There is nothing so much fun as being surrounded by happy little birds in or around your home. The hobby of feeding wild birds or raising them as household pets has become very popular in America. Many home owners have built structures adjoining or within their homes designed to mimic the habitat of the birds they keep. One of the most popular birds found in these aviaries is the finch because they adapt so well to captivity and have a fairly long lifespan. Having the proper type of finch seed mix is important for sustaining the population of the aviary.
A study of their diet in the wild shows that the main staples they eat consists of seeds, green vegetation and available berries and fruit. As the seasons change they will either move to areas where food is more available or alter the type of food they seek. They are not adverse to eating insects especially when they have babies to feed. Many people place live foliage in the cages with their birds.
Many people who keep birds choose to blend their own feed for them. There are internet websites that provide lists of ingredients and directions for making the mixes. Most are relatively simple but some include soft foods that the birds like. These recipes include vitamins and other supplements necessary for promoting good health in birds. There are also premixed blends that can be purchased online or at any retail pet store.
A problem that some people encounter with premixed commercial brands is that there is no variation in the recipe that deals with the different stages of a birds life cycles. The ingredients that are used contain high volume protein and nutrient levels that work well during breeding and molting but not during rest periods that follow.
During the resting season the birds need less crude protein, crude fat and crude fiber. Feeding them too much of these things will cause the birds to become obese and can upset the natural cycles of the year. The best ingredients for resting periods include white proso millet, canary grass seeds and Japanese millet.
Finches need the highest level of nutrients during the time they are breeding and afterwards while they molt. Molting is when they lose feathers and replace them with new ones. When they are feeding their nestlings they use a lot of energy. High protein blends containing Niger seed, saffron, poppy and sesame seeds are essential during this time. Most breeders add supplements and vitamins to this blend of food.
Most people also add vitamins to the water supply they give their birds. Calcium and sulfur containing amino acids are important to help with bone development for the parents and the nestlings and feather production during the molting stages.
Having the proper blend of bird feed is important whether you enjoy feeding them in the yard or have them inside your home as part of your family. With the proper care these birds bring a lot of pleasure to every member of the family with their songs and bright perky personalities.
A study of their diet in the wild shows that the main staples they eat consists of seeds, green vegetation and available berries and fruit. As the seasons change they will either move to areas where food is more available or alter the type of food they seek. They are not adverse to eating insects especially when they have babies to feed. Many people place live foliage in the cages with their birds.
Many people who keep birds choose to blend their own feed for them. There are internet websites that provide lists of ingredients and directions for making the mixes. Most are relatively simple but some include soft foods that the birds like. These recipes include vitamins and other supplements necessary for promoting good health in birds. There are also premixed blends that can be purchased online or at any retail pet store.
A problem that some people encounter with premixed commercial brands is that there is no variation in the recipe that deals with the different stages of a birds life cycles. The ingredients that are used contain high volume protein and nutrient levels that work well during breeding and molting but not during rest periods that follow.
During the resting season the birds need less crude protein, crude fat and crude fiber. Feeding them too much of these things will cause the birds to become obese and can upset the natural cycles of the year. The best ingredients for resting periods include white proso millet, canary grass seeds and Japanese millet.
Finches need the highest level of nutrients during the time they are breeding and afterwards while they molt. Molting is when they lose feathers and replace them with new ones. When they are feeding their nestlings they use a lot of energy. High protein blends containing Niger seed, saffron, poppy and sesame seeds are essential during this time. Most breeders add supplements and vitamins to this blend of food.
Most people also add vitamins to the water supply they give their birds. Calcium and sulfur containing amino acids are important to help with bone development for the parents and the nestlings and feather production during the molting stages.
Having the proper blend of bird feed is important whether you enjoy feeding them in the yard or have them inside your home as part of your family. With the proper care these birds bring a lot of pleasure to every member of the family with their songs and bright perky personalities.
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