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How to get my boys to like chop (more)?

rosemary

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I make my boys chop and they refuse to try it :( quite discouraging, but I know consistency is key. I offer them chop as 'lunch', but they fly over multiple times, resist to try, however. They like their veggies, I pin them on their cage and they eat them from there, but I also want them to eat chop mixes.

Should I give them chop as breakfast maybe? Since they usually 'rush' to their breakfast, they might be inclined to try them more that way. But I also dont want them to 'starve' for two-three hours, til I put their pellet, seed, oat mix in.

What do you think? How long did it take your birds to enjoy chop? Should I try mixing in some seeds?

This is so frustrating :)
 

Kassiani

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Hi rosemary! My boys were not chop eaters for a while, too. I started by mixing seed in with their chop and feeding it to them for breakfast, so they were hungry. Little-by-little, I reduced the amount of seed in the chop. Now, they will eat it without the addition of seed. But my chop does have cooked grains, which they also like (currently millet, winter rye, and pearl barley).
 

budgieluv3

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@Kassiani has good advice. If you have a treats bowl, I would put some in there so they think the chop is treats and recognize it as food.
 

Khizz

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Mine really started to take to it once I started adding quinoa, cooked lentils and so on. Also as @Kassiani said, mixing seed in helps too. Basically it's about slowly reducing the amount of non-veggie stuff in there (although quinoa and cooked lentils are still good to have in there).

I also realised mine don't like frozen, they prefer fresh. So I just buy a green salad mix and other random veggies and combine weekly.

Feeding in the mornings is a good idea. Try taking out their seed bowls overnight, feeding them chop first thing and giving them their seed/pellets an hour later?
 

rosemary

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Do you guys 'chop' the chop or put it in a food processor? I feel like they would turn super soft and would rot rather quickly with the food processor method.
 

rosemary

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Hi rosemary! My boys were not chop eaters for a while, too. I started by mixing seed in with their chop and feeding it to them for breakfast, so they were hungry. Little-by-little, I reduced the amount of seed in the chop. Now, they will eat it without the addition of seed. But my chop does have cooked grains, which they also like (currently millet, winter rye, and pearl barley).
I will try mixing in some seeds, hopefully they will give it a try :) Thank you!
 

rosemary

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Mine really started to take to it once I started adding quinoa, cooked lentils and so on. Also as @Kassiani said, mixing seed in helps too. Basically it's about slowly reducing the amount of non-veggie stuff in there (although quinoa and cooked lentils are still good to have in there).

I also realised mine don't like frozen, they prefer fresh. So I just buy a green salad mix and other random veggies and combine weekly.

Feeding in the mornings is a good idea. Try taking out their seed bowls overnight, feeding them chop first thing and giving them their seed/pellets an hour later?
I will, they might give it a try when they are really hungry in the morning. So far my chop has been mainly veggies and a bit of fruit, I will add some grains and seeds and see how it goes then :) Thanks!!
 

budgieluv3

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I put mine in the food processer. Especially for budgies, they need it pretty small. Experiment and see if they like it hand-chopped or food processed.
 

elitys

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I do a combination of food processor and hand chopping. I chop the stuff my bird likes into larger pieces and use a food processor for the stuff she doesn't really care for so she can't just shun it. I freeze my chop because Poppy likes it like that, though.

I do recommend feeding it at the times they are hungry. I offer Poppy pellets overnight, but only an amount I know she will eat. In the morning, she usually has very little pellets left, and this is when she gets chop. After she's done with her morning chop (or several hours have passed) then she gets midday pellets. At night she gets another round of chop, and then pellets again at bedtime. This feeding schedule works for us and she eats pretty well with it.

I have a specific chop recipe that I make for the tiels as they are very picky. Theirs is mostly a varied greens blend (food processed to be fine) mixed with quinoa, wild rice, flax seeds, and other healthy seeds and grains. I sneak some red and orange veggies in there too, but they don't touch them (I just hope the grains have soaked up some of their juices). Budgies have a similar natural diet to tiels, and tend to prefer grains and greens rather than other veggies and fruits. Maybe a recipe like this would work better for you?
 

webchirp

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Hemp seeds...now mine throw a fit if there isn't a hemp seed to be found. Lots of digging.

also have you tried grain bake?

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elitys

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Hemp seeds...now mine throw a fit if there isn't a hemp seed to be found. Lots of digging.
Hemp hearts are really great. They have a full amino acid profile and a near perfect balance of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Wonderful addition to chop. :)
 

Maggiebird

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Try making the chop more colorful. That’s what works for me! Also giving it to my birds in the morning when they are hungry.
 

Kassiani

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I do food process mine because they will fling out larger pieces. My current recipe has veggie pasta, cooked grains, cooked legumes, fall veggies and greens, and sprouts.
 

Toy

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My birds like it a little warm. I microwave it a few seconds.
 

BirdWorld

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Mine won’t eat chop either :shrug: they will only eat their vegetables if it is in bigger chunks. Or covered in millet.
 

DFWBBarnes

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I make my boys chop and they refuse to try it :( quite discouraging, but I know consistency is key. I offer them chop as 'lunch', but they fly over multiple times, resist to try, however. They like their veggies, I pin them on their cage and they eat them from there, but I also want them to eat chop mixes.

Should I give them chop as breakfast maybe? Since they usually 'rush' to their breakfast, they might be inclined to try them more that way. But I also dont want them to 'starve' for two-three hours, til I put their pellet, seed, oat mix in.

What do you think? How long did it take your birds to enjoy chop? Should I try mixing in some seeds?

This is so frustrating :)
 

DFWBBarnes

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I had some problems in the beginning with my GC. I mixed up Higgins worldly Cuisine. and add some to her chop. I have no issues now. I do feed her chop in the mornings . Then give her her pellets after about 10-15 minutes
 

rosemary

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I love this community!! :swoon:

Thank you so much for all the tips and tricks! It is 8 am currently, I will cook some grains and add those to the chop I made yesterday and some more leafy greens as well. I hope they will at least try it once, fingers crossed :hug8:
 

rosemary

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AND another question to all the people that freeze their chop: do you guys add leafy greens to that version as well? Do they uphold well? I have only made weekly batches and kept them in the refrigerator.
 
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