|
|
Feeding What seeds and supplements a particular fancier gives to their birds is a matter of personal preference and if the birds are fit and well why change anything. The seed I use is Johnston & Jeff. The main mixture is 50/50 made up of plain canary and pearl white millet, I add to this around 25% more of plain canary. I find that my birds take more canary seed, especially when they are feeding chicks. I feed this mixture all year round. Tonic seed is also given weekly to all birds including the breeding pairs. I use red millet sprays which are fed liberally. I soak a few sprays overnight for the newly fledged youngsters. This helps them to take in some liquid until they are familiar with where the drinkers are, it may also reduce dehydration, I also place a small dish of fresh water in the cage which I change every day. When the youngsters are removed from the parents and put into stock cages I also give some Japanese millet, this is a softer seed and easier for young fledglings to eat. Softfood I use Orlux Uni Patee moist soft food, to this I add breedmax, seaweed powder, dehydrated carrot, soaked oats and porridge oats with added bran. I drain the oats just prior to mixing leaving them slightly damp. I do not add any additional water to the mix. Each pair is given two tablespoons per day from pairing up. I use Versa-Laga grit with added aniseed essence, cuttlefish bone and iodine nibbles. Last but not least I use Thrive and Gloss it contains some very good vitamins and supplements that budgies seem to like. I use it all the year round in a finger drawer and find the birds are straight onto it when given. I have recently changed to an Edstrom automatic watering system from the mains which is a good time saver. I drain each bank of nozzles on a weekly basis. I keep some cages with both a drinker and a nozzle until young or new birds are used to the nozzles. When faced with a sick bird, before I give antibiotics I give two or three crop needles of clean water twice a day for two days. In most cases this is enough to sort out the problem, as a sick bird will dehydrate very quickly, only after this I will use an antibiotic. I have recently acquired a hospital cage this has been of great value when a young bird has looked a bit off it I hope some of the above is of interest, I have picked up some good tips from other sites.
|