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helen

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Posts posted by helen

  3. Posted

    Thanks fro the kind words Emmy, all i have to go off is my own experience, they will let you know when they are ready to go on solids, i usually strat with some moist egg food mixed into the hand rearing food, but still carry on with the otyher aswell.

  11. Posted

    Read my post Helen!!! Yes too many supplements could lead to problems if you add one for the pot but if you have good results then keep up the good work.

    PS Like GP's vets have a very limited knowledge about specialist subjects..............

    Strange as it is from a avian vet and yes i did read your post.

  12. Posted

    Additives, supplements and treatments for illness are very different products and a varied diet does not mean it is a balanced diet, your birds will requiire dietry changes at different times of year to assist in egg laying, feeding youngsters, moulting and not forgeting the important build up for breeding condition, although zebra finches are not seasonal birds like canaries the same applies although in a more random patern.

    In todays world I do not think food is as valuable nutrition wise as it was, hence supplements can be usefull as less high quality food is required eliminating the possibility of birds carrying excess weight. Most vitamins are water soluble which means a constant supply is required, excess is past through the body, baring a few products in excess it is impossible for supplements to be bad for your birds.

    I have always used supplements for my birds from back in the 90 when i kept crested canaries. I have never had a bad breeding season which has been from any fault of the birds and been able to put birds on the show bench which have been received well..

    My advice for anyone looking to use supplements is understand your birds and look to fill any dietry gaps with a suitable product then study its affectiveness.

    Nick.

    I have sucessfully bred my birds and had good results both canaries and finches for several years without having to add supplements and have had good comments from the people who see my birds and buy them from me.

    Sorry i have to dis agree that too many supplements can do harm and not all do pass through them, and yes i have veterinary back up on this.

    Therefore in my opinion they should only be used as needed and in small amounts. Though everyone has different ideas and different methods and no one way is right or wrong.

  13. Posted

    There is nor right or wrong amount of time to spend with your birds, some days i spend more than others with them,d epending on if i am at work or not and i dont believe this has any affect on wether thet breed well or not, it is down to wether the birds are happy or not.

    If they have been in a aviary it is going to take time for them to adjust to being in cages and some may not adjust at all. I think it is just a case of being patient.

  14. Posted

    I dont think you need to add additives if they are getting a good varied diet. I do not add anything unless they are ill. I think you can add too much and that can be just as bad for them as not adding anything.

    Mine always have a cuttlefish and grit with charcoal, crushed oyster shell and powdered lime mixed in and i have no problems.

  19. Posted

    I think the weather has something to do with it, dont know about where you are but here, one minute warm, next cold, then raining and windy. I am convinced it is confusing them.

  24. Posted

    I had a star finch loose all its feathers apartfrom its head, wing and tail feathers, it was completely bald.We tried everything and had its feathers checked an there was nothing physically wrong. I nt the end it has grow all its feathers back, we think it was stress as when the we put it on its own, they all grew back.