I'd like to try the seed soaking thing...

[Danielle]

But I'm a little confused. I've read so many posts saying that soaked seeds are more nutritious and attractive to birds. I can see why birds would like them better, but how does adding water increase the nutrients?

I soaked some of the seed mix that Mozart's been on from the pet shop last night. I divided the batch in half, and half was drained and put in her dish on top of some paper towel (she's eating it as I type), and the other half has been prepared for sprouting. I understand how sprouts would be more nutritious, too, but I just don't understand the benefits of soaking.

So basically, I have three questions:

1. How does soaking make the seeds more nutritious?
2. How often should I feed sprouts and/or soaked seeds?
3. What is the best kind of mix to sprout or soak (cockatiel mix, parrot mix and so on)?

I'd rather just buy a lot of cheaper seed than have to send away online for a specific sprout mix , but if you know a good sprouting mix that's available in Australia, I'd be interested to look into it.

[skthurley]

From what I understand, sprouts are healthier then just soaked seed.... but soaked seed is very healthy as the germination process has been started and thus they have begun to grow into plants.... and this makes the seed much healthier.... There is also more, But I have limited specific knowledge.


I feed both my birds soaked/sprouted seed every day. They get very little dry seed.

As for what I soak, I have a finch and budgie seed mix which is mainly red and white millet, and I just soak and sprout that. I also purchased some canary seed mix at my local bulk food store and it contains oat groats, niger seed and canary seed. I mix all the seed together, soak and sprout them, then offer it mixed in their breakfast veggie mash.

I also sprout mung beans, adzuki beans, and green lentils.

[sweetrsue]

Millet sprouts real easily and there's always a few loose seeds at the bottom of a bag.

[Danielle]

I don't like this mix she's on from the pet shop, so I'm very eager to hike up the nutritional value until I can locate the seed I want for her. The soaking makes much more sense now, thank you for the explanation.

Incidentally, I seem to have stumbled across a fantastic natural sprouting box; I had an empty q-tip box, it's rectangular and clear plastic with a lid and four small holes in the bottom. I put down a layer of paper towel, the soaked seeds, and another layer of paper towel, then closed the lid and put it on a windowsill that gets strong sunlight. It's worked perfectly as a little self-contained greenhouse, and the millet and sunflower seeds have almost all started to sprout.

[Danielle]

I do have one other question;

I know sunflower seeds are the ultimate junk seed, but when they sprout, do they become healthier? Or should I limit even sprouted sunflower seeds?

[skthurley]

I don't sprout sunflower seeds, but I think it would be ok to offer a few to your bird. Maybe 3 at the most per day?

[Aly]

I do have one other question;

I know sunflower seeds are the ultimate junk seed, but when they sprout, do they become healthier? Or should I limit even sprouted sunflower seeds?

Sprouted seeds are better due to them being fresh springs of the plant. I do want to mention something though. Sunflowers are not as bad as they're made out to be at all. They acctually contain alot of beneficial essential fatty acidsand minerals. It's one of the richest sources of vitamin e, calcium, iron, magnesium,potassium, vitamin d and a.
Vitamins increase during sprouting when the seeds are producing a new life. Vitamin a increases, vitamin e, vitamin D, vitamin B. All good things in moderation.

[katar76]

Here is some interesting info on sprouts http://www.landofvos.com/articles/sprouts.html Have fun!:)

[tielfan]

Germination sets off a lot of chemical reactions in the seed that increase the desirable nutrients. It gets the energy to do this by burning off some of the fat content, which is also beneficial.