growing Tillandsia's but they didn't have a chance. The birds
thought they were the latest play toy and had lots of fun destroying
them.
"I don't know where you are but the local Meijer's store (big chain
out of Grand Rapids, Michigan) carries organically grown herbs in
their produce department. I check them every time I visit. My
cockatiel dearly loves his rosemary plant. He'll pull a leaf off and
chew on it for several minutes--always reminds me of grandpa's cows
chewing their cud. I always check to see if there are any rosemary
available and buy 2 or 3 of them. 1-for the birds and 1 for another
room in the house where it is protected. At $1.99 a plant, it is a
really inexpensive yet healthy bird toy.
"Here's a link to check out additional plants--I just wish they would
use the scientific name so I could be sure we were all talking about
the same plant. Take ANOTHER look at the url--it is NOT
plannedparenthood like I thought when I first found it.
http://www.plannedparrothood.com/plants.html
"If you have a place to grow in the sun, invest in a good sized pot of
hens and chicks (sempervivum species). Plant some in the garden for
lots of growth--plant up a small pot for inside.
"At one point in time, I bought some "Haworthia" plant starts off Ebay
from a nursery that uses no pesticides. Liberty cockatiel took care of
these plants for at least a year. He would walk around his container
of plants tapping each one and then he very patiently mixed the
chicken grit I use for a mulch on my succulents into the soil with his
beak. I call him my "Farmer bird". Unfortunately, while I was in rehab
with a new knee, the plants got mealy bugs and my Dad didn't notice
because he's never grown succulents. He just thought the white spots
were part of the plant.
"My lineolated parakeet (true parakeet--not a budgie) from Central
America likes hiding in my plants more than chewing on them. Of
course, he is a bird of the forest canopy and most likely hids under
leaves when the big birds come around.
"Tip: Check the list out of safe plants and then start some cuttings
that you can be sure have NEVER had pesticides on them. This pesticide
problem is one reason I now tend to stick to coleus and herb plants.
You just never know and the store often doesn't know the conditions
plants were grown in.
"I've tried growing "wheat grass" and my birds promptly rejected it.
Check into "sprouting" seeds. You can often find watercress. I'll grow
a package of these and both birds seem to enjoy the peppery taste.
And then, after I requested permission to share the information: 'You
may share the information, but please, not the email address. They
might want to visit livingwithpetbirds.com to see pictures/videos of
my very spoiled fids.'
"I forgot to mention that I've tried thyme and basil. They both
ignored the thyme. The basil plant was totally destroyed in just a few
minutes. Couldn't really tell how much, if any, they actually ate.
"Suggestion for your budgies: start offering them organically grown
greens. I am able to buy Earthbound brand but I suspect Canada will
have some brand available. They come in plastic "clamshells" and cost
about $3. There are different mixes including spring greens, spring
herbs, baby greens, etc. I feed a small handful everyday and the
container lasts about a week. Have to be sure to check expiration
dates. Don't feed ICEBERG type lettuce--just use the dark green
varieties. May take some time to get your budgies used to it but they
will be healthier."
The standard disclaimer: I make no warranty on the reliability of this information since it isn't my own; I'm providing it simply for informational purposes :). Also please note that usenet is public information, and is quote in numerous places on the 'net; therefore I don't believe I'm doing anything wrong by also quoting it here but if you have some evidence to the contrary, please feel free to let me know!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
I have a Seed Junkie - HELP!
One of the questions I'm most often asked is how to get a seed junkie to accept other healthy foods. There are a lot of ways to get a wider range of nutrients into their little feathered bodies :) but one way that has nearly always worked for me is sprouting. Actually when I saw sprouting, I mean germinating, but sprouting is easier to say. I'll explain further, below.
If you have a bird that already likes dormant seeds, then the chances are pretty good that he'll also like them germinated. Take a spoonful of your bird's favorite seed/grain mix, rinse it in a little strainer, and put it in a dish of water to soak for about 24 hours, rinsing and refreshing the water a couple of times during that period. After that time, you can either mix the now-germinated seeds and grains in with the dry ones he's used to, or pat them dry on a paper towel and feed them instead. If he won't eat them instead, then mix them with his existing seed mix in increasing amounts until he's used to them.
