DIET

[Wolf]

Try to consider nuts to be the same food group as seeds due to their fat and protein content.

[liz]

Yes, I know that nuts are high in fat. Almonds and walnuts are supposed to be the healthiest is why I chose them. I have some chestnuts in the freezer that I keep forgetting about. My friends brought me a peck basket of them. Myrtle loves them and ate 3 before I saw the worms inside (common if not sprayed). She didn't mind the worms so I put them in the freezer for her. I hope they are okay for her. They are low in fat.

[Wolf]

The best way to deal with chestnuts is to freeze them and then to cut two slits completely through the hull of the chestnut and then get a cheap aluminum pie pan and poke holes in it and then roast the chestnuts in that at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Then you check them and if the slits have opened up a little bit they are done and you can let them cool down and feed them to your birds or eat them yourself. You must cut the slits in them or they explode.

[liz]

I have never eaten cooked chestnuts. Raw ones are very good.

[liz]

Thursday
warm = faro mixed veg oatmeal okra
fresh = broccoli grapes celery
dry = oatmeal coconut almond-walnut-pine nuts-(2 Tsp for 7 cockatiels)

[britmon]

I made some "birdie pasta" that Espresso LOVES (and it's secretly healthy.....don't tell her though....) here is the recipe:
Veggie pasta made with tomatoes, carrots, and spinach

Sauce:
Garbanzo beans (canned and thoroughly rinsed)
A splash of olive oil
Red pepper flakes
Zucchini
Carrots
Fresh rosemary
Water

I put the beans, oil, and peppers in the microwave in a steamer container for about 3 minutes then let it sit for a minute. Then, I added the zucchini, carrots, rosemary, and water (enough water to reach the top of the beans. All other measurements are pretty much up to you) and blended until smooth. Toss it all together and voila! She gets 3 noodles with her morning meal a couple days a week and that is the first thing she goes for . I even had some and it tasted pretty tasty!

[liz]

My cockatiels treat garbanzo beans like soccer balls. They don't even want them in the cage.
Myrtle eats them (she eats everything) but Rambo does not like them.

My cockatiels have been eating too much grain. I would give them grain on their first plate and wait an hour before giving them veggies which they would pick at. The crushed nut plate was an hour later and they mostly use it to scratch in like chickens.

I changed the order and gave them mixed vegetables first this morning. They ate some but really complained about it. When I put the grain in they dove into it.

Is it harmful for them to eat so much grain? They especially like the Faro.

[Pajarita]

Mix the grain with cooked and either small in size or finely chopped veggies and they will eat the whole thing (they particularly like chopped broccoli, corn and baby peas).

[liz]

I tried that this morning. They still pick the Faro out first even though I mix it in with other grains.
They all like corn and broccoli. They pick at the carrots and peas. It is rare to see them eat seed now. I would hate to withhold Faro especially from Maggie. She sits in the corner facing the kitchen and calling me until I serve her Faro.

[Pajarita]

They might pick the grain first but they do eat the rest of the stuff, at least mine do.