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More Egg Food Goodies
Flaxseed Meal - To start with, Flaxseed is also known as
Linseed. While you can make your own Flaxseed meal, I prefer to purchase mine. You can find it at any health
food or whole foods type store. It should be stored in the fridge for optimal nutrition. Some birds won't eat
Flax Seeds. Flaxseed meal is an excellent alternative to feeding whole Flax Seeds.
What are the benefits of Flax Seed or Flaxseed Meal? They contain the following:
Fatty acids including EFAs and especially ALA, all amino acids including essential amino acids, the carotenoids lutein and
zeaxanthin, Tocopherols (Vitamin E family members), most of the B Vitamins and the minerals calcium, manganese, magnesium,
phosphorus, potassium, selenium, zinc, copper and iron. Flax also has trace amounts of aluminum, barium, cadmium,
chromium, cobalt, lead, molybdenum, nickel and tin.
Flax may actually calm inflammed intestines. For humans with high LDL and cholesterol
problems, Flax helps to normalize these potentially dangerous body fats. Flax also has antioxidants. And of course,
Flax Seed and Flaxseed Meal provides fiber. There's a lot to like about Flax, but all birds do not necessarily
eat Flax Seeds.
| Flaxseed Meal |
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| Whole flaxseed ground into a meal is a nutritious additive to egg food. |
Even if your birds do like Flax Seeds (my Bengies are bonker for them),
anyone who shows birds knows all too well about sticky seed. Flax is very high in mucilage. Once it gets
wet, it will stick to any and everything, dry there and become a permanent fixture: the walls, the cage or a bird's
vent when a discerning judge is evaluating your prized finch. In the first two cases, the seeds are easily enough scraped
off - but I know many who just don't want to be bothered with doing that. After having my birds in an area with
hardwood flooring and using a seed mix with Flax, I too had enough of scraping Flax.
| Flaxseed Meal and Wheat Germ |
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| These are two finner ingredients that come ready to use and can be added to egg food. |
Flaxseed Meal is another way to get all the benefits of Flax into your birds' diet
without the sticky seed problem or the finicky eater problem. Just add it to egg food - they'll eat it. As for
your bird in the show cage with the Flax stuck to his bum, odds are the judge is going to put it down for that sticky seed.
Never use Flax Seed in a show cage mix.
SPROUTING FLAX SEED?
I once read that you can sprout Flax seed. I tried it. I got a gooey mucilagenous
gloppy mess that never sprouted and finally grew mold. No amount of washing will rid the seed of mucilage. In
fact, the more water you use, the slimier it becomes! While small amounts of Flax in a sprouting mix are fine, don't
bother trying to sprout Flax by itself. Unless you like goop.
See Fats & Oils section for the benefits of Flaxseed Oil.
| Wheat Germ |
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| An excellent source of B vitamins and EFAs, Wheat Germ can also be added to Egg Food. |
Wheat Germ - Not only is Wheat Germ Oil beneficial, but so is Wheat Germ. Wheat germ is the embryo of wheat grains and it has Vitamin
E, many B Vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc as well as CQ10 (coenzyme Q10) which is a powerful antioxidant. It also
has the EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids) linolenic and linoleic acid - the good ones everyone wants to eat.
Like Flaxseed Meal, Wheat Germ can be added to egg food since it is a fine
bran. Wheat germ should always be stored in the fridge to maximize its shelf life since it contains oils.
See Fat & Oils section for the benefits of Wheat Germ Oil.
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