Millet
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nathan morley
Is it ok to give finches millet as there only seed is millet good for finches dos millet help them breed ? I put some in a separate feeder bowl thing an they looked like they loved it.
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desertbirds
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- Joined: 21 Nov 2010, 09:13
- Location: Alice Springs
Millet is just part of a basic diet.I dont think it will help them breed but they will enjoy it.Millet is found in basic finch seed mixes and there are many types of millet.When the weather warms up try growing some and picking the seed heads when they are ripe.A good supply of fresh seed heads will encourage them to breed. 
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desertbirds
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- Posts: 1318
- Joined: 21 Nov 2010, 09:13
- Location: Alice Springs
Research some older posts in Diet & Food.There are greens you can grow or purchase through winter that will help your birds breed and rear young ones.Silverbeet,sweetcorn,Lebanese cucumber and some winter grasses produce seed.There is a huge resource of info on this forum and lots of books on keeping and breeding the finches you have.
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Myzomela
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- Posts: 1545
- Joined: 24 Jan 2011, 18:44
- Location: Melbourne Vic
Nathan,
Be careful of egg binding if your birds are breeding in winter.
As well as the excellent advice on feeding greens mentinoed above, make sure there is plenty of of calcium available. A good grit mix and cuttlebone are essential. If you can add a liquid calcium supplement to softfood ( if you feed it) would also help. By softfood I mean soaked or sprouted seed, egg & biscuit mixes or any man-made foods that you may also feed your birds. Another good supplement at this time of year is one containing oils- namely omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids- which can usually be mixed through the dry seed. An example is "The Good Oil" made by Passwell but there are others.
Good luck. We all hope you produce many babies.
If you experience problems with breeding hens then it may be worth separating them from the cocks until the weather warms up a bit. Usually I take the cocks out & leave the hens in the aviary.
Be careful of egg binding if your birds are breeding in winter.
As well as the excellent advice on feeding greens mentinoed above, make sure there is plenty of of calcium available. A good grit mix and cuttlebone are essential. If you can add a liquid calcium supplement to softfood ( if you feed it) would also help. By softfood I mean soaked or sprouted seed, egg & biscuit mixes or any man-made foods that you may also feed your birds. Another good supplement at this time of year is one containing oils- namely omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids- which can usually be mixed through the dry seed. An example is "The Good Oil" made by Passwell but there are others.
Good luck. We all hope you produce many babies.
If you experience problems with breeding hens then it may be worth separating them from the cocks until the weather warms up a bit. Usually I take the cocks out & leave the hens in the aviary.
Research; evaluate;observe;act
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desertbirds
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- Posts: 1318
- Joined: 21 Nov 2010, 09:13
- Location: Alice Springs
[quote="Myzomela"]Nathan,
Be careful of egg binding if your birds are breeding in winter.
As well as the excellent advice on feeding greens mentinoed above, make sure there is plenty of of calcium available. A good grit mix and cuttlebone are essential. If you can add a liquid calcium supplement to softfood ( if you feed it) would also help.
I read Mike Fidlers recent article on calcium and it was very interesting.My birds breed here in winter and they are again this year,with minus temps overnight.I have never added more than grit and cuttlebone and ive also never had an egg bound hen.Not sure if there is something in that but too much calcium appears to be a cause of some problems too.I dont mean to add to confusion to nathans post but other forum members have suggested that cuttlebone is rubbish and there is not much in it, but why i have not had egg bound hens ? We had -5.8 deg last week so its cold enough to cause dramas.
Be careful of egg binding if your birds are breeding in winter.
As well as the excellent advice on feeding greens mentinoed above, make sure there is plenty of of calcium available. A good grit mix and cuttlebone are essential. If you can add a liquid calcium supplement to softfood ( if you feed it) would also help.
I read Mike Fidlers recent article on calcium and it was very interesting.My birds breed here in winter and they are again this year,with minus temps overnight.I have never added more than grit and cuttlebone and ive also never had an egg bound hen.Not sure if there is something in that but too much calcium appears to be a cause of some problems too.I dont mean to add to confusion to nathans post but other forum members have suggested that cuttlebone is rubbish and there is not much in it, but why i have not had egg bound hens ? We had -5.8 deg last week so its cold enough to cause dramas.
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nathan morley
My finches love cuttle bone they eat it like crazy I have like 4 in there an I have like 5 egg shells an a hole bowl of grit.