Basic Nutrition Information for Small Breeding Birds

If you are an owner or breeder of small birds, it's important to learn the basic nutrition information for breeding birds. Breeding birds requires a special diet to keep them healthy and to prevent egg binding in the hens. Healthy bird diets are important for chicks to be born healthy and free from complications. A proper diet can not begin as soon as the eggs are laid. The proper breeding diet needs to begin well before the first egg is ever laid to keep all breeding birds healthy.

Basic Nutrition Information

Although small birds can successfully breed on a seed diet, the hen and offspring are more susceptible to disease and illness. Seed diets cause the offspring to grow and develop slowly; therefore, it's vital to provide the hen with adequate nutrition prior to breeding. Seeds should be offered along with green vegetables and whole grains, such as bread. Breeding birds require a high formulated diet to raise their young. The offspring will grow better after hatching if greens and grains are fed to the hens.

Calcium and Mineral Blocks

Hens need an adequate supply of calcium prior to breeding or they can suffer from egg binding, which results in death if left untreated. Bird diets need to include a cuttle bone and mineral block to provide the hen with the calcium and minerals she needs to lay healthy eggs with strong shells.

It's also a great idea to provide the hen with a high protein food. High protein foods that contain crushed egg shells can be purchased at most pet stores. The food is very important to provide to breeding birds because birds also require Vitamin D3 to absorb the calcium. Most often Vitamin D3 is achieved through sunlight but it can also be provided to the breeding birds as a supplement.

Protein

Protein should be made available to breeding birds prior to breeding season. Great protein sources for birds breeding are mealworms and shelled hemp seeds. Shelled hemp seeds are balanced with the proteins, fats, vitamins, and enzymes breeding birds require. Offering protein prior to breeding season will assist bringing your bird into breeding by altering hormone levels needed for a successful breeding season.

It's important to follow the basic nutrition information needed for small breeding birds because if nutrition levels are inadequate serious complications can occur. With strictly seed diets gout is likely to occur with breeding birds, as well as egg binding. For healthy offspring seeds should not be the only constancy in the hens diet. Healthy bird diets will reduce the risk of soft egg shells, egg binding, and ill offspring.

References:

"Canary, Finch, Small Bird Diets" AvianWeb.com

"Breeding Lovebirds" ParrotParrot.com

"Formulated Bird Diet" VeterinaryPracticeNews.com