Softbill Food Recipe

[laurab]

Hi all

The gentleman I bought my Zosterops from recently sent me the recipe he uses for his softbills, it is -

Soft Bill Mix



This is the soft bill mix I use.

1 medium packet digestive biscuits.

1 packet 0 to 5 month malupa baby food granules (any fruit flavour).

½ pound peanuts crushed fine (I put them in a liquidiser and blow off the red skins).

1 pound fine insectivores mix.

Mix all together then add:-

½ pound cheddar cheese.

And then Runny honey to blend the mixture together to a crumbly texture.

The quantities in this mix will last for a long long time so cut down the proportions to suit the requirements for the birds. When the mix is dry it will last a long time until you add the cheese and honey. The waxbills also enjoy this mix.

I mixed this up today (half the quantity), and the Zosties including my older pair are eating it eagerly. Elsa's Golden Song Sparrows are also tucking into it....I'm sure it won't be long until the rest of the finches are going for it :wink:

I couldn't get hold of Milupa baby food so I used Cow & Gate instead, I am sure that any will be ok as it is packed with vitamins etc. :grin:

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Laura,

I'm sorry for not passing on the the exact ingredients for the Zosterops,:roll: but I'm pleased you have chased up the exact ingredients used by Ken for his Softbills.

Until now I have used a mix consisting of Digestive Biscuits, Witte Mollen Eggfood, Honey and powdered vitamin supplements, certain birds I have, have taken to this very well, but with Kens complete recipe I hope the rest of my birds will take to his recipe in the next few weeks?

Paul.:wink:

[laurab]

Not a problem Paul, you had enough to do on the day.

I am pleased to say that even my fussy starlings are eating it!!

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Laura,

I'm pleased your Starlings have taken to Kens recipe, I hope with a tweak here and there that Kens recipe will be a good enough base for all of the birds I have ranging from small Finches up to large Softbills?

I will let you all know how I get on with varying the diet for all of my birds.

Paul.;)

[Waxbillman]

i might give this recipee a shot at some point, it seems very good

Matthew

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Laura and Matthew,

I'm thinking about trying the above mixture and experimenting by adding various other ingredients such as, chopped dry fruit, sponge cake, (possibly Bee Pollen?), Spirulina powder etc. And I may use a meat and vegetable Milupa instead of Fruit Salad for the larger Softbills and include Chick crumb also?

Also I was thinking of trying out the above mixtures and including Cous Cous to provide a more moist mixture when the birds are feeding young?

What other ingredients do you suggest that could be included, or will you just stick with the tried and tested mix?

Paul.;-)