[rec.birds] question on bulk seed

greg@uc780.umd.edu (04/15/91)

>In article <9APR91.21192001@uc780.umd.edu>, greg@uc780.umd.edu writes:
>> Ok, so you are saying that Kellog seed mixtures are ok?  But you are saying
>> that freezing does degrade the seed nutrition?  How do you handle feeding
>> moderate size bird collections less expensively then?
> 
>Freezing is only necessary when the seed is old in the first place.  Bugs, 
>larvae, etc., are a result of seed that is not put through a cleaning process, 
>and/or is too old.  Freezing also serves to reduce the few nutrients in the 
>seed that may still exist.
>
>I have 65 birds.  I buy 50 lb. bags of dated Kelloggs seed, mix it with Zeigler 
>pellets, sprinkle some Vionate and Nekton S on the top, and add E for the 
>breeders.  A 50 lb. bag of seed, retail, is about $35.00.  Zeigler pellets run 
>about $1.25 per pound in bulk.

Strange.  You are the only person I have talked to who has taken this stance
on freezing seed.  I guess I will do what I should have done in the first
place (no offense to the list), which is talk to my vet.  It is just that
I have 6 permanent birds, 4 babies and am looking to add 4 more permanent
birds in the next few months, and buying seed for $1.25 a pound does not
make much sense with 10 birds.

>Mikki Barry


Gregory Wright			BITNET:	    GREG@UC780                        
				Internet:   greg@socrates.umd.edu

"A bird in the hand is one less bird chewing on your antique chair."

stewartw@cognos.UUCP (Stewart Winter) (04/16/91)

In article <14APR91.22260171@uc780.umd.edu> greg@uc780.umd.edu writes:
>Strange.  You are the only person I have talked to who has taken this stance
>on freezing seed.  I guess I will do what I should have done in the first
>place (no offense to the list), which is talk to my vet.  It is just that
>I have 6 permanent birds, 4 babies and am looking to add 4 more permanent
>birds in the next few months, and buying seed for $1.25 a pound does not
>make much sense with 10 birds.

     I think with 10 birds (I'm assuming some larger parrots), they would
go through 25 lbs. in at most 2 months.  Fresh seed will (easily) keep
for longer than that if stored properly (cool and dry).  You shouln't need
to freeze it at all.  25lbs of seed sold in a 25lb. bag (not out of
some bulk container) goes from $16 -> $19 CDN (depending on type).

   Stewart
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