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Herbs
Some peaple are really into herbs, feed one herb to a cup and let their birds select
which ones they want to eat. I don't have the time, inclination or space to keep an array of cups in my numerous flight
cages. I tried doing this to a lesser degree with my Pintailed Nonpareils, and if there is one truism
to birdkeeping it's: Give a bird a cup, and it'll shit in it more than any other use. I got sick of cleaning cups
with uneaten pasted herbs in them.
Instead I use Cathy DeHaan's of TwinBeaks Aviary 'Herb Salad'. Some of my birds really
seem to like it, while others completely ignore it. It's a combination of over 20 herbs. Try it or make your own
mix and see if your birds like it.
Ingredients:
Astragalus, Barberry, Chickweed, Dandelion, Echinacea, Elderberry, Garlik, Kelp, Lavender,
Licorice, Marshmallow (not the white sugary fluffy ones every sets on fire each 4th of July - the PLANT), Milk Thistle, Oatstraw,
Olive Leave, Pau d'arco, Plantain, Red Clover, Spirulina, Thyme, Valerian, Wormwood and Yarrow.
If you are interested, you can contact Cathy here:
| Herb Salad |
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| A combination of 20 herbs which can be fed in a separate side cup. My pintails LOVE it! |
I do feed fresh chopped herbs sometimes as a green to all of my birds. I just add
it to their egg food. Favorites incude dill, parsley, celantro, basil, thyme and rosemary. Don't go overboard
with these. While scientists will tell you that birds cannot taste, my finches beg to differ. Egg food that
is overwhelmed with celantro will still be there when you check back. A little is good. Too much is - well - way
too much! :-)
When I had a sick gouldian hen with an enlarged liver, I gave her milk thistle, licorice root
(not licorice candy) and turmeric . The vet thought she'd not live one week. She lived another four years
- even with a bulging liver. Take it for what you will. I also babied her (and cried like a baby the day she died)
and catered to her every whim so that she was as happy and healthy as could be expected for a tiny bird with advanced liver
disease. (She came to me very sick - I just didn't know a healthy bird from a sick one when I brought her home).
She even bred for me!!!!
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