salt bush

[paintedfiretail]

Hi just wondering how many people out there are supplying salt bush to their birds.I have been feeding
it to my birds for about eight years now,when I started feeding it there was talk that it had medicinal
values.Does any one have any further information on this.About 90 % of my birds eat it regularly and
seem to hit it harder when they have young in the nest,parrot finches hit it hard all the time.

[Craig52]

Hi just wondering how many people out there are supplying salt bush to their birds.I have been feeding
it to my birds for about eight years now,when I started feeding it there was talk that it had medicinal
values.Does any one have any further information on this.About 90 % of my birds eat it regularly and
seem to hit it harder when they have young in the nest,parrot finches hit it hard all the time.

Salt bush has been a well known shrub for aviaries for its food value and nesting sites for finches and softbills. To plant it in an aviary,you need to cover it in mesh until well established otherwise the finches will eat it to death but can only eat the leaves that poke through the wire if protected.
Once well established the plant will cope with the regular pruning of your finches but parrots will destroy it. If you are feeding branches daily from an outside source all the better. Craig

[matcho]

Saltbush?

Obviously for those that live in the regional areas. Please give me some more info, can I get one in Sydney, grow and feed out? Don't think so. Need red dirt. Have seen it in the wild, no, not for me. Too wet here.

Ken

[Craig52]

Ken salt bush will grow anywhere,its a noxious weed just about. Most new and old highways are lined and so called beautified by these plants and you come across
some bare patches for some unknown reason, do you want some Craig

[Tiaris]

I have the much larger leaved variety (old-man saltbush) growing in a couple of aviaries. Birds chew the tips a bit but are not near as enthusiastic for it as I've seen finches with the finer leaved variety.

[matcho]

Craig,

I stand corrected. Will keep an eye out.

Ken.

[vettepilot_6]

Grows well off cuttings also...I have a couple planted in house garden as well as about 1/2 doz ready to put in pots for the new aviary...

[finchbreeder]

I feed it to mine from time to time and they all seem keen. It just pops up wild in my garden at regular intervals, but as I leave the bushes growing, just harvesting, they seed more. And I am on coastal sandplain.
LML

[Stu]

I feed it.
Was given some by another finch breeder.
He had some growing against the outside of his aviaries and through the netting.
The birds had at the time stripped it of anything green.
Smaller leaf variety, no idea which.
Agree, it grows well from cuttings. I have had a better strike rate with heavier, woody stems over softer end shoot.
Looking to do the same as Vette and put pots into the aviaries.

[booty]

I have planted a few cuttings ( small leaf variety ) from a fellow breeder who' s birds devour it . Easy to transplant and establishes well . Just angle cut with razor 100 - 200mm off the tips and remove leaves half way down . Leave in water for 2-3 weeks and start in pots . Seasol - (sea weed extract ) is great to get the roots going well . Have a few in pots that can be rotated as required .