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| Recipe & Treats
The milk used in the following recipes are for holding the mixture together. Since birds do not digest dairy
products as protien or as a fat milk should not be offered as a drink.
Beans and Rice
1 1/2 cups dry beans (mix of many kinds such as 15 bean soup)
1/2 cup split peas
1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup cracked corn
1/2 cup dried peppers
4 cups water
Soak beans overnight. Drain and rinse. Place in pan and cover with water. Bring to boil and boil 2 minutes. Let stand and cool 1 hour. Drain and rinse. Add all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until water is absorbed (about 1 hour). Cool and place in containers in refrigerator or freezer.
Banana Nut Oatmeal
2/3 cups oatmeal (not instant)
1 medium to large banana (sliced or mashed)
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/3 cups water
Bring water to a boil. Add all ingredients. Boil and stir 1 minute. Cover, remove from heat, let stand until cool.
Rice Dessert
1 cup brown rice
1/2 cup split peas
1 medium to large banana, sliced
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 tablespoon dry powered milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 cups water
Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until water is absorbed (about 45 minutes). Cool before serving.
Corn Bake
1/2 cup whole milk
4 cups corn
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup yellow corn meal
6 TBS. peanut oil
Mix all ingredients together.. Pour half of the mixture into a greased 8"x8" pan. Top with remaining corn mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Cool and cut into squares. Freeze until ready to use.
Rice Salad for Birds
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
1 can whole kernel corn
3 hard boiled eggs (chopped)
Cook rice according to the directions on the box. Cool and add drained whole kernel corn and eggs. Mix and serve.
Reprinted with permission from Missouri Cage Bird Association "Recipes Are For The Birds"
Birdie Bread
3 eggs
2/3 cup of milk
2 boxes of "Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix"
1 "Gerber's" Jr. size jar sweet potatoes or carrots
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup seed (optional)
1/2 cup pellets
Mix all ingredients in large bowl; bake in muffin tins or cake pans at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until done. Can be frozen.
Pasta and Rice
(This is for a big batch)
2 Cups- Organic vegetable pasta (orzo pasta)
2 Cups- Wild/Brown rice combo
1 Cups- wheat germ
2- Hardboiled Eggs
1 Cups- Frozen Spinach
1 Cups- Frozen Corn
1 Cups- Frozen Broccoli
1 Cups- Brussels Sprouts
First you cook up the rice and pasta (separately) and boil the eggs. Next you
boil all the veggies (only boil for about 5 min.) . Last but not least you
mash the Brussel Sprouts and chop up the broccoli and combine all ingredients.
Follow the serving size according to the packages.
Mixed Beans
Brown Rice
Vegetable Baby Food
Wheat Pasta
Oatmeal [Not Instant]
Frozen Mixed Vegetables
Hard Boiled Egg [Shell and All]
Cook each item separately according to the cooking directions on the food packages, then mixed them together. Once cooled store them into containers and freeze them. I find yogurt cups or smaller work well. To this recipe you can also add other vegetables such as broccoli, red peppers, alfalfa sprouts, so on and so fourth.
Birdie Granola
6 cups rolled oats
2 cups rice bran
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup hulled sunflower seeds
1 cup hulled pumpkin seeds
1 cup chopped unsulfured dried apricots
½ cup olive oil
½ cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp. powdered cinnamon
Mix oil, syrup, & cinnamon. Pour into dry ingredients. Mix well, 'till evenly coated. Spread onto large cookie sheet or shallow baking pan. Bake at 250 degrees for approximately 90 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
Store in airtight containers. Keeps quite awhile, though you may want to cut recipe in ½ for just a few birds. Makes a great snack, but high in fat & sugar, so don't overdo it!! If you're lucky, your birdies may even share with you! For variation, try other chopped nuts & dried fruits (almonds, filberts, peanuts, pecans, raisins, papaya, cranberries, banana chips, apple, etc.) Use natural, preferably organic ingredients. Enjoy!
Cream of Wheat Birdie Bars
Mix Cream of Wheat per instructions, adding powdered cinnamon, but NO sugar!
• Once cereal is cooked, add in crushed nuts, raisins, crushed banana chips, trial mix, etc.
• Add in desired supplements - I usually use protein powder and "Carrot Essence" (Organic dehydrated carrot powder.)
• Add organic flake mix (barley, wheat and oats) to provide additional texture and nutrition.
• Spread evenly in a small square pan, about 1-1/2 to 2" thick. Cover and refrigerate 1/2 hour to 1 hour until it gels firmly.
• Slice into cubes and serve!
Mineral Blocks
Mineral Blocks for Finches.
Posted by: George Ezzy - June 4, 2001
2 cups calcuim carbonate(garden lime)
1 cup grit from bird shops
3 crushed egg shells microwave for 5 minutes
1 cup charcoal
1 cup clean clay
1/2cup wood glue(non toxic)
Add water. Mix not too wet, put into containers to set. DO not put in sun to dry. I have been giving this mix to my birds for years. George. Member of the Finch Society of Australia.
