Need suggestions for new foster bird...

[MiniMama]

Hello, per previous post, I just brought home a yellow collared macaw as a foster bird. She has some issues, and one is she is frightenly thin. Her keel bone is way out there. Any suggestions on how to put some weight on her? She has already passed a blood panel and quite a few vet visits, so there isn't a medical condition behind this. She is also eating OK. Any suggestions for foods to try? Thanks!

[Monica]

Some cooked sweet potatoes with peanut butter, extra fatty seeds, lots of fresh foods, sprouted seeds...

[MiniMama]

What's an example of extra fatty seeds? She is getting almonds and safflower seeds right now...

[ROYJOY]

im not sure what the keel bone is? if it is the breast bone, the pectoral muscles attatch there. alot of flapping is required to build up that area. (flight)

[Monica]

Sunflower seeds, peanuts (careful on these)....

Bud, yes keel bone is breast bone...

[AmandaB]

Kari, our AV told us to give healthy starches....whole grain pasta, potatoes, breads, crackers. You figure, it adds lbs to us pretty easily!! LOL In addition, but you probably already know, to give the dark green and orange veggies. Cooked chicken is a great source of protein. Nuts are good to give as a source of fat and protein, but you don't want to overdo them because of the fat. You want her weight gain to be healthy.

[Ringneckmom]

What Amanda says is true. Keep giving lots of good healthy variety in stuff. Legimes (beans) are also a good source to use to help gain weight.
Just remember it will take some time for any gain to show. As long as you are feeding good quality nutritious food then she will gain weight albeit slower than we would like.

[RMSacha]

You can add some cheese and eggs into her diet...be careful--birds do not have lactaise but it does help. You can also add pine nuts to her diet and basically give her decent/healthy tablefoods.

Good luck! and Congrats on being a foster mom!

Bob

[Ginich]

Shameless plug, but ask Lynda (Lynjupiter) how we fattened up all the tiels and Tyler the cockatoo on BIRDIEBREAD, a healthy mostly organic treat. Most of the time, it is a treat but this is an adult bird who needs some serious calories, vitamins, starches and veggies. Perhaps you should check this out because that's what this product was originated to do. The fact that it is enthusiastically eaten by practically every FID it is offered to, is secondary.

[MiniMama]

thanks all, I've gotten some really good ideas here that I'll be trying out. I'll give you an update in a week or so!