BUT!!! If your seed/grain mix contains anything other than seeds and grains, you can do this. They must be pure seeds and grains; anything else soaking with them will spoil and contaminate the new live foods with bacteria.
I have more to write on the subject of sprouting, but that will be for another article. It's a whole topic itself :).
Other things you can try to entice your seed junkie to learn to accept other foods:
Share. When you're eating your own healthy food, if your bird shows an interest, offer him some. He may not like any of it at first, but he may surprise you, too! Eventually he'll try something he likes.
Make it fun. Offer foods as something to explore and play with. Open up a squash and put it in the cage. Hang bits of fruits and veggies from a skewer where a toy normally hangs. Rinse off some curly kale and hide little grains of millet in the folds. Be creative, and make it enticing.
Hide the familiar food under or behind or in the new food. When I got my African Gray (2nd hand, as most of my birds are), he refused vegetables. So I'd run fresh veggies and sprouts through my food processor to create a "slaw", then mix it with his seed mix. He'd have to poke through to get to his beloved seeds, and it wasn't a week before he loved the slaw and didn't care if there were seeds in it or not! You can scoop out a cantaloupe and put the favored food in the "bowl", as well...use your imagination, make it an enrichment activity at the same time as you're introducing new tastes. (Just remember, when your bird's seeds have been in contact with fresh foods, bacteria will grow on them so they'll have to be replaced frequently.)
Be patient. No matter what you're trying to do, just keep at it, don't get frustrated, don't starve your bird into dietary submission, just be patient. Birds don't die from living on seeds and grains for a while, he made it this far, the situation isn't urgent. (And if it is, he should be under the care of an avian vet!)
My first product came to be because of a seed junkie cockatiel. He was 8 years old when his owner died and I agreed to take him, and as hardened a seed junkie as they come! He would eat sunflower seeds, millet sprays (millet is very healthy grain, not a seed, and most birds love it!), and honey treat sticks. And no matter what I tried, nothing could change his habits.
Then when he was about 20 years old (yeah, 20 - on a diet of seeds and grains - so much for the "seed diets kill birds" myth), I tried something new with him...and at first glance he not only ate it, but he GOBBLED IT! And then looked for more! I was pretty surprised, and sent some of this to my friends and people online who had seed junkie birds, and they all had the same experience! And that turned out to be my first product, which is still a top seller and has been used to help thousands of birds learn that there are other food options besides seeds.
But, that too is a tale for another time. If you have a seed junkie, give these suggestions a try. If they still don't work, write to me...we'll see what we can do to help your seed junkie expand his dietary repertoire :).
If you have a bird that already likes dormant seeds, then the chances are pretty good that he'll also like them germinated. Take a spoonful of your bird's favorite seed/grain mix, rinse it in a little strainer, and put it in a dish of water to soak for about 24 hours, rinsing and refreshing the water a couple of times during that period. After that time, you can either mix the now-germinated seeds and grains in with the dry ones he's used to, or pat them dry on a paper towel and feed them instead. If he won't eat them instead, then mix them with his existing seed mix in increasing amounts until he's used to them.
BUT!!! If your seed/grain mix contains anything other than seeds and grains, you can do this. They must be pure seeds and grains; anything else soaking with them will spoil and contaminate the new live foods with bacteria.
I have more to write on the subject of sprouting, but that will be for another article. It's a whole topic itself :).
Other things you can try to entice your seed junkie to learn to accept other foods:
Share. When you're eating your own healthy food, if your bird shows an interest, offer him some. He may not like any of it at first, but he may surprise you, too! Eventually he'll try something he likes.
Make it fun. Offer foods as something to explore and play with. Open up a squash and put it in the cage. Hang bits of fruits and veggies from a skewer where a toy normally hangs. Rinse off some curly kale and hide little grains of millet in the folds. Be creative, and make it enticing.
