Useful Information

Details: Written by: Gary F; Category: Useful Information; Published: 26 March 2024; Hits: 395

I mix my own seed and have done for several years now, there are a number of advantages to this, the first being when mixing your own you know what your getting in relation to content. The second being that if you purchase plain seed i.e. panicum millet, white millet, plain canary etc, then there’s no vat on your purchases resulting in more seed for your money. The down side is that you have to mix it, but if you purchase suitable containers you can mix your seed to your own requirements as and when you need it. There's also a further advantage "Cost Savings" and in this day and age the more you can save the better for you?I recently carried out a poll of bird keepers in the UK and Holland, with some quit interesting results.

Onto my mix, for those of you who are interested in having a go I have detailed below each quantity in parts per type, these measures can be anything form 1kg to a scoop of a contain, it doesn't’t really matter as long as you don’t use to much of certain types of seed putting to much of some type of seed will only result in your birds not eating it.

Panicum Millet 3 parts

White Millet 3 parts

Plain Canary 2 parts

Red Millet 1 part

Japanese Millet 1 part

Niger ½ part

The above ingredients mixed together will give you a standard Belgium type mix, you can also add the other ingredients to make tonic seed to help bring your birds into breeding condition or to encourage sick and newly fledged young to feed.

Add some aniseed either in pure, liquid or seed form, just remember only use this in moderation as a little goes a long way and the smell can be fairly overpowering. Birds love the smell of aniseed, it attracts sick birds to the seed and encourages them to feed.

I also add pin headed oats to my mix as well as perillia and some rape seeds, again this is all down to personal preference and knowing what your birds like.

My advice would be start with the basics and move onto the finer points later, but by giving your birds more variety they will be a lot happier which means they will be more likely to produce go healthy stock.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Use the contact form

Details: Written by: Gary F; Category: Useful Information; Published: 26 March 2024; Hits: 322

Water is a very important part of your birds daily needs, although the Zebra Finches natural habitat is some what arid, since being domesticated they have become more accustomed to a regular water supply, so it is very important that their water is changed at least once a day and all receptacles cleaned thoroughly.

Water

nly give my stock water that has been boiled and left to stand for 24 hours, this ensures that all the chemicals have evaporated prior to use, in some cases I will add a vitamin "D" supplement for increased health.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Use the contact form

Details: Written by: Gary F; Category: Useful Information; Published: 26 March 2024; Hits: 433

All year round I give my birds a selection of green food including chick weed and dandelion. You must be very careful when collecting these types of greens as in some cases they may have been sprayed with insecticide by local authorities If your not absolutely sure then don't feed them to your birds as there is a great risk of fatalities by feeding greens that have been sprayed. If these types are not available, water cress is an excellent alternative and a much safer choice, it can also be given in the winter months when the summer greens are not available. I have a very good farm shop local to me who provides as much as I want at a very reasonable price.

Water Cress

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Use the contact form

Details: Written by: Gary F; Category: Useful Information; Published: 26 March 2024; Hits: 409

This is an example of the breeding card that I use to keep the seasons records.

Each card is A6 double sided, this allows you to get two rounds on each card.

Br 27 02 08 A6 Lines Example

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Use the contact form

Details: Written by: Gary F; Category: Useful Information; Published: 04 March 2024; Hits: 477

Below is my recipe for egg food

if you have any questions please contact me using the links at the bottom of this page.

1.	Take four large eggs and boil for approx fifteen minutes.
2.	Remove the shells.
3.	Place the shells in a suitable container and place in a microwave for forty seconds, leave to cool down and complete this exercise until the shells are crisp, but not burnt. This process removes any bacteria present in the shells and also makes them easier to crush.
4.	Place a small amount of shells in the pestle and mortar
5.	I use a pestle and mortar which I picked up from boots in the christmas sale for a fiver, I have also seen a similar product on sale in Quality Save for £2.99, if you have one local to you.
6.	Crush until the consistency is like oyster shell or grit. If you don't have the use of a pestle and mortar, then the shells can be crushed using a rolling pin or between two spoons. Which ever method you use will be fine as long as you end up with shells that have been ground into smaller pieces.
7.	Remember not to over do it though, or you will end up with a fine powder, which may dry your mix up to much. Egg shells are an excellent source of calcium for birds, but again like anything it should only be given in moderation. To much calcium may result in your birds producing thicker shells, which will ultimately mean the chick will struggle to get out (Dead in shell). If in doubt to little is better than to much.
8.	As you can see I'm a bit of a gadget freak and I use a blender for the next stage, it just makes the job easier and quicker. Local car boot sales are ideal places to pick them up, second hand ones can be obtained for as little as a fiver.
9.	On to the ingredients, I use several additions including, Safflower oil, cod liver oil, bread crumbs, couscous, ground digestive biscuits (cheapest you can find, 15p from Asda) and the ground eggs shell that you prepared earlier and of course your eggs.
10.	At this point you can add or remove any of the ingredients so long as your birds enjoy what you give them. some breeders also add soaked seed. Place your eggs into your blender, if you don't have access to one then they can be finely chopped in a dish with a knife, blend until finally chopped, but not to a pulp.
11.	Add approx half a cup to a cup of golden bread crumbs (35p Asda). I sneak them in to the shopping trolley when the wife's not looking? Again the quantities are approximate
12.	Now add in your couscous and digestive if required, 1/4 of a cup of each. If your adding couscous remember that this will need to be soaked overnight and thoroughly rinsed before use. Just a tip here, a little goes a long way.
13.	Now add in your egg shells.
14.	About one tea spoon of cod liver oil.
15.	And or a tea spoon of safflower oil.
16.	Mix until you have a moist constancy, but again not to a pulp, your birds will not eat it if its over mixed, i.e. like a ball of pastry.
17.	Place in a suitable container and feed as required. I usually give my birds two feeds a day, once in the morning and last thing in the evening. If you have any questions or need any help, just drop me a mail at the address below.