Post by beccilouise on Apr 8, 2016 5:10:04 GMT -5
Hello all! I've been reading up recently on the importance of seed sprouts for birds and have bought an organic, human-grade mix for Maya, as well as looked up how to prepare them. But I also found this! sproutpeople.org/just-for-pets/bird-seed-mixes/ these guys do sprout mixes for humans and animals, all using human-grade organic food, and also sell seed sprouters. The seed sprouters are quite expensive, and I genuinely think that that a jar with some netting over the top works just as well. I've also looked up the sprout mixes you can get and found that the following seeds/grains/lentils are really good for sprouting:
- Green lentils
- Red lentils
- Adzuki beans
- Mung Beans
- Flax seeds
- Alfalfa seeds
- Quinoa
- Sesame Seeds
- Mustard seeds
And all these are a really good size for quaker parrots. Apparently, the enzymes and proteins in sprouted seeds can help boost immune systems and lessen susceptibility to really dangerous diseases like aspergillosis.
My sprout kit currently consists of:
- a clean, disinfected jar that used to contain tomato sauce for pasta. I washed it with boiling water, fairy liquid, and then, once drained and dry, I cleaned it again with avisafe disinfectant, rinsed it and drained it again.
- Fine netting (found this on amazon.co.uk) and elastic bands
- Warm water
- Either grapeseed extract liquid or Food-grade hydrogen peroxinde at 3% (I chose hydrogen peroxide at 3% as it helps sprout seeds more quickly and is also less likely to interfere with healthy flora in Maya' gut)
- A bowl in which to drain seed sprouts when made
- A breathable container in which to store sprouts in the refrigerator for no more than three days.
These things were really easy to find. Maya LOVES the sprouts and everything I've read suggests they are really important, as the fat in the seeds is converted into healthy proteins and they contain Vitamin A, B and E, (in some cases, also vitamin D) which our birds often don't get enough of in their regular pelleted diets or through fresh vegetables
There are some good instructions for sprouting seeds here: www.vegetariantimes.com/blog/how-to-soak-and-sprout-nuts-seeds-grains-and-beans/
and there's one that specifically relates to birds here: www.birdchannel.com/bird-diet-and-health/bird-nutrition/sprouts.aspx although this article suggests Grapeseed Extract Liquid, which words, but is often not as potent a bacterial prevention as food grade hydrogen peroxide. I got hydrogen peroxide at 3% online from amazon.co.uk, along with elastic bands and fine netting. I bought this sprout mix: www.healthysupplies.co.uk/index.php?subframe=page&pagename=organic-sprouting-mix-250g&searchphrase=organic+sprouting+seed+mix&searchfrom=0&searchto=50 from healthysupplies.co.uk and this page also has basic instructions for sprouting. Hope this is a little bit helpful for some people!
- Green lentils
- Red lentils
- Adzuki beans
- Mung Beans
- Flax seeds
- Alfalfa seeds
- Quinoa
- Sesame Seeds
- Mustard seeds
And all these are a really good size for quaker parrots. Apparently, the enzymes and proteins in sprouted seeds can help boost immune systems and lessen susceptibility to really dangerous diseases like aspergillosis.
My sprout kit currently consists of:
- a clean, disinfected jar that used to contain tomato sauce for pasta. I washed it with boiling water, fairy liquid, and then, once drained and dry, I cleaned it again with avisafe disinfectant, rinsed it and drained it again.
- Fine netting (found this on amazon.co.uk) and elastic bands
- Warm water
- Either grapeseed extract liquid or Food-grade hydrogen peroxinde at 3% (I chose hydrogen peroxide at 3% as it helps sprout seeds more quickly and is also less likely to interfere with healthy flora in Maya' gut)
- A bowl in which to drain seed sprouts when made
- A breathable container in which to store sprouts in the refrigerator for no more than three days.
These things were really easy to find. Maya LOVES the sprouts and everything I've read suggests they are really important, as the fat in the seeds is converted into healthy proteins and they contain Vitamin A, B and E, (in some cases, also vitamin D) which our birds often don't get enough of in their regular pelleted diets or through fresh vegetables
There are some good instructions for sprouting seeds here: www.vegetariantimes.com/blog/how-to-soak-and-sprout-nuts-seeds-grains-and-beans/
and there's one that specifically relates to birds here: www.birdchannel.com/bird-diet-and-health/bird-nutrition/sprouts.aspx although this article suggests Grapeseed Extract Liquid, which words, but is often not as potent a bacterial prevention as food grade hydrogen peroxide. I got hydrogen peroxide at 3% online from amazon.co.uk, along with elastic bands and fine netting. I bought this sprout mix: www.healthysupplies.co.uk/index.php?subframe=page&pagename=organic-sprouting-mix-250g&searchphrase=organic+sprouting+seed+mix&searchfrom=0&searchto=50 from healthysupplies.co.uk and this page also has basic instructions for sprouting. Hope this is a little bit helpful for some people!
