Aussie Finch Forum

I travelled down to Cessnock today and called into Birds R Us. I went into avicultural product madness and walked out with $150 of stuff but I was hastly - I had meant to get Mike's Black Seed sprouting mix but instead picked up something that looked the same (Premium Herb mix) and didn't notice until I got back to Randwick this afternoon when I actually read the label. Does anyone know if these two products are significantly different? If not in species composition what about in seed viability or some other factor likely to affect nutritional quality? I've written off to ask them but I'd be interested to get an opinion from users without and conflicts of interest. Every kilo counts going back to the Philippines next Tuesday so I need to know if I should replace it with something with greater utility.

----- Original message -----
From: "Lisa Barrett" <[email protected]>
To: "Greg Howell" <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2010 09:04:42 +1100
Subject: Re: Black Seed Mix

Crystal Pet may have some or I can send it directly. The black
sprout has less seeds that the Premium herb seed but it will still
sprout and quantities of seeds in the black sprout to the Herb seed
are comparitive.
Thanks Lisa

So it seems that it's got a few more things in it than the Black seed sprouting mix but those other species may not have the same germination times . I'll just live with it and read the label of what I purchase next time .

Fast response from the company.

Hi Greg,

There is little difference between the two except for the ratios of the mixes. I regularly use the Premium Herb Mix. This has a lot of lettuce seed, rye, niger, rape…it is in response to the QFS “Tonic mix”.

I did an experiment with my birds and fed each mix separately for 4 weeks. I measured how much was left and to cut a long story short, the birds went straight for the VERY expensive one – the Premium Herb Mix, but then ate up all the QFS tonic mix after the other was gone!

Birds R Us Premium Herb Seed Mix 1kg $16.10
Tonic Seed Mix - QFS 1kg $4.50

So now, I mix them in a 50/50 ratio and call it my “Super Tonic Mix” lol – the birds love it!

As I said the sprouted seed is much the same but with a lot less white lettuce. Again I mix it with the white sprouted seed mix. The birds love it. Twice a week I mix in some BRU “Complete Softfood Mix”. I call this mix my “Mega Bomb MoJo Mix” – get’s the birds funky if you take my meaning hehehe… ;)

Well Dano I won't have access to the QFS mix but if I can get the mojo of my munias going then the Premium berb mix and soft-food mix this week will be worth it. I'm hoping to borrow a diamond sparrow at the Finch Fancier's Club of the Philippines Christmas party on Dec 7 so I need to get them into the schwing as soon as possible or these birds are headed the same way as the quail finch in Australia. I'm sure that Mike doesn't pay $16/kg for it. If the AFF purchased as a consortium if the price might come down and spike greater interest within the AFF? Essential fatty acids are probably overlooked by most breeders and if this product clai fills that gap then perhaps less species will disappear.