Macaw Diets! What do you feed Yours?

[cavinandhope]

Hello again,

Ok I started this for one reason. I as a new owner of a B&G Hybrid have not learned all what Macaws eat. Yes I have read a lot of what they eat. But what I am wanting to know as many newbies to the world of Macaws, what does your Macaw like the best. That way I can get some good Ideas on what to feed my B&G. I have bought some mixture of fruits, vegies, an some other stuff I just can't remember whats all in it but he doesn't care for it that much. So I basically wasted my $$$ on it. I am here to learn so I can make my Macaw Happy an as healthy as possible so he can live a long life. So if you would like to List what you feed yours it would be a great help.

Thanks all

[Winged_Victory]

Originally Posted by cavinandhope

Hello again,

Ok I started this for one reason. I as a new owner of a B&G Hybrid have not learned all what Macaws eat. Yes I have read a lot of what they eat. But what I am wanting to know as many newbies to the world of Macaws, what does your Macaw like the best. That way I can get some good Ideas on what to feed my B&G. I have bought some mixture of fruits, vegies, an some other stuff I just can't remember whats all in it but he doesn't care for it that much. So I basically wasted my $$$ on it. I am here to learn so I can make my Macaw Happy an as healthy as possible so he can live a long life. So if you would like to List what you feed yours it would be a great help.

Thanks all

Our birds eat a mixture of fruits and veggies in the morning, apples, oranges, grapes, califlower, peapods, greenbeans, sweet potato, 7 grain whole wheat bread, pasta, chicken, banannas. Each day they get 4 or 5 of the above choices. During the day we leave Harrison's pellets in their dishes, some like them and some don't. In the evening we give them a nut mixture which varies with the size of the bird, walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, filberts, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, dried peas.

One of the best mixes we have found is one at Wallmart called 8 in 1. We use this in conjunction with a custom nut mixture we have made to order.

Birds are like people, they tend to like cetain things. Ours have learned to eat most everything we put in their food dishes.

We weigh our birds at least once a month and record their weights, we also weigh if we think one may be sick or feels light. Our birds weights vary due to the time of day we weigh them, but I always write the time of day in the speed sheet we keep their weights on. Our larger birds can vary 80g in a day, depending on what they eat and drink.

gary

[CKD]

Gary can you tell me who makes the 8 in 1 ? Or maybe send a pic of the bag. I am interested in this but do not have a wal mart close. Im hoping meijer carries it.

[cavinandhope]

What kind and where did you get your weighing machine. How much they cost? If you don't mind me asking.

[Winged_Victory]

Originally Posted by Christy

Gary can you tell me who makes the 8 in 1 ? Or maybe send a pic of the bag. I am interested in this but do not have a wal mart close. Im hoping meijer carries it.

I think Wallmart is the only one that has this brand. We tried to get it in larger quantities, from the manufactuar than the 8 pound bags and the told us we would have to contact Wallmart, it is only sold to them. There are many mixes out there but they are expensive compared to this product. This is not the only good mix out there but it is very good for value compared to the products you buy from a bird or pet store. We have many mouthes to feed and buy everything in bulk.

gary

[Winged_Victory]

Originally Posted by cavinandhope

What kind and where did you get your weighing machine. How much they cost? If you don't mind me asking.

We got ours on Ebay it is a very acccurate paint scale for adding coloring to paint. Our paint scale is over kill it weighs to the 100th gram and is explosion proof, orginal $cost 2,300, bought it on Ebay for 200. Some postal scales weigh in grams, but you need to check their capacity. If you look in the back of bird talk, they advertise them, most around 80-100 dollars.

A gram scale is a must if you have birds! Use a small perch with the scale.

gary

[MaryG1959]

I feed mine a mix of zupreem fruity and harrisons. If I pick up any other natural pellet, it gets mixed w/the zupreem. I use a good quality seed/nut mix, the more organic and natural the better I like it. I've tried the 8 in 1---I had a problem with it and ended up throwing out the whole bag.

I make a mix of 16 beans, wild rice, brown rice, barley, quinoa, flax seed, mixed veggies, greens (usually collards, kale, brocolli, turnip or mustard greens).....cranberries and sometimes some veggie pasta.

I make a large batch 1 time a week and freeze containers so it stays super fresh

I make birdie muffins and cookies. I've added hand feeding formula when they are under the weather---wheat germ, organic juices, eggs and lots of other things.

I have a dehydrator and dehydrate dandellion greens to mix in their foods and also dehydrate veggies and fruits regularly.

I don't feed peanuts

They get bananas, apples and other fruits occasionally.

I feed sweet potatoe occasionally baked and mashed w/peanut butter and other goodies (good for when they are under the weather as well). Barts fav is cream of wheat w/chopped nuts.

If we have spaghetti they get a bit of that. If we roast a chicken they get a bit of that.

I keep a mix of human grade nuts on hand---they get a few of those now and then as well. THey also get sunflower seeds (organic shelled), pumpkin seeds and pine nuts.

On occasion I'll boil a beet or two and give them that.

I keep flax seed, oats/groats, quinoa, millet, wheat germ, flax seed oil on hand and add it to different foods as needed.

I try to keep up on "what is good" for them and add and take away things as I get new information.

[parrotphile]

Hi,

I feed by GW macaw, Rose, an excellent nut and fruit mix by Dr. Harvey's. It's very fresh and she loves it. It contains shelled macadamia nuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, almonds, cashews, a few peanuts, and lots of dried fruits and veggies. I do not feed sunflower seeds at all. She also gets nuts in the shell--hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, brazils. She gets Zupreem pellets and fresh veggies and fruits daily. I also give a soft food mix daily; either i make my own or use Crazy Corn or Beak Appetite. She also eats table food like pasta, cooked veggies, or chicken.

[birdyland]

Fresh fruit and veggies, 2-3 different kinds each day - Apples are a staple, but the other choices are based on what's on sale at the grocery store.

I also feed a "treat" such as cheese or bread or bananna chips or birdie bread (see recipe section, there are several excellent recipes).

The birds also get a small amount of human table foods and seed or nuts.

[MaryG1959]

Last week I fed one of my blue and golds my hand!! :eusa_wall