Another Batch of Softfood

[vettepilot_6]

This is my recipe .....4 hard boiled eggs (2 with the shells)... 4 arrowroot biscuits... 1/2 cup Passwells softfood mix..1/2 cup egg and biscuit mix...teaspoon spirilina... teaspoon insectivore mix....4 drops of aniseed... 1/3 cup Gouldian complete nutrients (Mike Fidler or Russell Kingston) 1 teaspoon of micro herb nutrients (Mike Fidler or Russell Kingston).... 1 cup of mixed corn peas and broccoli (cooked) blend and mix into balls freeze and feed one per day...dose about a month

[gomer]

I take it you crumble up each ball when wanting to use then distribute between aviaries ?

[vettepilot_6]

I take it you crumble up each ball when wanting to use then distribute between aviaries ?

actually mine are community aviaries atm..so I just give it frozen..gone by lunchtime

[claudicles]

If you don't mind me asking how many birds does it feed?

[vettepilot_6]

If you don't mind me asking how many birds does it feed?

There are about 36 birds in aviary....plus canaries... and about 9 pr on eggs or young ...plus a couple of pair with young fledged still being fed by parents...

[shnapper20]

brillant thanks dave

[mickenglish]

Every time I put something new into my aviary, the ultra-conservative residents treat it like a potential IED. Most new types of food just sit there ignored and go to waste. I put green peas out this morning...still there tonight. I have tried hard-boiled eggs today for the third time, and the ants are the only ones to take advantage of them. Grrr. Not to mention finch crumble, egg & biscuit mix, various fruits, mealworms, the list of rejected foods goes on and on. Fortunately, they are healthy and breeding like rabbits (or Zebras).

[starman]

Every time I put something new into my aviary, the ultra-conservative residents treat it like a potential IED. Most new types of food just sit there ignored and go to waste. I put green peas out this morning...still there tonight. I have tried hard-boiled eggs today for the third time, and the ants are the only ones to take advantage of them. Grrr. Not to mention finch crumble, egg & biscuit mix, various fruits, mealworms, the list of rejected foods goes on and on. Fortunately, they are healthy and breeding like rabbits (or Zebras).

Mick,
There are very few food types/groups that finches will instinctively eat. Over time, I have tried to implement many concoctions, a few from the internet, many from books, and some of my own invention. Trying to coax finches to try new things requires a bit of cunning and a lot of persistence.
The one thing that I have found success with is to make the bulk of the new food something that you are sure they will eat. Now everything I try is mixed into a base of sprouted seed. I start with a small percentage of the new foods and as the birds become accustomed to that, I gradually increase the new food while cutting back on the sprouted seed. Some people like to use 'teachers' like canaries and RFPFs, but if you don't want 'teachers' in with your flock, try the above method... you may find it will work for you... be persistent and remember that the more natural foods are more readily accepted. Another thing to keep in mind is to not present them with mushy preparations, the dryer and less homogenous-looking, the more likely they will be to try it.

[mickenglish]

Thanks, Starman, I was starting to think that I had a bunch fo reactionary conservatives in the aviary; they also turned their beaks up at sprouted seed. I have noticed that a few of them are now getting into soaked seed so I'll persist and expand on that for a start. Anyway, I'm encouraged by your words, thanks again.

[starman]

When I say sprouted seed, I should more correctly say chitted seed ... if you let the rootlet get too long it looses both its benefit and its appeal.
There are more soft food supplement recipes than there are finch keepers, but developing your own is fun and interesting. If you read what others are including in their mixes you will see a few common/frequently used ingredients and these can form a low risk starting point. Once you have settled on a recipe that is both readily accepted and nutritious you can make up batches for freezing .... this is where the necessity of a relatively dry mix is important, as if it is too mushy or moist you will end up with a large inseparable block of ice. Don't make the batches too big... if you want to fine tune the mix a bit it will take too long to use up the original. I dole out a predetermined amount for each aviary (in its frozen state) each morning and the birds will start to eat it before it thaws.... sometimes it is gone by mid-day, other times I will have to throw out a small portion in the late afternoon... I have not figured out the reasons for the variance.