Chop cost please?

[jermajay]

Hi everyone, trying to budget for my 2 lorikeets and am finding it difficult to work out how much chop costs, as the fruit/veg I use varies seasonally and I haven't tracked in the past...was wondering if anyone knows from past years/months with their birds? No worries if not exact, just looking for a general estimate.

 

[tka]

It depends where you are and what you feed. If you're feeding locally grown, seasonal fruit and vegetables, then it will be cheaper. If you live in a climate where, for example, tropical fruit has to be imported or grown in a greenhouse, then that will drive costs up.

For example, for me, things like carrots, peas, broccoli, spinach and butternut squash are relatively cheap and easy to obtain. If I were to add more tropical fruit like mangoes, papaya and dragonfruit, it would drive my costs up a lot because these fruits have to be imported into the UK. However, if I lived in India, I would be able to buy locally grown mangoes very cheaply when they are in season.

 

[jermajay]

It depends where you are and what you feed. If you're feeding locally grown, seasonal fruit and vegetables, then it will be cheaper. If you live in a climate where, for example, tropical fruit has to be imported or grown in a greenhouse, then that will drive costs up.

For example, for me, things like carrots, peas, broccoli, spinach and butternut squash are relatively cheap and easy to obtain. If I were to add more tropical fruit like mangoes, papaya and dragonfruit, it would drive my costs up a lot because these fruits have to be imported into the UK. However, if I lived in India, I would be able to buy locally grown mangoes very cheaply when they are in season.

Yes, to clarify I'm asking what the actual amount people spent were so I can adjust from there.

 

[Shezbug]

This is a difficult question to answer since I no longer make up separate or special batches of fresh foods for my birds.
I share with the birds most of the same foods that I buy for my family to eat so there’s not actually a shopping bill for them and a separate one for us.

 

[Zara]

to clarify I'm asking what the actual amount people spent

Even if we could figure out what our chop costs us, ask me and I´ll tell you what it costs to feed my 7 lovebirds, ask Shez and she´ll tell you what it costs to feed a macaw, a cockatoo and a budgie, other folks on here have multiple macaws, others have 30 conures.

Then on top of that, like Tka said, different countries cost different amount for different veggies. Fruit and veg for me is quite cheap, we have a climate where tropical fruits grow easy, though buying strawberries and blackberries out of season costs me 4 times as much.

Also worth remembering the fruit to veg ratio, for eg I feed a small amount of fruit and lots of veg, but when I babysat a rainbow lorikeet, I gave it a lot more fruit.

Too many factors to make the answer to this question helpful for you.
You would be better asking someone like @minkylory who has two lorikeets. I´m sure that would be more helpful. I´ve tagged them so they see this thread when they log in next

 

[minkylory]

honestly I'm not sure, I usually don't spend a whole lot though.. like what shezbug said, I mostly just share the fruit n veg we get for the family. the price on fruits really depends on the season, sometimes its horrifically priced and other times its decent. sorry I couldn't give a very good answer

 

[FeatheredM]

I can't tell you the cost but I can tell you how to get them cheaper. You could grow a few of your own, buy a bag of frozen veggies to mix in with the vegetables you already bought for yourself, and if there are no pesticides or dogs doing business in your yard, you can get dandelion leaves.

 

[Mizzely]

I used to spend about $40 in ingredients and then make about 4 to 6 months worth of chop. (For one bird)

Now I use parts of the food I'm already buying and preparing, and supplement. So I spend maybe $5?

This bowl was made with carrot, celery, zucchini, strawberry, and pepper ends/tops, and then I added some of the herbs and sugar snap peas I had on hand. Only things I bought specifically for the bird were the parsnip, beet root, and radish, all of which I just needed a small piece of.




If you want to make chop, here's my article on that: My Chop "Recipe"

 

[Tyrion]

Again like some have said its hard to tell...I spend about 200.00 on makings for a mash that lasts about 3 months frozen for 3 birds ( 2 amazon and one Grey) ..then they get fresh fruit daily that costs about 30.00 per week or 2 and fresh veggies for about the same price ..sorry not much help here

 

[taxidermynerd]

I spend maybe 30-40$ every couple of months on freeze dried chop for Jade.

 

[macawpower58]

I add their items to weekly shopping. An extra pepper, sweet potato, apple, sugar snaps peas, etc.
Fruit is also bought weekly, mostly for me with them getting small bits of it. Probably not much cost there on them.
I also buy bags of frozen lima beans/peas/corn/etc... to add. I'll make a bean mix at times to add.
I probably spend an extra (max) $15 bucks on their items. Thus maybe $40-$50 a month on the chop.
I chop and freeze much of it, I always leave a bit of it fresh for a couple of feedings.
I have a large freezer tub that I'm constantly adding the chopped stuff too. What's in it varies with what's available.
I heat up the mix for a daily breakfast. Pellets are for dinner. Seeds offered once a week.
Treats thrown in (often bird bread) now and then.
I feed a macaw, amazon and small too.