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Feeding a stud of Budgerigars
- George Jenkins All
successful Budgerigar fanciers know that it is important to feed birds well.
Poor food, or perhaps better described as nutritionally poor food might enable a
fancier to produce youngsters but exhibition breeders have the aim of producing
quality birds with plenty of feather. A diet that is low in protein will never
enable the hen to bred youngsters with the required size and feather. The problem for the
ordinary fancier is to know exactly what constitutes a good diet. Too much
protein in the diet and there are problems. But equally, too little and there
will be something lacking. Getting the right balance is the greatest problem. My
feeding methods have changed little over a long period of time. However, I
believe that Budgerigars benefit from a
very strict routine about feeding. The routine is almost as important as the
food itself. I purchase enough
seed and Scottish groats for the whole breeding season. I never like to make any
feeding changes during the breeding season. I am fortunate to have enough
storage room in my birdroom to be able to store enough seed for the year, I
usually purchase from a local supplier and pay the driver to carry it to the
birdroom. Recently, I have realised
how many of the successful breeders in the country are using TRILL and have
decided to introduce this to my birds for this breeding season. I have not
changed completely so I also feeding a mixture of my conventional mix and TRILL I am one of the
fanciers who still feeds soaked groats. These are washed, soaked, dried and then
washed through a second time before they are dried again and given to the birds.
They are soaked for 24 hours but the whole process takes three days before they
are fed to the birds. My birds love the groats and they are a huge advantage to
the hens while there are chicks being fed in the nest-boxes. For years I have been using
EMP softfood but this year I have
been mixing it with the TRILL softfood. This is fed dry but mixed with the
groats together with the addition of grated carrot. Budgerigars do need some
form of softfood. The softfood / groats mix is offered to the birds several
times a day during the breeding season, especially while there is chicks in the
boxes, however, to be sure the birds are familiar with the mix when they are
breeding, it is fed the birds in the flight, a couple of times a week during the
prebreeding months. Budgerigars love millet
sprays when they are breeding. I purchase 14 boxes before the birds are paired
and this lasts me throughout the season. The sprays are soaked and washed
through with fresh water, however, they are fed to the birds dry. These are
especially beneficial to the pairs when they are feeding youngsters, when the
chicks have left the boxes and beginning to take seed for themselves. However,
perhaps the best time to offer millet sprays is when the youngsters are being
weaned in double breeding cages after they have been taken from their parents.
To these stock cages I attach show cages and a millet spray is used to encourage
the youngsters to enter the show cages. I have my doubts about the value of greenfood, I appreciate that it is loved by the birds but it is not always available and i am never sure about the benefits of feeding on an occasional basis, Greenfood is a way of feeding vitamins but I prefer to offer vitamins in the water - again used in conjunction with a rigid feeding programme. I use the Necton brand produced in Germany. I have used it for many years and have been pleased with the results. |