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Food for breeding canaries and other small birds

The breeding of canaries is quite simple if you have all the necessary implements, time and enough space to take care of it. The food is one of the fundamental pillars for the birds are healthy and strong well enough to carry out laying eggs and nestlings care. Here you will find information on balanced diets for canaries, Gouldians, finches, sparrows, cardinals, goldfinches and other small birds.
The basis of the diet is a commercial seed mix suitable for these species, mainly birdseed, hempseed, linseed, rape, oats, etc. This is a fairly complete diet and the birds can survive eating only this, but if you want to give them balanced nutrition and subject them to the extra stress of breeding, you should provide them with a richer and more varied diet.
The proteins are an essential nutrient during the breeding season. Females should be on a diet with sufficient protein from the beginning of spring, even before the breeding season begins. There are several excellent quality commercial preparations that come in paste form and are not expensive at all. If you prefer, you can also prepare your own cake using chopped hard-boiled egg with the shell (as a source of calcium) mixed with whole wheat bread or with striped cookies to form a paste. You should only leave this mixture for 30 minutes in the saucer, and then store it in the refrigerator to prevent it from rotting in the heat. Another very complete protein source is hemp seeds or mealworms , although many homeowners prefer not to use insects. A simple and inexpensive way to obtain highly digestible proteins is to germinate seeds , such as those of niger or rape (oily), and give them in this form to birds; they are generally very well received. They are a natural food also rich in vitamins, minerals, enzymes and chlorophyll.
Neither should fresh fruits and vegetables be lacking in a bird’s diet. You can use apples, grapes, spinach, cucumber, lettuces, poppies, dandelions, carrots, peas, endives, alfalfa, nettles. Just a small portion every day is enough, these foods should not be abused so as not to cause digestive upset. Remember to wash them well to remove traces of pesticides. At times of the year when fresh vegetables are not abundant, they can be replaced with vegetable baby food or dried vegetables.
Do not forget to leave a container with small pebbles at the disposal of the birds. When they ingest them, they help break down the hard shells of the seeds in the crop or gizzard. You can use shredded shell, which also provides calcium . A calcium stone that is left in the cage is also usually used , so the birds can take it whenever they want.
Finally, it is essential that the birds have a source of clean and fresh water always available. There you can add vitamins and minerals in case the bird needs them.

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