Mixing your own seeds?

[jaxx16]

Good evening all. Does anyone mix their own seeds? Just wondering as I see Babe only eats certain seeds. Thanks

 

[Scott]

I never did but the thought crossed my mind. Used to purchase a seed mix from a large parrot supply operation. They bagged proprietary blends in-house adjacent to the store. They also sold most any typically used seed in bulk so one could mix as desired. At the time I was slowly converting them to a mostly pellet/chop diet, and subsequently they consume seed on rare occasion as treats.

 

[ChristaNL]

When I had only one it was tooo much -> the amounts combined to get to the end-result would be ridiculous.

Now with 3... I found it is amost as expensive as just buying the mix and chuck some (and massively more time and energy consuming to boot)- so I do not bother.
(I have to transport everything by bicycle and back-pack from that shop 15 or 20 km away).
I may add some extra seed to the shop-mix if I find some are missing-
but I've mixed 3 different shop-mix-types now (delivered at my door) and am fairly happy with the end result, and they compliment the pellets nicely.


It is frustrating that parrots always seem to leave one or more out - unless you are prepared to semi-starve them to force them to eat everything-, but do not cater to it.


You never know when they decide to taste something.
(this from someone currently trying to get the fibers from between her teeth -> an attempt to show the macaw that palm tree nuts are actually delicious ... :54: )


You can always sprout the left-overs and see if they like them that way ....
(re-use- re-cycle etc.etc.)
.

 

[jaxx16]

My problem is that I live in the US Virgin Islands. We have one pet store on this island since the hurricanes tried to kill us. And this store is hit and miss. I've noticed for quite awhile that my girl just chuck's about 1/3 of it to the bottom of the cage. I was ordering her pellets and seed mix from Amazon. I was just wondering if I shouldn't just bring in certain seeds in bulk and mix it myself. The seeds aren't her main staple. Her main staple is pellets and the food we eat.

 

[Scott]

If you require seed as a secondary food for one bird, the overall monthly demand is low. You could mix seed to avoid much of the waste, but if you find a good quality mix from the local store or Amazon, purchase in bulk and freeze into several smaller packages. This will doubly assist in that it keeps seed fresh and kills the insects and/or larvae lurking within.

 

[ChristaNL]

Oef, that is a tough one!


Depends how much (cold) storage you have and how fresh the seeds are that you can get ...
they keep very well to the eye, but sometimes there is not much nutrition left in them (hence the sprouting-test: sprout a handfull and if they all sprout you have great quality, anf almost nothing moves -> too old and crappy)


It's great you have pellets, so she will not starve


Does amazon get the packages to you in time? Or do you need to stockpile those as well?

 

[EllenD]

Yeah, that just depends on what individual seeds are available for you to mix individually, and what the cost is. If you're able to choose only seeds that your bird eats and the cost of doing so is less than buying an already bagged mix that she picks things out of, then yeah, go for it. I often have wished that I had access to individual seed by the pound where I live, but even the mills near me that sell poultry feed (and there are 4 within 20 minutes of me) don't do seed by the pound, they only sell commercially bagged mixes, and the only individual food that they sell by the pound are "feeds", like scratch, corn, etc. So no mixing for me. I've suggested to the one large, privately owned pet shop that they should start doing this, at least with the large millet sprays, as I can't even buy them, I have to buy already bagged tiny little sprays, but they don't see the point of it...

 

[jaxx16]

Yes. Totally true. Babe may hate something today, but next week may like it. I learned a long time ago to constantly give her the opportunity to try the things she has previously refused.

 

[jaxx16]

I order most of Babe's food in bulk. 5-6 bags at a time. That's the only way it's economical for me, due to shipping costs. Case in point. My girl loves Browns tropical carnival. It costs me about $39.00 for a 5 lb bag when they have it locally. I can order it on Amazon but then shipping is now twice what it used to be. A 10 lb bag costs me $63 including shipping, and a 5 lb bag costs me $45.

 

[LeslieA]

Oef, that is a tough one!


Depends how much (cold) storage you have and how fresh the seeds are that you can get ...
they keep very well to the eye, but sometimes there is not much nutrition left in them (hence the sprouting-test: sprout a handfull and if they all sprout you have great quality, anf almost nothing moves -> too old and crappy)


It's great you have pellets, so she will not starve


Does amazon get the packages to you in time? Or do you need to stockpile those as well?

My bud has multiples and mixes accordingly. What he did say was that ALL purchased seed for mixing needs to spend time in the freezer then tested on a wet papertowel in a pieplate (Some have holes!) for viability (sprouting ability).

By buying in bulk, you get discounts. By buying retail, you're better off buying premix.

 

[lplummer52]

Sprout your own seeds. They love it!

 

[LoriS53]

Our avian vet suggested going to the bulk section of the grocery store and buying flax seed, chia seed, oat grout, organic oatmeal, millet, quinoa, etc I have an entire list I can scan and send to you if you like. Then we mix it in an airtight container. It is actually pretty economical. I give my birds about 20% of this grain mix and 80% pellets. Works great.

 

[Laurasea]

Do you have to cook the quinoa? I thought you had to? Do you have to do anything to the chi or flax seed? I would like to see the list

 

[ChristaNL]

Our avian vet suggested going to the bulk section of the grocery store and buying flax seed, chia seed, oat grout, organic oatmeal, millet, quinoa, etc I have an entire list I can scan and send to you if you like. Then we mix it in an airtight container. It is actually pretty economical. I give my birds about 20% of this grain mix and 80% pellets. Works great.

It you store seeds airtight they will no longer sprout of course
but they will keep.


I'd love to see the entire list btw/ maybe post it somewhere? (it might even end up as a sticky)

 

[LeslieA]

It you store seeds airtight they will no longer sprout of course
but they will keep.
...
I'd love to see the entire list btw/ maybe post it somewhere? (it might even end up as a sticky)

Interesting. I just learned something. Is that all oxygen removed like with a seal-a-meal kinda thing? Some other farmers and I were just discussing that very thing yesterday. We were discussing seed storage for viability and one wanted to try that. I need to tell him not to!

 

[LeslieA]

Our avian vet suggested going to the bulk section of the grocery store and buying flax seed, chia seed, oat grout, organic oatmeal, millet, quinoa, etc I have an entire list I can scan and send to you if you like. Then we mix it in an airtight container. It is actually pretty economical. I give my birds about 20% of this grain mix and 80% pellets. Works great.

I'm trying to learn things. Did the AV suggest wetting/soaking any of these dry ingredients? I know what I was told and am curious.

 

[Flboy]

I am just seeing this thread for the first time! And storing seeds in an airtight container, that is what I always do! They are in jars and in the freezer! They have been there as long as six months, and I have no problem whatsoever sprouting them!