Oats

[Aussie_Bengo]

This may seem like a silly question but I always see opinion that Oats or Hulled Oats are not a top food for birds and not preferred in a seed mix and can be seen as a "filler". Also often see mentioned that hulled oats should only really be fed for winter fattening/conditioning and the likes but from what I can gather is that when compared to Millets in general using data for commercial Oats they have the same calories, the same carbohydrates and fairly high protein of 17g/100g but only slightly higher fats of 6.9g/100g compared to Millets that range from 2.9g-4.8g/100g (R.Kingston) and Canary Seed 5.4g/100g (R.Kingston). So Oats present as higher fat by a small margin but realistically is this a significant level compared to the oil seeds like Niger, Rape etc. that are anywhere between 37g-45g/100g fat? Oats seem to have similar nutritional content to Millets yet are higher in protein.
So for those that are more across this, are Oats actually a fattening feed for the average moderately active Finch?

Thanks.

[Craig52]

FB,it is not the protien/fat content that concerns breeders,if fed in Winter it's the blood warming effect but shouldn't be fed Summer for the obvious reasons. Craig

[Aussie_Bengo]

Blood Warming?
Is there something in Oats that makes a Finch's temp rise and run hotter? Does anyone have reference to this fact?

Thanks for your reply Craig

[Tiaris]

The only slightly higher fat content combined with the fact that Parrotfinches in particular will gorge on hulled oats if given the opportunity leads to some obesity issues with them at least. I find them a very useful seed for Yellow Siskins at any time of year & presume would be just as good for other large serinus/carduelis species as well. Most estrildid species other than PFs are not attracted to eating them anyway. They are best offered as a regular winter offering in limited quantity for PFs and at any time for the cup-nesters. Probably a waste of time if you keep neither.

[Aussie_Bengo]

My Bengalese (from different sources) have always eaten it and don't particularly gorge on it.

Since my birds don't take any of the commercial soft foods and readily feed on any greens etc, I am trialing it in a chopped form at the moment to use in combination with sprouted French White Millet and chopped sprouted Lentils (Lentils have around 26g/100g protein but is classed as an "incomplete" vegetable protein). As they say with Vegetarian diets the combination of Lentils and Grains creates a complete "useable" protein and from the info I can get hold of, Oats supplement the deficiencies in Lentils quite well and is readily taken by my birds. I have raised a few clutches of Bengalese on a Chopped Sprouted Lentils/Sprouted French White Millet mix quite a few times with great success so I wanted to possibly improve on the mix with some softened oat particles. This is not a concern when giving Finches animal proteins like egg or live food but since I am only using vegetable type foods I wanted to give them the best mix I can.
So I guess the point is that I plan to use it as part of my soft food for raring young and not so much as a primary dry food but I wanted some feedback in regards my questions about "Fattening" (or Warming) in case there was some real issue there.

Thanks

[Aussie_Bengo]

PS.

Thanks for the info in regards to Parrot Finches and Serins Tiaris.

[Trilobite]

I think what is meant by blood warming is that the finches will get a good energy supply out of oats in winter time when energy demands are a bit higher. The birds blood will not warm as a result of feeding oats, the body is designed to keep it fairly static at around +-.5C Birds run a few degree warmer then humans but both will get too fat if more oats (and the energy contained within them) are consumed then we are able to burn off with exercise/flight

[Tiaris]

I've found Uncle Toby's oats fairly warming on a cool morning.

[Aussie_Bengo]

I've found Uncle Toby's oats fairly warming on a cool morning.

[Trilobite]

Tiaris wrote:I've found Uncle Toby's oats fairly warming on a cool morning.

Was this heated to 100C with milk and sugar or raw out of the box like we feed it to birds??