Seaweed meal

For all your questions about diet and food for your finches
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Hancock
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Joined: 28 Mar 2014, 00:33
Location: Stanthorpe, QLD

Hi All,

I have been reading a book on animal care and the author (Pat Coleby) advocates Seaweed meal for all creatures great and small as a source for extra vitamins and minerals. She states that being in a natural form it is better used by animals. She also advocates the use of copper sulphate, dusting sulphur, dolomite, lime, pure salt and the seaweed meal be placed in separate containers for animals to access what they need it at lib.

So my questions are:
1. I was wondering do people feed seaweed meal to there finches?
2. Also would it be alright to mix with the bran/milk/water mix that I feed to maggots?
Cheers
Luke
Cheers
Luke
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Tiaris
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Joined: 23 Apr 2011, 08:48
Location: Coffs Harbour

I've included kelp meal in dry softfood mixes which are offered to birds dry or later mixed with sprouted seed, etc for finches. I'd be very hesitant to include it in a moist medium to be blown by flies - I reckon it would stink badly if nothing else.
The dry mix with copper, sulphur, etc. you refer to is a dry lick for cattle & I would be very reluctant to use such chemicals ad lib on small birds.
I also have that book "Healthy Land for Healthy Cattle" as well as her "Natural Goat & Alpaca Care" book. Good guides for organic livestock production but I'd be careful trying to apply too much of it to finches.
But kelp meal is certainly a very nutritious natural product containing many useful readily absorbed minerals & vitamins. I definitely think it is a worthwhile inclusion as a supplement but I'd be looking at ways to offer it dry.
It used to be included in the Birds'R'Us/Mike Fidler finch softfood. Don't know if that's still available.
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Craig52
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I have heard seaweed meal is high in vitamin E and is used to improve fertility in finches.I believe a prominent member on here is testing it out to see if it makes his birds more fertile naturally.

I wouldn't add anything other than what we use now (replacement milk powder for calves) as it contains a balanced vitamin/mineral and amino acids which your maggots are consuming and then passing the nutrition on to your birds. Craig
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Trilobite
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Location: Brisbane

Have used it for a few years now as a dry sprinkle on the sprouted seed mix. Don't use in with your maggots
Caution it is for horses and there is a warning about how much it should be given to horses (approx. a dessert spoonful or two a day) else too much salt in the diet for horses.
Like always everything in moderation.
Happy breeding
Cheers
Trilobite
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Tiaris
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You can get a super fine one from health food stores too. Probably a bit more hygienic the large paper bag via produce stores.
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Hancock
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Thanks Tiaris, Craig and Trilobite for the replies. Tiaris I am glad you know what I'm talking about. The one we use for our livestock comes in a large plastic bag in a box but worth a thought. I was thinking of just offering the dry components in little dishes and if they wanted it they could access it. She has used it on emus and ostriches with success but they are not forced to eat what they don't want thought was they are only big birds. Main though was by feeding seaweed meal to the maggots they in turn would be hopefully better value for the birds. Just don't want to kill my finches or flies! I think for now I will stay with the milk/bran/water mix for my flies and might just offer a small dish in the aviary and see what happens.

Cheers
Luke
Cheers
Luke
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Trilobite
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Location: Brisbane

Luke, your approach is spot on wrt the little side dish to see what happens, and leave your maggots alone with a tried and true method.
Cheers
Trilobite
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finchbird2015
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Location: NewZealand lower North Is

I use Spirulina over here,i mix half a teaspoon in my softfood mix.It does contain Sodium (43%) and Potassium (38%) so thats why only small amount is used.Does also contain Vitamin A,B12,C,D,B6,Calcium,Iron and Magnesium.
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RedFacedPieds
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Location: Adelaide

I have been using seaweed meal (kelp) for years mixed in with my soaked seed & find it useful for birds that lack IODINE (not breeding).
But mainly use it for any birds that have FEATHER problems.(ie: baldness)! Seperate balding birds & feed seaweed meal(kelp) & u will find the results amazing! Cheers
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D0NKEY
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Location: Sydney

I use seaweed mix in a side dish as a supplement for my gouldians after another breeder recommended it.

He attributed large nest sizes and chic survival to this.

Have tried it this season for the first time, they seem to take to it as required, and have just had a pair of first timers fledge 5 chics of 6 eggs, with 4 splits and 1 blue.
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