greg@uc780.umd.edu (04/06/91)
Over the past two years we have accumulated four cockatiels (two of whom are
a bonded pair, with their second clutch in progress) and two conures. As we
are looking to expand our breeding to include more birds, we had a question
of buying seed "in bulk". We have heard of buying 100lb bags of seed mix
(at around $35/100lbs, which is a big savings over $1.25/lb in a discount
pet place), and freezing the seed, aking out as needed. The questions we
have are:
(1) What are your experiences with freezing seed? Does this degrade the
nutritional value of the seed?
(2) Are there other methods for bulk purchases without compromising the
"health" of the seed in storage?
(3) Does anyone know sources of bulk seed mixes, including nestling food
and "fruit and seed" mixes?
All responses appreciated...
Gregory Wright BITNET: GREG@UC780
Internet: greg@socrates.umd.edu
"A bird in the hand is one less bird chewing on your antique chair."mm@lectroid.sw.stratus.com (Michael Mahler) (04/08/91)
In article <5APR91.19332754@uc780.umd.edu> greg@uc780.umd.edu writes: >Over the past two years we have accumulated four cockatiels (two of whom are >a bonded pair, with their second clutch in progress) and two conures. As we >are looking to expand our breeding to include more birds, we had a question >of buying seed "in bulk". We have heard of buying 100lb bags of seed mix >(at around $35/100lbs, which is a big savings over $1.25/lb in a discount >pet place), and freezing the seed, aking out as needed. The questions we >have are: [Mikki Barry, I'm sure, has vast experience with bulk feeding cockatiels, etc. You might want to contact here though I haven't seen postings from her in a while.] >(1) What are your experiences with freezing seed? Does this degrade the > nutritional value of the seed? Not really. Seeds don't have much nutrition anyway, so what's to be concerned about? 8-} Actually, if you freeze the seed and then thaw it and freeze it again, you can kill the moth larvae that live in the seed and turn into those little white moths. >(2) Are there other methods for bulk purchases without compromising the > "health" of the seed in storage? Sounds like you're doing it right. >(3) Does anyone know sources of bulk seed mixes, including nestling food > and "fruit and seed" mixes? Sun Seed makes what you describe, don't know a contact, sorry, maybe someone else does. Topper Bird Ranch sells in bulk as well. -- -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ What's said above has nothing at all to do with what's said by the company I work for.
ooblick@intercon.com (Mikki Barry) (04/09/91)
In article <5APR91.19332754@uc780.umd.edu> greg@uc780.umd.edu writes: >(1) What are your experiences with freezing seed? Does this degrade the > nutritional value of the seed? Yes. Not to mention the fact that most bulk seed is filled with contaminants. If you do a bacterial culture on *most* bird seed, you will have a culture plate that looks totally nuts. The only safe seed is seed that is cleaned. Preferably, twice. Kellog seed is one of these and is marked with a freshness date.
rdmiller@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Ruth D Miller) (04/09/91)
In article <5APR91.19332754@uc780.umd.edu> greg@uc780.umd.edu writes: > >(1) What are your experiences with freezing seed? Does this degrade the > nutritional value of the seed? > >(2) Are there other methods for bulk purchases without compromising the > "health" of the seed in storage? > >(3) Does anyone know sources of bulk seed mixes, including nestling food > and "fruit and seed" mixes? > I too would be very interested in responses to this: please post to net! Ruth
helen@argosy.UUCP (Helen Kastner) (04/09/91)
In article <2800AEEC.29D6@intercon.com> ooblick@intercon.com (Mikki Barry) writes: >In article <5APR91.19332754@uc780.umd.edu> greg@uc780.umd.edu writes: > >>(1) What are your experiences with freezing seed? Does this degrade the >> nutritional value of the seed? >Yes. Not to mention the fact that most bulk seed is filled with contaminants. >Preferably, twice. Kellog seed is one of these and is marked with a >freshness date. Mikki - can you post some information about Kellog? Company name, adddress, for instance; I don't think I've ever seen this brand out here on the West Coast. thanks. hk helen@maspar.com "Pragmatism? Is that all uunet!decwrl!argosy!helen all you have to offer?" Sunnyvale, CA - Tom Stoppard
greg@uc780.umd.edu (04/10/91)
VMS news reader, so I don't get article numbers.... >In article <5APR91.19332754@uc780.umd.edu> greg@uc780.umd.edu writes: > >>(1) What are your experiences with freezing seed? Does this degrade the >> nutritional value of the seed? > >Yes. Not to mention the fact that most bulk seed is filled with contaminants. >If you do a bacterial culture on *most* bird seed, you will have a culture >plate that looks totally nuts. The only safe seed is seed that is cleaned. >Preferably, twice. Kellog seed is one of these and is marked with a >freshness date. 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? Gregory Wright BITNET: GREG@UC780 Internet: greg@socrates.umd.edu "A bird in the hand is one less bird chewing on your antique chair."
ooblick@intercon.com (Mikki Barry) (04/11/91)
In article <1216@argosy.UUCP>, helen@argosy.UUCP (Helen Kastner) writes: > Mikki - can you post some information about Kellog? Company > name, adddress, for instance; I don't think I've ever seen > this brand out here on the West Coast. You can get hold of Kellogg at 1-800-627-5495
ooblick@intercon.com (Mikki Barry) (04/11/91)
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. Note: I am not saying that other products are bad. I have experience only with Kelloggs, Scarlett (bletch), Rowdybush (birds hated it), Pretty Bird (caused discoloration of feathers in baby macaws), Kelloggs pellets (my birds wouldn't touch it), and various forms of mixed seed sold by various pet shops. I'm only relating my own experiences and what I've learned about bird nutrition. I should also say here that bird seed bought out of bins in a shop should always be closely scrutinized. Oftentimes, employees pour big bags of bulk seed into the bins and scoop it out as customers request. This means that the buckets are opened and closed all day long, exposing it to insects, etc., and the stuff at the bottom of the barrel could have been there for months. Mikki Barry