Feeding the Feathers

 

 

Feeding the feathers: The reasons we do what we do ... here at Whitewings Farm.

 

     When I first got involved with birds an avian vet said to me; "... no matter what you do, or how hard you try, unless you import fresh, raw foods from the country of their origin, you're not going to be able to feed the birds as they were created to be fed. And even then you may not get it right. We don't know all they eat, or enough about how the seasons run in providing what they eat, in the wild, to be able to duplicate it. That's a fact. So, you do the best you can. Keep as much of it as raw as possible, get as much green stuff in them as possible, plenty of beta carotenes, and a good vitamin mineral supplement...and pray. DON'T get complacent and DON'T drive yourself and them, crazy." And that was just about the last and best advice I got from him. AS the years have passed, it is still about the best allover general advice I've gotten from anyone. It turned out on many long talks with him, that in avian veterinary practice most of the illnesses presented by feathered bodies, are due primarily to poor diets, and secondly to poor housekeeping on the part of their human companions. Both things can be corrected, and made right. It just takes a little time, and effort on your part, since thanks to you and I and others like us, they are no longer able to go out and fend for themselves.

 

     Food: An assortment of fresh grains on hand at all times. Presoaked for 24 hours to begin germination and hence increase their nutritional value. Serve cooked, or raw and sprouting. Raw veggies, put through a food processor and stirred into the grains, or into cooked rice or hot noodles, makes it impossible for too much 'fling' to be flung. Especially of the most important foods, that they need to be eating. Such as raw Kale and raw carrots. We put all the veggies except a few through the processor. Corn on the cob, is served whole, as are fresh green beans and whole podded peas or lima beans. Baby OKRA for some reason that totally escapes me is considered a total delight by most of the birds. All peppers seem to be also. As are baby cucumbers, and baby zucchini. We try to feed our flock following the seasons as much as possible. It is more in keeping with the way they are accustomed to eating, by nature; and it is also, by nature, easier on our checkbook. Fruit is kept to a minimum although served daily. I often combine my own mixes, such as Piccolo's Porridge, or Pye's Pea Soup with the presoaked grains. We have several birds with whom we have to watch protein intakes and so seldom are these things cooked together, but rather separately, and combined just before serving for the majority. The Sweet Potato Surprise, being bean and pea free, is, happily, one that can be served with a clear conscience to our 'elders' without fear of overburdening ancient kidneys with extra proteins.

 

     Treats consist of bird bread, nuts, and low fat bread sticks. I will never admit to the likes of cheetos or ice cream, but I won't deny it either. We just really try to keep that sort of stuff to such a minimum as to be almost non-existent. When the grain/noodle/veggie/porridge combination is done, I stir in SEED. Seed has gotten a really bad rap. Somewhere, sometime, someone said, " an all seed diet is a bad thing".., and from that day on bird people translated that statement into ... "seed is a bad thing." That is NOT what the man said, and it is NOT what is true. Seed, in it's own context, is something that provides certain enzymes, amino acids, proteins, fats, etc. that the feathers need. That they would be getting in abundance, in season, could they but fly to wherever such seeds were growing. As it is, I stir the equivalent of 1 tablespoon per bird per day into the food. Three cups of small hookbill garden mix (Sleek and Sassy) gets tipped into the finished mix. Please remember I am feeding 50 beaks here. They all get served the same food...just the proportions vary. I wish to say that but for my two emotional pluckers, all are sleek, shiny and in fine glorious feather. And those two are improving...slowly but ever surely.

 

     To provide the proper amount of Essential Fatty Acids ... we give either drops of Cold Pressed Flax Seed Oil ( kept refrigerated) on the food, daily, OR we have stirred in flax seed itself. I prefer the Oil...I then KNOW they are getting it. So five days out of seven...they get the oil.( do not cook or presoak the flax seed. It goes VERY nasty and glomps up)

 

     To put their crops and intestinal workings all back at full flora and functioning, following a round of antibiotics, or ANY meds from the vet: Natren's MegaDolphilous. Also kept refrigerated. Regular antibiotics don't just kill the bad bacteria...they also kill all the good flora/bacteria's needed to keep your birds innards working properly. WE also give it weekly for elderly birds, ( over 35 years of age).

 

     Apple Cider Vinegar: Raw.  Unpastuerized.  For the first two weeks of every quarter, and again, following a meds treatment by a vet.  I put this into their drinking water; 2 Tablespoons per quart of water.  They love the taste, and we have had not a single yeast infection since we began.

 

     Garlic: raw or granulated used for the first week of the quarter, in concert with the Apple Cider Vinegar. A pinch on their foods, or as I do it, some cloves into the processor and served raw in the foods. (remember,50 birds here.) Garlic is one of nature's antibiotics, only it doesn't mess with any of the good stuff...it just inhibits the bad. Lovely plant.

 

     Powdered Alfalfa, Wheat Grass, Barley Grass: Used in rotation, daily, on everyone's food. We used to use Hagen's Prime Vitamins, but all the vitamins and minerals there are NOT from a vegetable source. We have several very elderly birds, and are very careful to be sure and give everything from as close to totally natural (to their systems) as we are able. I use just a good solid pinch for each bowl every morning.

 

     Calcium Supplements: We use one from the health food store. It's from SolaRay and comes in capsules. The grays get it twice a week, the elders the same. Molting birds get it when the feathers start growing back in, pluckers when plucking activity seems to accelerate for some reason. Calcium is a very good natural calming agent, and this particular one also has vitamin D included with it.

 

     That's a general all over view of how we do and why we do it. It changes and improves as I learn more, and as the knowledge being gleaned out of the natural habitats of the various avian species, is made available to me. I hope you have found it helpful. Any further help I can be, just contact me at WhitewingsFarm@centurytel.net. I'll help if I'm able.

 

Gloria at Whitewings Farm