Introducing the breeding diet

[Jayburd]

Hey all,
Just wanted to ask, how quickly do people phase in their breeding diet? I've rebrushed, cleaned and polished the aviary, so all that is good to go.
I assume you don't just start on a random day, but gradually increase amounts over a period of one or two weeks? Can anyone elaborate on their systems?
I'm planning on eventually feeding them daily termites, greens, soaked seed and soft food. What order would you introduce them in, and in what amounts?
Thanks,
Jay

[Tiaris]

I just start feeding livefood & half-ripe green seed when the breeding aviaries are re-brushed & ready to go. No phasing in, just gradually feed more as they eat more when young mouths require more good tucker.ie. feed as much as they will eat.

[jusdeb]

Its a bit random here . Sometimes birds + kids + dogs + lizards and day to day mundane chores don't leave time for an organized breeding diet .

They get a variety of fresh foods daily instead of 3 times a week that they get in winter .

Diet is only a part of a good breeding season anyway ( yes big part ) weather , compatibility , comfortable housing etc add to it all .

Oh I do always refresh grit , cuttlebone , salt licks and charcoal about now too whether its needed or not and then again at random through the year .

[Jayburd]

Thanks Tiaris & Deb,
so just start live/soft/green/food & soaked seed tomorrow, and gradually increase the amounts until they are just managing to polish it off daily? easy as, I can do that
Deb, thats the other question I was going to ask - how big a part of the diet is charcoal - am I a terrible keeper for not supplying it, or is it something they can do without? I understand painteds use it in their nests?

[murf]

My emblemas don't use it. They love small pebbles(about the size of small fingernail. One wire mesh nest I had fell down because of the weight. I have counted over 30 pebbles in one nest. Perhaps it might be substitution or I don't have enough charcoal.

[jusdeb]

My finches , scarlets and Quarrion love the charcoal . My Emblemas being the best for using it in the nests .

[Jayburd]

Thanks Murf & Deb - I might play around with twigs and pebbles as well as trying to get some charcoal for them

[djb78]

Jay your not a terrible keeper because you haven't supplied charcoal, I believe that the diet you had them on was a good diet anyway its just a bit more of a selection. With painteds twigs bark and charcoal would be a good start for them to build a nest along with your grasses and feathers. Never used pebbles and I can understand them using it since I've found compacting sand in little pieces placed in nests and I reckon they'll use just about anything if they can get it into the nest.

[Tiaris]

I only supply charcoal when I have Masked Finches.

[stephstar]

What kind of fresh grens do u feed them, where do u.get termites from and what's in the egg mixture??