Hide the familiar food under or behind or in the new food. When I got my African Gray (2nd hand, as most of my birds are), he refused vegetables. So I'd run fresh veggies and sprouts through my food processor to create a "slaw", then mix it with his seed mix. He'd have to poke through to get to his beloved seeds, and it wasn't a week before he loved the slaw and didn't care if there were seeds in it or not! You can scoop out a cantaloupe and put the favored food in the "bowl", as well...use your imagination, make it an enrichment activity at the same time as you're introducing new tastes. (Just remember, when your bird's seeds have been in contact with fresh foods, bacteria will grow on them so they'll have to be replaced frequently.)
Be patient. No matter what you're trying to do, just keep at it, don't get frustrated, don't starve your bird into dietary submission, just be patient. Birds don't die from living on seeds and grains for a while, he made it this far, the situation isn't urgent. (And if it is, he should be under the care of an avian vet!)
My first product came to be because of a seed junkie cockatiel. He was 8 years old when his owner died and I agreed to take him, and as hardened a seed junkie as they come! He would eat sunflower seeds, millet sprays (millet is very healthy grain, not a seed, and most birds love it!), and honey treat sticks. And no matter what I tried, nothing could change his habits.
Then when he was about 20 years old (yeah, 20 - on a diet of seeds and grains - so much for the "seed diets kill birds" myth), I tried something new with him...and at first glance he not only ate it, but he GOBBLED IT! And then looked for more! I was pretty surprised, and sent some of this to my friends and people online who had seed junkie birds, and they all had the same experience! And that turned out to be my first product, which is still a top seller and has been used to help thousands of birds learn that there are other food options besides seeds.
But, that too is a tale for another time. If you have a seed junkie, give these suggestions a try. If they still don't work, write to me...we'll see what we can do to help your seed junkie expand his dietary repertoire :).
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Backing Off On Protein
I have a pionus hen who has started laying eggs. Now, I know that the pionus requirement for protein is very low - in the single digits - so I typically mix more veggies and greens in the pi girls' afternoon salad, and give a higher ratio of sprouts to veggies/greens to the rest of the flock. Yet, my girl is still laying. This is her 2nd laying cycle in about 90 days, the first time yielded 3 eggies, each of which I had to discard as they were dropped from her perch onto the grate, and broken. She waited nearly 3 months before starting again. This cycle, she has laid 2 eggies, the 2nd one today. Again, I need to discard it because it is broken. She has no hidey-nesty spot in her cage but I guess when you've gotta lay, you've gotta lay...still, no more sprouts for her for a while, we'll stick with the veggies, especially all of those important vitamin A veggies to keep her cloaca supple and well-lubricated, and help prevent egg-binding.
While I'm on that subject: Egg-laying is a natural function of the female bird's body. So why do so many captive birds bind? I've even heard people go so far as to say they won't have a hen because of the chance of that happening. I don't go that far because (a) most hens don't lay without the necessities being in place first, and (b) of those hens that do lay - a natural process, remember - most don't bind.
I'd rather my pi-girl not lay. But since she is, I will meet her nutritional needs as best as I can to provide the mineral and carotene support for her body. And hope that she will stop.
Just for the record, even while she's laying eggs, she's still a sweetheart of a bird who has remained cuddly and precious, seeking out time with me (I'm careful not to do the cuddling part these days though!) and as gentle as can be, never even a hard nip. But lots of pi-talk. Lots and lots of her special love-language that means she's feeling particularly mushy.
God bless her sweet little birdie heart...
While I'm on that subject: Egg-laying is a natural function of the female bird's body. So why do so many captive birds bind? I've even heard people go so far as to say they won't have a hen because of the chance of that happening. I don't go that far because (a) most hens don't lay without the necessities being in place first, and (b) of those hens that do lay - a natural process, remember - most don't bind.
I'd rather my pi-girl not lay. But since she is, I will meet her nutritional needs as best as I can to provide the mineral and carotene support for her body. And hope that she will stop.
Just for the record, even while she's laying eggs, she's still a sweetheart of a bird who has remained cuddly and precious, seeking out time with me (I'm careful not to do the cuddling part these days though!) and as gentle as can be, never even a hard nip. But lots of pi-talk. Lots and lots of her special love-language that means she's feeling particularly mushy.
God bless her sweet little birdie heart...
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