What do u feed your Kikes? - We are just small scale 'hobby' breeders...not anywhere as experienced as most of the members here. Our birds started off with a std parrot mix and a good supply of salad, fruit and veggies. After a bit of experimentation, we found: Veggies Puha, dandelion, celery, capsicum, alfalfa sprouts, mixed bean sprouts, carrot, Silverbeet mainly stems, cauliflower mainly stems, Broccoli mainly stems. peas, runner beans, sweetcorn, cabbage stems, nasturtiums leaf flower seed. Fruit: rose flowers and hips, fusha berries, grapes, apple (no seeds) pear (no seeds), oranges , grapefruit, NOT avocado Sundry: Occasionally a few cat biscuits, old weathered animal bones , cuttlefish, worms. Feeding Veggies. We found there was a huge wastage of veggies if pieces where too big, and also messed up the bottom of the flights. We noticed that peas, sweet corn bean sprouts where not part of this debris, the diff being their size. So the stems and leaves where chopped up into pea size, and a salad mix made of all the veggies. This produced a lot less waste with the birds tending to grab a piece and moving to another perch to nibble and consume. Their feeding tended to be more grazing, over longer periods on fresher food. A mix is made up to last 3 to 5 days, kept in the fridge a sealed container. From mating season thru to end of weaning, feeding is 2x a day, 'rationed' at 1 good hand full /small bird(Kike)/day And 1 very generous hand full/large bird (crimson/king)/day...just over 1/2 this out of breeding season. (see further notes below) Feeding Fruit: Grapes, fusha berries etc would not be mixed with the salad mix as it would tend to go mushy, instead would be added to the veggies at feeding time. Apples citrus etc cut in 1/2 and stuck on small branches to be consumed over several days. 1 or 2 fruits at a time, alternating and depending whats is in season and on our fruit trees at the time. Personally I think there is a relationship/natural balance between diet requirements and the season in which fruit is abundant. Feeding Sundries: These are always available to the birds, either mounted (cuttle fish) or on the floor of the flight (weathered bones). Worms we dig out of the compost bin. We lightly wash and leave them in the container for several hrs, then wash well. I read a study somewhere on the wild feeding habits of Kikes and the grubs/insect/ protein intake was rather high. I do think this area of feed needs more investigation. This is why we raid the cat's dish occasionally and feed a few cat biscuits. Has anyone tried giving the birds fresh chicken/chop bones left over from the dinner table? Supplements/ manufactured/dried/ processed foods: nil ....see cat biscuits above. Comparing the volume of seed with fruit/vegetable, the latter seems to be the greater source of food for the kikes, estimated at 60 to 80% of the total. Approx 2kg of the salad for pair Kings, pair Crimsons, 3x pair kikes will last 4 days plus fruit. I don't know if the % add up, they are a guesstimate, and wastage is very little. Controlling waste: As mentioned in another thread I had a Sulphur Crested yrs ago...he used to waste food bad. Working on the assumption that parrots are rather intelligent, and have the ability to learn and remember, I would hold food back, ration for couple days. He stopped wasting after several sessions over few weeks and learnt to 'respect' his food, it was a continuing process. We do the same with all our birds, now they grab what they want, fly up to a perch eat and return for the next piece. Also of concern is over feeding/lack of activity and over weight. As this is a continuing process, occasional rationing keeps over weight in control. By watching what and how much is on the ground at each feed, one gets a good idea how much they get for that feed....it also reduces contamination and dirty flights. Similar to the principle to over feeding fish tanks I suppose. When ppl visit, experienced bird ppl, and casual visitors, they are amazed at the intensity and almost 'florescence' of our bird's plumage, along with their size. I am sure much of the size has to do with the genetic source of our birds and they are not artificially raised, letting nature follow its flow as much as possible. Please post thoughts on the above, what u feed your birds, and why? These forums are here to share, question, suggest, and disagree.

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manders
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Joined: Mar 26, 2010
Posts: 83

Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 3:35 am Post subject:

Anybody noticed that kaks love grass? they keep it mowed like a bunch os sheep. sometimes we pull up a handfull, roots, weeds and all and throw it in the aviary, they go mad for it.

Gee
Snr Member

Snr Member

Joined: Feb 05, 2011
Posts: 207

Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 5:28 am Post subject:

Yup, I've noticed. http://youtu.be/c6AedaYIURY Those aren't my birds by the way.

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