How do you get them to eat those chop and freeze type foods?

[Doris48]

My guys wont touch anything all chopped up together.I have to chop large chunks and they pick out all the not so healthy foods like apple or corn and leave the healthier stuff mostly untouched.
I can put lots of good stuff in birdie bread and they will demolish all of it, along with the veggies..

I dont know if its a consistency thing or if Im doing something wrong in my feeding routine.
But it gets old chopping every single day..This week I tried chopping and mixing a weeks worth and the first day or two they will eat it but then ignore it the rest week(I guess its soggy or something);

IDK, Is there a way to make a good healthy birdie bread with the chop that could suffice as a staple along with pellets?
I tried Birdie Bistro too and that was snubbed as well..




My birdie bread recipe is usually just whole wheat flour, handful of whole oats, eggs, organic olive oil, and cooked sweet potatos or pumpkin, mixed veggies and maybe some slivered almonds or walnuts and flax seed, oh and baking powder..No salt or sugar is added.I usually make two batches, one with more fruit and maybe cinnamon and one with veggies and chili powder or something.

[MacDaddie]

Doris,

Chop is a hit or miss for many, personally, I start by limiting their other favorites that you may have in their cage so they sorta need to focus on the chop for awhile. I look at chop as a foraging activitiy as well as a food source, many birds will actively pick through it and try to find their favorite foods but in the process, they are "coerced" into eating other foods and that is the best way to get them to experience and benefit from other foods, just like human children. You want chop to be more dry than wet, I add ground oats, half-cooked brown rice and quinoa, etc., and that helps absorb some of the moisture, and I don't add my fruits and sprouts until I am ready to serve it.

Your birdie bread sounds wonderful!!!

Below is a photo of some chop I made the other day... so far, so good, my girls have been digging through it and enjoying it!

Remember, persistence is the key in this issue...

Bobs Chop.jpg

[Mizzely]

I almost puree mine into a mash... that's how mine eat it best...I put everything in a food processor and then mix in a tiny bit of sprouts or soaked seed. They dig through to get to those, but also eat the mash. I only feed this every other day... in the days in between I feed either sweet potato balls or birdie bread. If I don't change it up, they get bored, just as we would if we had to eat the same thing everyday! This rotation has worked well for us! I agree though, limit the amount is available during the day in the cage as far as stuff like pellets and seed, and it will make them more likely to eat the fresh stuff

[SunUp]

Mine won't eat it if it's been frozen and thawed. I guess they don't like the consistency. They seem to like smallish chunks. I've also recently started steaming the veggie portion for a couple of minutes, and they do eat it all more readily.

Sometimes they go through a phase of just not eating much of it at all. Something I've found really gets them eating it better is to NOT feed it for 2 or 3 days. Then when I start back they eat it with much more relish.

Your birdie bread sounds great!

Bob, you chop is gorgeous! I feel healthier just looking at it!

[jeme3]

Mine don't like frozen and thawed chop either.

I've gone back to chopping fresh daily. They like their veggies chopped or sliced fairly fine. Since I just have two tiels, it's easy enough to do every morning. Whatever is in the fridge (that is good for them!) is what they get.

I make a big batch of brown rice and freeze it in ziplocks with enough for a few days, and I do the same with cooked beans. They don't mind those frozen and thawed.

[Ziggymon]

Mine don't find frozen and thawed acceptable either - won't touch it, no matter what treats I add to it after I thaw. It's hard enought o get them to eat it the second day if I cut up enough for two days.

Like Dawn, I find I have to change things entirely for a couple of days periodically, because they will start not eating even the frsh stuff, so on some days, when they're starting to go off the fresh veggies and fruit, I give them only something cooked.

[Doris48]

Well at least its nice to know that mine arent the only spoiled birds who wont eat frozen, thawed and only want fresh stuff.But it sure is a pain in the patoot for me..Macdaddies chop looks good enough for me to eat.
I do usually separate everything into little piles in their bowls making it easier to pick out the best stuff..I guess I should start mixing it all up and make them dig in it.IDK, Twitter doesnt like a dirty beak...And I agree they dont like anything wet or soggy so a dryer mix is best.