Too much seed?

[Redballoon]

Does your bird discard more seed than he eats?
I have an answer.
Seeing as you all think seed that hits the floor is contaminated and should not be re used, I have been tipping the seed husks and rubbish into Debbies pot plants. She keeps watering them as normal and in a week a million little shoots pop out of the soil. These must be the tastiest shoots in the world, coz I showed them to the professor and pulled a couple out to show him the white bits from under the soil, and he is into it, bigtime. Now he hops up on each pot and feasts on the shoots and the extra husk and poo is good for the soil. No wastage now, no matter how far Skippah Throws his seed, its still getting eaten

This mornings lot

Last weeks lot

Last fortnights lot

Just found it on the memory stick. Debbie must of took it while I was ill.

 

[TexDot33]

LOVE THAT LAST PICTURE!! My two will do the same thing for Orange Juice!

As to the seeds, you are just sprouting those seeds, and that is a great way to get more nutrition out of your seeds ... let them fill up on those sprouts!

 

[zarafia]

I don't know that you ought to be talking about Debbies pot plants on the internet

 

[MetroidGirl]

thats so cool, what a good idea! as soon as i get Djali home with me, i think we may start her her own potted plant....i have a ton of them outside, is this good for amazons as well?

 

[Redballoon]

fresh sprouts from the seeds your birds eat has to be good for them.

 

[TexDot33]

fresh sprouts from the seeds your birds eat has to be good for them.

Let me translate this for you as Red has been very ill as of late, and sometimes his accent confuses people ... :54:

Spouted seeds are 100% better for your fids than just regular seeds are ... this is not to say that this should be the only staple in their diets. There should still be fresh veggies and a pellet option for them. But these tender, young shoots are a delacacy for most birds and growing them at home is a great idea!


:50:

 

[zarafia]

Before the rise of pelleted diets some of the best bird breeders in the world based their birds diets on sprouted seeds. Rosemary Low and Robbie Harris both wrote about the benifits of feeding sprouted seed. Rosemary Low managed the parrots at one of the largest collections in the world in the Canary Islands with many first breedings to her credit. And Robbie Harris (last I knew) had one of the finest collections of conures anywhere. She specializes in conures (and brotogeris keets) and has written books on conures, grey-cheeks and written many articles including ones on sprouted seed. I think she also covers sprouted seed in most if not all of her books.

 

[Redballoon]

Yeah.
I gave her the idea when we were having lunch at my house one day.
Thieving cow nicked my idea!

 

[zarafia]

:04::04::d:d

 

[Redballoon]

I had the idea of harvesting my sprouts rather than just let Professor pick around Debbie's Pot plants.
I took a cup of water and tipped it where I was about to pull out some shoots.
I shook off the dirt and shared a handful between Skippah, Gilligan the budgie, and the grey turd.
Skippah is finally eating something other than seed.
I feel better about failing at pellet feeding now.

 

[TexDot33]

looks like the flock is enjoying the bounty ... I think I am going to try to sprout some seeds myself ... be another great option for Ham and Mac ...

 

[zarafia]

They sure do. Nice cockatoos you have there. Sharp looking bare-eyed, brilliant birds, I'm guessing he's the Professor?

 

[Redballoon]

Skippah is the white one.
The professor is pink and grey and often referred to as the grey turd.

 

[TexDot33]

Then there is Gilligan, his budgie ... anyone sense a theme there?

 

[Lori]

Red I know I have told you about blaming Debbie the sweet angle that puts up with you for the plants.
I love that grey turd. I have been missing the Professor lately.