# Feeding concerns - is bread ok, and excess urine?



## Love my bubs (Aug 26, 2012)

Hi my birds have recently had 4 babies (oldest about 5 days old, youngest 2 days old) and they are doing a stella job feeding them, though all they want to eat is bread, no matter what I offer them (veges, egg and biscuit etc.) Its healthy bread with grain etc. so I hope it is ok. 

Also, dad is doing huge squirty poos that stink! mostly urin by the looks of it. Not a funny colour, just alot of it, and very watery. I understand this can happen when they are stressed, and feeding babies 4 babies non-stop would do this, but just want to know what others think? He look healthy otherwise, they all do 

Thanks, Sarah, Leo, Lulu and bubs.


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## xNx (Jun 6, 2012)

Why on earth are you offering them biscuits?! Do they eat seeds? Have you tried offering them rice?


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

xNx said:


> Why on earth are you offering them biscuits?! Do they eat seeds? Have you tried offering them rice?



xNx, there are "biscuit" mixes for birds that some breeders feed their birds. 

http://www.vetafarm.com.au/products/EGG-AND-BISCUIT-FORMULA.html


see? it's often used as a rearing food for chicks.





to the OP, the watery droppings can be from stress, but keep watch--if they continue for more than a day or two, they can be cause from illness and I'd have him checked  they can also be nest poops, where he stays in the nest most of the day. they often smell pretty bad


as for bread, whole wheat is better, I feed mine some toast as a treat once in awhile. Just would not offer it too frequently. maybe a small quarter piece of a slice a week per bird.


i would also be feeding them some seed in the diet (sprouted seed is awesome for birds, especially those rearing chicks and laying!). the diet is lacking a bit. i'd also offer pellets along with the seed to supplement their diet.


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## xNx (Jun 6, 2012)

Oh I actually thought proper biscuits! Nonetheless I wasn't trying to be rude haha ied lovie:


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

haha no harm done!!


actually, thinking about something for the OP, since they want bread so much, why dont you bake some Birdie Bread for them? it's VERY healthy, it's a great way to sneak in healthy goodies they may not otherwise eat. You can chop or grate veggies very very fine, crush some pellets into a powder, add a variety they might not otherwise touch. it would be the best solution for them


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## cknauf (Aug 27, 2012)

You can always puree some veggies and use that instead of water in the recipe--I've done it with kale to good effect. Pure canned pumpkin can also be used in place of (some) water to sneak in some goodies in birdie bread.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Organic multi-grain bread is Buster and Shodu's favorite baby food. I give them a LOT of it when they're breeding, and the chicks are healthy and strong. They get a lot of other high-nutrition foods too of course. Pellets are a very desirable baby food if the parents are willing to eat them. The parents eat the dry pellets and then drink water, and it turns into a nice soft high-nutrition mush. Soft foods are easier for babies to digest than hard dry food like bird seed.

It's important for the babies to get high-quality nutrition because poor nutrition can lead to lifelong health problems. I have information on breeding diet at http://www.littlefeatheredbuddies.com/info/nutrition-tieldiet.html#breeders


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## Love my bubs (Aug 26, 2012)

Thanks guys, good to hear others feed them bread as it is literally all they are taking. I have made up and egg and biscuit batch (from the pet store) and mashed up potatoes and peas and porridge which they sometimes like but they dont want it. They are eating seed as per usual and I introduced them to pallets a year ago but I dont think they eat much of them. I have it all mixed in together for them. And dads poops are better now. 

Sadly though we lost a baby, had a bung leg and was rejected. But another one has a bung leg. Please see my other post with a photo as I am not sure whether to try to save him or let nature take its course. He still seems strong to keep going but I just dont know what kind of quality of life he will have


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## Love my bubs (Aug 26, 2012)

For the record, I made them birdie bread and they didnt want it. Spewing because it was super healthy, made with wholemeal flour, sweet potato, broccoli, peas and corn!

Oh well, I ate some of it


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

You could try crumbling the bread they will eat over the birdy bread or their seed over it and see if that attracts them.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

My flock refuses birdie bread. They like corn but they don't like corn meal, and won't even steal corn bread from me (but they'll steal any other kind of bread that I'm trying to eat).

I hope your birds have started feeding the babies more than just bread. Whole grain bread is nutritious, but it can't provide a balanced diet all by itself and your babies are likely to have nutritional deficiencies if they aren't getting other foods.


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