After reading about the nutritional value of pellets versus seeds, he is considering switching over from seed to pellets and would love to hear from others.
So lets ASK THE AUDIENCE? Please post your comments, to this blog posting. Should he switch to pellets, if so, what kind would you recommend?
Clear Buff Yorkshire cock
Variegated Yorkshire cock
Variegated Yorkshire cock
Blue Fife cock
Green Fife cock
View of his ABBA Fife cages
His seed cleaner All photos on this post submitted by Joseph Griffis.
9 comments:
Linda
I have used many of the pelleted type feeds for at least 15 years as a portion of my birds diet. Seed has always been a mainstay.
Currently I use the ZuPreem Fruit Blend Pellets for Canaries & Finches. The sweet taste and colors attract the birds to eat them. Many of the other brands that are plain I have not been successful in getting the birds to eat them. Usually I would spin them in the food processor with vegetables to get the birds to eat plain pellets. My birds seem to go first to the type of foods that have the elements they need for the particular time of year. Also, sometimes I mix the pellets with dry eggfood. Pellets are a great condition food, but I think my birds still benefit from the seed diet as it is instinctive for them. Pellets are my back-up plan for complete nutrition.
Deb
From my experiences I go with "not
by pellets alone".
I have tried the various pellets
colored and all natural.
My birds prefered a colored fruit blend pellet from Zupreem.
Testing the various pellets has been in separate seed dishes. In reality my canaries prefer seeds fruits, veggies over any pellet.
I have mixed the Zupreem Fruit blend with the regular seed diet.
First 1/3 pellet to 2/3 seed lately a 50/50 mix.
I find the majority of the pellets are left on the bottom of each dish.If I leave the pellets in the dish an extra day(hoping they will clean up the dish)the birds start to pace in the front of the flights looking for a feeding.
I will not be buying any more pellets after this bag is gone. They waste more than they eat.
This is from the pellet label;
Ingredients
Ground corn, Soybean meal, Ground wheat, Vegetable oil, Wheat germ meal, Sucrose, Dicalcium phosphate, Calcium carbonate, Ground fruit (bananas, oranges, apples and grapes), Iodized salt, DL-Methionine, Choline chloride, L-Lysine, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, Natural mixed tocopherols, Rosemary extract, Citric acid, Natural and artificial colors, Artificial flavors, Canthaxanthin, Manganous oxide, Zinc oxide, Copper sulfate, Calcium iodate, Sodium selenite, Vitamin A supplement, Vitamin D3 supplement, Vitamin E supplement, Vitamin K supplement, Niacin, Calcium pantothenate, Pyridoxine hydrochloride, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Folic acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 supplement
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein Not less than 14.0%
Crude Fat Not less than 4.0%
Crude Fiber Not greater than 3.5%
Moisture Not greater than 10.0%
***As many of us use vitamins or minerals in the water or egg foods here is the CAUTION from the label about using additional vitamins and minerals.
Adding vitamin or mineral supplements is NOT recommended and could upset the balance of nutrients and be harmful to the bird.
This is from the pellet label;
Ingredients
Ground corn, Soybean meal, Ground wheat, Vegetable oil, Wheat germ meal, Sucrose, Dicalcium phosphate, Calcium carbonate, Ground fruit (bananas, oranges, apples and grapes), Iodized salt, DL-Methionine, Choline chloride, L-Lysine, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, Natural mixed tocopherols, Rosemary extract, Citric acid, Natural and artificial colors, Artificial flavors, Canthaxanthin, Manganous oxide, Zinc oxide, Copper sulfate, Calcium iodate, Sodium selenite, Vitamin A supplement, Vitamin D3 supplement, Vitamin E supplement, Vitamin K supplement, Niacin, Calcium pantothenate, Pyridoxine hydrochloride, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Folic acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 supplement
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein Not less than 14.0%
Crude Fat Not less than 4.0%
Crude Fiber Not greater than 3.5%
Moisture Not greater than 10.0%
***As many of us use vitamins or minerals in the water or egg foods here is the CAUTION from the label about using additional vitamins and minerals.
Adding vitamin or mineral supplements is NOT recommended and could upset the balance of nutrients and be harmful to the bird.
The hull on a seed is the best "packaging". Do you believe in a processed food diet for yourself? I tried pellets, and in our very wet, high humidity NW climate, the started growind fungus and molds. Birds did not thrive, and had to be treated repeatedly by Vet.$. I to feed a variety and let the birds select by season.
Richard
Hi Linda and gang, I personally have never been very successful in getting my birds to adapt to pellets. The hens will eat a few now and then, but the males rarely touch them in my cages. I also like to feed fruit, vegetables, and greens to my birds, and do so on a regular basis. I have friends that do feed pellets and rarely see the luster or sheen in the feathers that I see in the birds who eat seed. I have to say I love that middle and bottom Yorkie and the green Fife, very nice birds indeed. I just got my first pair of Yorkies at out Lou Abbott show in Chicago. I am getting closer and closer to showing type birds now with the Fifes, Lizards, and now the Yorkies. Rich
Pellets have the advantage as they are more nutritious than seeds and less mess.
Pellets main disadvantage is that they are very low in fat and fail to produce the feather luster which makes a bird radiant!
The other alternative is to use a fortified seed such as L'Avian Plus
google for location near you or order the wheat germ vitamin coated seed by Bird of Paradise here in Wichita 316 263-0850.
For supplemental pellets, I am currently using Purina Flock Raiser which I buy by the 50 lbs as I have
200 Plus birds. I also will likely buy some Roudybush in the future but again I use it as a supplement.
A lot depends on the number of birds we are talking about and how much you enjoy feeding and fine tuning your bird health.
Thank you all so much for your comments! I want whats best for my birds! I will probably just supplement my seed diet with some pellets. I have already started with the Zupreem Fruit Blend. Some take and some do not. So I will be testing their health like Linda has showed us in this blog. Thanks, for the compliments on my birds as well!
Linda...Thank you for the opportunity to post pictures of my birds and their room. Your book and site are such a help.
Joseph
Hello....I just thought I would give an update. I tried the pellets and they did excellent on them and now I am off of them for awhile. I had 11 young out of 2 pair of Yorkies and about 40 young out of 5 pair of fifes. So overall a great year! Thanks!
Joseph
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