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There are lots of commercially
grown seeds that we can feed
to our finches, mules and hybrids.
Here is a list of some of them
and their nutritional values:
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to enlarge image |
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CANARY
SEED:
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Canary
seed usually goes towards making
up the bulk of any British finch/canary
mix.
It has small amounts of vitamins
and minerals and traces of oils,
it has around 50% carbohydrate
and a protein count of about
14%, which makes it ideal for
a basic feed, with other seed
added.
Other seeds which are in the
mix may be rape seed. |
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RAPE
SEED:
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There
are two types, black and red
these seeds have about 20% of
each protein and carbohydrate,
the remainder is oil, with a
small amount of water.
Another oily seed, which some
of the larger birds will relish
is sunflower, usually not included
in mixes it can be fed as a
tit bit. |
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SUNFLOWER:
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This
seed must only be fed sparingly,
as if "overfed” it
can cause problems, especially
for bullfinches.
This is caused by the birds
taking in to much protein and
fat, especially if housed in
cages.
Sunflower seed is said to contain
an average of 28% protein and
45% fat. |
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NIGER:
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seed is a small black elongated
seed, that resembles mouse droppings,
lots of times i have seen odd
bits on the shed floor and panicked,
but relieved when i looked further
into it, to see it is Niger
seed, again another seed with
high fat content (around 40%),
extra Niger can be given in
cold spells as it generates
heat so keeps the birds warm,
but as a titbit and not to much. |
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LINSEED:
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another oil seed, but linseed
hasn’t the same amount
of fat as the previous ones,
having an average of 20-25%
oil, protein and carbohydrate,
another seed usually found in
seed mixes is hemp seed. |
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HEMP:
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I
am unsure of the exact % make
up of hemp seed, but it is said
to have high levels of sulphur,
magnesium, potassium and other
elements.
It is high in fat, so again
careful monitoring of the intake
of hemp is required; bullfinches
and siskins` should only have
the minimum amount.
Birds seem to favour it but
feeding to much hemp does not
go with a balanced diet, often,
if over fed, birds will scatter
the other seeds around searching
for hemp.
Also within a mixture Maw seed
can be found again high in fat
it should be fed sparingly. |
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MAW
SEED:
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This
is a tiny blue seed favoured
by siskins`, it is said to contain
an average of 45% fat, i have
noticed my bullfinches and greenfinches
don’t seem to care for
maw seed, but the smaller ones
do, why this is so i have no
idea, perhaps their beaks are
to big.
Some people believe maw seed
carries certain medicinal qualities
as well and use it as a starter
seed when putting young birds
on hard seed. |
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MILLET:
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Millet
seed is very high in carbohydrates
(70-75%), and speaking from
personal experience i have found
it to be the least liked of
all the seeds mentioned, however
I find the "millet sprays"
are a good seed when transferring
young birds from soak seed to
hard seed.
It is an "in between seed"
not soft as soak seed, but not
as hard as hard seed, weather
its because its slightly soft
with still being on the spray
I don’t know. |
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