Sunday, January 30, 2011

A Bean in the Hand Is Worth....




After the mung bean posting, someone ask are there other beans for sprouting? So when I was at the health food store yesterday picking up brewer's yeast, soy powder, and liquid vitamin B complex for the birds, I ask the clerk the same question. He said funny you ask about sprouting beans for birds as another customer buys Adzuki beans by the 25 lbs to sprout for her birds! What a salesman!

Turns out these small red beans are high in amino acids except trytophane. Lysine and methionine are two of the critical dietary amino acids for canaries especially my borders. On the left dry bean and on the right swollen 12 hour soaked beans.

Seems like they are going to sprout easily. Will add a sprouted picture to this post in a day or two..






3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Linda,
I bought your book and read about how good fish meal and blue green algae but have not seen any information on how to use them. Do you have recipes for using them? Do you also use kelp powder, and if so, how? I make a birdie bread and can I use all of them in it, and if so, how much?

Thanks!

Garry

Linda Hogan said...

Fish meal and green algae are great additions to egg food. Green algae promote yellow coloring so is good for yellow colored birds. Both add protein so the amount should be small and depend on what other proteins are in the nestling food.

Too much protein will cause problems for adults and chicks. Adult birds will favor a foot and it will get red. These same birds, will remain sensitive to protein any time it is reintroduced. To fix the problem, drop proteins and increase greens.

Nestling birds that are overfed proteins get diarrhea and dehydration and develop a red color and die even when being fed. I watch the color for a pinkish (dessert rose) color and if the color turns to hint of red, I add greens and oatmeal and plain dry ABBA green as it will quickly reverse.

You also have to check the vents for a clear lacquer that seals the vent and prevents them from expelling their waste and that is fatal. In that case wash the vent with warm water and gently squeeze to see the vent is open. If the problem is not addressed immediately, the chicks will die.

Linda Hogan said...

Have not used kelp.