winter diets

[E Orix]

I would like to hear peoples opinions on winter diets, austerity diets in general non breeding
period diets

[finchbreeder]

Basic seed and fresh water all year round. Copious amounts of seeding grasses subject to availability. Mind you I have mine growing wild and reticulated in the back yard, so that is all year to some degree, just heavy or light. And periodically dig up the older grass plants and put the whole lot in, it keeps the plants fresh and gives the birds tiny insects as they hunt through the roots. This promotes a flush of breeding activity.
LML

[Craig52]

I'm afraid that has all gone out the window E Orix. I have tried my best to change NEW breeders minds but to me it all sounds like a big competition to see who can breed what ALL year round, this is on other public sites though.
I personally did try the austerity diet last year with my crimsons but lost a whole season due to it. My birds are a little like gouldians that breed from around Feb/March to Nov/Dec and i can't stop them breeding no matter what the weather is like or if i don't supply sprouted seed and live food they still want to breed. Being originally from the far North of Australia they are hard wired to breed after the wet season.
I dare not separate them (sexes) because crimsons are hard birds to pr up again and some cocks will be quite aggressive to the hen even if he was pr'd to the same hen before separation.
So in my opinion i go with the flow now. Craig

[Tiaris]

During winter I offer more sprouted seed as the supply of fresh green grass heads shrinks with chickweed becoming the main fresh green feed staple rather than grass seed heads during winter.
I have previously tried separating breeding pairs with a view to giving good pairs a break. This mostly gave very poor results with many previously very dependable breeding pairs never again finding their mojo - spasmodic breeding results thereafter was the typical best case scenario with some good pairs totally ruined by separation. Much better to leave them together in a holding aviary to maintain their bond, then release back into breeding enclosure when seasonal conditions suit or totally strip bare the breeding aviary & cut back all supplements until you want to switch them on again. I have mostly given my birds a break during summer rather than winter with a few exceptions.

[arthur]

I was always of the opinion that: If they are big enough; they are old enough

and . .

If they want to breed, let 'em . .

Perhaps this is the 'lazy man's guide to finch breeding' but it is the way that Mother Nature does it



All of these 'austerity diets' were brought in by people fixing things that weren't broken . . and the birds bred in spite of them, rather than because of them . . (or they didn't)

Climate IS changing (the cause is debatable); we get hail storms in June; mango trees flower in July; 50 years ago Red Strawbs bred at Easter and Saints bred in Spring, now both breed year round

Birds need to be managed . . but they don't need to be interfered with

[finchbreeder]

And ripping out and cleaning any nest that has been used for a couple of rounds will give the pair a break while they decide on another nest, or to just take a break. Some breed intermittently all year, some decide for themselves when their "season" is.
LML

[E Orix]

Arthur I will have to agree to disagree with you.
By feeding your birds a prime diet 12 months of the year you will have your birds wanting to
breed or at least trying to breed all year also maybe an obesity problem.
Birds need a rest and be in prime condition for the breeding season.
You can often tell the person who tries to breed all year, they are the ones chasing multiple hens.
The majority of African and Australian species do have a lean period in the wild.
Maybe in the north where you are you may get away with it but not down south.

[GP Finches]

As I use a cycling system my birds are on a maintenance diet to match their physiological demands. Balanced base nutrition with lower calories, and some microgreens every 2 weeks.

[finchbreeder]

By feeding your birds a prime diet 12 months of the year you will have your birds wanting to breed or at least trying to breed all year
Either that or they will not bother because they are hardwired to breed like mice/rabbits in good years, and they wont recognise the good life as good because it will be normal not good? Different reactions from different birds. The increase in greens is the best trigger I know.
LML

[dazzab]

Can I ask for opinions as to an acceptable minimum amount of food during winter? I only have a small set up with just a few pairs of birds. Is a good mix of seed and water enough for the birds for a few months before feeding the 'breeding foods' when you want the birds to start?
Currently I don't want my birds breeding so they only have access to seed, water, grit and maybe twice a week I throw some chickweed or longer grass with some green seed on it. Is this ok or are the birds missing something they need?
Thanks
Dazz