vitamins and minerals

[Vera]

I am still reading up on diet for my silverbills.
I have tried pellets (Harrison adult life time mash) and they did eat it, but didn't like it and it gave them much stress and a very high water intake.
So back to seeds now, with the pellets offered in a seperate dish.

Now they are on seeds again, they do not take any veggies or sprouted seeds. (with only pellets available, they take some veggies, but only to taste it)

I can get a organci seedmix made for silverbills, i provide oystershell for minerals, but what to use for vitamins?
I am from the Netherlands and it is a habit to feed eggfood about 2-3 times a weekto non breeding birds, for added protein and vitamins.
(when breeding or moulting it is fed daily)

Eggfood contains sugars, and i don't like feeding them sugars, even in very small amounts. So what is a good option to add vitamins when they don't eat veggies or sprouts (yet)?
The supplements i find also contain sugars.

 

[Mizzely]

Vitamins by themselves I'm sure are quite bitter, so I would imagine they need a bit of sugar in order for the bird to actually eat them.

If they aren't eating anything else with sugars, then a small amount of sugar with a multivitamin wouldn't be a concern for me. Most of the liquid and powder vitamins you use so little in a dosage that it would be a pretty negligible amount of sugar I would think.

 

[Vera]

I have read about Hagen beeing a good supplement without sugars?
I can buy it from Amazon.

Can it be used in drinking water? Or can it be used on their dry seed mix (maybe moistened?)
Can it replace eggfood for non breeding birds?

 

[Mizzely]

Egg food is just a vitamin supplement essentially.

Here's more information; Vitamin Mineral Amino Acid Supplement for Birds

 

[Vera]

I know, eggfood is like a vitaminsupplement and protein supplement. But they all contains sugars and i try to avoid it.

 

[Mizzely]

What I mean is that since Egg food is a vitamin supplement, as is Hagen, you wouldn't do both.

 

[Vera]

I know, thank you for the heads up.

Do you think the Hagen supplement is a better option,instead of eggfood?
This is the eggfood i use 2-3 times a week now:

https://www.versele-laga.com/en/vl/nutribird/products/nutribird-treatsfortipatee

 

[Mizzely]

I don't really think of things as "better than". I think in terms of what does my bird eat, do well on, and what fits my budget? Hagen Prime is a great supplement, but if it's hard to get or feed, then egg food would be just fine too.

 

[Finchbreed]

Just cutting a slice of boiled quail or chicken egg and putting in for a couple of hours each day is another way that some people get their birds to eat healthier.

 

[Vera]

I can buy the Hari supplement online, but shipping costs are the same price as the product itself. Is it worth the money?
How long can a 30gr package last?

Also, what do you think about this product?

Keimfutter für Kanarien und Exoten

besonders nahrhaft mit wertvollen Vitaminen und Enzymen fettarmer Frischesnack Unser Keimfutter wird ohne Konservierungsmittel in einem aufwändigen Sterilisationsverfahren haltbar gemacht, bei dem alle Vitalstoffe erhalten bleiben. Vorgekeimte Sämereien sind ein überaus gesundes Haupt- und...

www.vogel-shop.de

 

[Vera]

another one:does this look like a good supplement?
i don't think it has sugars in it?

https://www.chewy.com/zoo-med-avian-plus-bird-vitamin/dp/635758

 

[Vera]

Just cutting a slice of boiled quail or chicken egg and putting in for a couple of hours each day is another way that some people get their birds to eat healthier.

I have tried, but they do not eat the egg, not cooked, not fried, nothing.

 

[Mizzely]

another one:does this look like a good supplement?
i don't think it has sugars in it?

https://www.chewy.com/zoo-med-avian-plus-bird-vitamin/dp/635758

Zoo Med is a reptile company trying to get more products into the bird space. I don't totally trust them as they sell questionable products. I also wonder how much vitamin A a bird is getting when they say it has 2 million IU per kg... That seems like an excessive amount!

 

[Mizzely]

I can buy the Hari supplement online, but shipping costs are the same price as the product itself. Is it worth the money?
How long can a 30gr package last?

Also, what do you think about this product?

Keimfutter für Kanarien und Exoten

besonders nahrhaft mit wertvollen Vitaminen und Enzymen fettarmer Frischesnack Unser Keimfutter wird ohne Konservierungsmittel in einem aufwändigen Sterilisationsverfahren haltbar gemacht, bei dem alle Vitalstoffe erhalten bleiben. Vorgekeimte Sämereien sind ein überaus gesundes Haupt- und...

www.vogel-shop.de

No idea how long it will last, and not sure how many of the enzymes etc are preserved during the drying process.

 

[Vera]

I recieved the Hari Prime.
Smells like banana's or something.
I am not sure how to offer it.
They do not eat any fresh stuff yet (besides some tasting from sprouted mungbeans or broccoli when mixed with the dry seeds)

I now added some Prime on the dry seeds with a drop off water to make it stick.
They do eat from it, shaking their heads like "yuk!".
Will it work to use the supplement this way?
I am not sure if they get the supplement in while peeling their seeds.

 

[Finchbreed]

Finches should only eat boiled egg not fried the fat is bad for them.
If they are eating some Broccoli that is a good start.

 

[Vera]

What about something like couscous or quinoa? Just a little pinch a couple times per week to add the Prime to?

 

[Mizzely]

They are probably put off by the texture of the sticky seeds. Cooked Quinoa would be a great way to get some vitamins into them.

 

[Vera]

Nope, they do not want the cooked quinoa with Prime.
Will continue to offer it for a few days, first thing in the morning, and only give seeds after a few hours.
When i only feed the quinoa and have Harrison pellets available, Chocie will eat from the pellets. Coffee just waits for the seeds, staring at the quinoa...