seeds

[Jayburd]

Hi all,
Which seeds would you recommend for a balanced finch diet? I am planning to get a formula-mixed finch mix from Elenbee Seeds, and I was wondering what should go in it.
I have some ideas already, such as our standard finch ix pus M. Pollard's Waxbill mix (for recipe see latest birdkeeper)

[Buzzard-1]

For what birds?

[Fincho162]

Elenbee Seeds have a Clifton Finch Mix and a Clifton Tonic which might be useful for you to check out.......they use Siberian millet rather than Jap millet in it and they are good fresh seed mixes.
Good people and will make a mix to your own recipe.......

However, guess the "perfect" mix depends upon which finches u keep........

[Jayburd]

Buzz, I intend to keep a mix of african and aussie finches, and quail
Thanks fincho, will check it out

[dano_68]

Elenbee Seeds have a Clifton Finch Mix...

Yes I just can't talk highly enough of this mix. Charming chap there at Clifton Aviaries by the way ;)

[Jayburd]

yeah I've spoken to him once by email great guy and a very good author!!!
but no one really has any secret 'success seeds'? like for example, red siskins breed well when given sunflowers?
otherwise I'll just get those two (and if they aren't already mixed in, the seeds that make up the african waxbill mix )

[jusdeb]

Ummmmm thinking maybe Aussie Finch Breeders website was bringing out a new extruded finch food ( dont quote me ) worth looking at with the advances being made in avian formulated foods.

[Fincho162]

Wouldn't think GB would go down that road given his love of 'new and interesting' seed mixes and growing different veggies for his flock.......hope not at any rate............

People in Oz are obsessed with extruded-type finch diets for whatever reasons - new ways to shove protein down finches throats.........get back to basics and stick with natural products...........the Lowes-type Vegetable mixes and fresh grass and things u grow yourself.........cheaper and far more nutritious.........keep supplements to a minimum.

Do some research on what the birds eat in the wild and try and emulate that - there are a lot of African veldt grass species grown in north Qld for stock fodder and finches love them........mind u might be a tad hard to find this season.

I understand pellet mixes and supplements for neo-tropical parrots which don't hail from a harsh environment like Oz and have lush feed laid on 24/7 in the wild.........but not for finches.....especially not the Oz ones...........

The Hunter Valley is a finch breeders mecca yet the old hands I know that breed hundreds all have a simplistic basic diet.......good, fresh seed, green seed heads...green grasses and vegetables.............guess we can all learn from the "masters"!!!!

[Diane]

Do some research on what the birds eat in the wild and try and emulate that - there are a lot of African veldt grass species grown in north Qld for stock fodder and finches love them........mind u might be a tad hard to find this season.

This brought to my mind a link I saved about the grasses growing up North. You can click on Australia to get a bigger map.
http://gisweb.ciat.cgiar.org/GapAnalysi ... osite3.jpg

[Jayburd]

thanks guys ;)