Birdie Mineral Blocks
Posted by: Tommie - Poohmalley@aol.com - May 5, 1999
1 pound plaster of Paris
1/2 cup oyster shell
1/2 tsp Kelp (find at a health food store)
1 tbs salt
1 cup water
Mix this fast and have containers ready, small plastic bowls or ice cube trays work well. If you want to bolt them or twist tie them to the cage make sure you push the bolt or tie in while mix is wet. After they are set, smack the containers to release them.
CACTUS WREN BIRD WRANCH MINERAL BLOCKS
Posted by: Krista Collins - klc-slk@worldnet.att.net - February 16, 1998
Prepare muffin tins by lining with cupcake papers. I use cheap foil ones so I don't have to clean them, just store in clean plastic bags. Prepare wires or twisty ties by bending into a u-shape.
Ingredients: four pound box of dry plaster of paris, 1 cup dried egg shells (cook 2 min. in microwave oven), 2 1/2 tsp iodized salt, 1/2 cup oyster shell, 3/4 cup calcium carbonate (get at health food store), 1/2 box of bird charcoal, 1/2 cup parakeet sized bird grit, 5 1/2 cups water.
Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. Add water. Pour into 4 doz. muffin cups.
Mineral Block
Posted by: Dawn - dboone@epix.net - August 19, 1997
2 parts Plaster of Paris
5 parts Garden Lime
4 parts Bonemeal
1 part mineral supplement for birds
Mix in enough water to make a smooth gravy. Pour into paper cups the size you want. (I use the plastic SOLO cups..have many sizes) You can also use cute molds and add some food coloring to make pretty.
Insert a U shaped wire (small birds) or the bolt and drop washer of a diameter to cover most of the cup size (harder for them to break it off the bolt with big beaks..). Let cure for several days depending on size. When totally dry you may drill hole in them and hang on toys etc.
Tip: I like to crunch up a few Manu blocks and add to this.... Enjoy.....
P.S. If anyone knows how to make the soft chalky ones..please send. The small birds rather have them!
Mineral Blocks - chalky kind
Posted by: Judy - jblack@mackay.net.au - November 23, 1997
This recipe is from one of my Australian National Cockatiel Society newsletters.
Ingredients: equal parts of,
Plaster of paris (available at craft shops or Pharmacy)
Calcium Carbonate (my vet got this for me)
Garden lime
Mix these together with enough water to make mixture similar to pouring custard (don't have it too wet). Pour into containers/molds and add a piece of wire shaped like a U. Have about 2" protruding from the top, this is used to attach the block to something in the aviary. For molds you can use plastic cups, muffin tins, empty fast food containers. Allow to dry before removing from the mold.
You can also add your own vitamin or minerals or maybe a little grit to this mix. note : the calcium MUST be "calcium carbonate".
Cement Perches Recipe
Posted by: Raenett - - December 1, 1998
PVC pipe (Home Depot sells 10 ft. length for 70 cents). I use 3/4" inside diameter, but slightly larger for Cockatiels would be fine.
Duct or Masking tape
One 2" Lag screw per perch (I think that's what they're called; they have threads on both ends)
Two washers per perch (wider than the outside diameter of the pvc pipe and the appropriate size for your cage wire)
One wing nut per perch (to fit the lag screw)
1 bag all purpose sand
1 bag cement
1 tin can or something to hold the molds in.
Now comes the fun part:
Cut the pvc pipe to whatever length perches you want. If you're making more than one, cut them all at once. We have a lot of power tools, which makes it much easier. I usually make mine 6" long.
Now cut each piece of pvc pipe down the center, making a seam. This is not an easy task, but the cut doesn't need to be straight, and my seams usually end up jagged. I have used wire cutters, scissors, garden shears, and a Dremel to make these cuts.
Take the duct or masking tape and tape the bottom and the seam of each piece of pvc pipe, so that when you add the cement mixture, it won't leak out. Stand all of your ready to fill pvc molds in a can, open end up (I have a piece of 2x4 with holes pre-drilled to hold the molds).
Mix 3 parts sand to 1 part cement and add enough water to make it kinda smooth and pourable. MIX WELL, and add more water as needed. Pour the mixture into the pvc molds (a little overflow is better than not filling completely, because some of the water in the mixture will rise to the top).
Place a washer, followed by a wing nut, onto a lag screw, and place it into the center of the cement mixture. The washer will keep the screw from falling into the cement. Don't worry about any dribbles down the side of the molds, this is mostly water.
Let the cement set for several days,... the longer the better. If you become over anxious, your perches will fall apart when you take them out of the mold. I learned this the hard way. Once the cement has set, remove tape and spread the pvc pipe. Take a pair of pliers and pull the perch out of the mold by grabbing onto the screw, or in most cases you can push the perch through the mold once loosened.
When out, the perch will be smooth on the surface. I roughen them up by lightly sanding. If you don't have sand paper, you can use a file, emery board, or whatever. Attach the perch to the inside of the cage, one washer up agaist the cement, attach the other washer on the outside, through the cage bars, and secure with the wing nut.
That's it! I hope I didn't leave anything out. It sounds like a lot of work, but it really is very simple, and as I said earlier, the average cost per perch is 50 cents. The hardest part is cutting the seams and waiting for the cement to cure. Good luck!
This page was last modified on Sunday, March 14, 2010 01:37:21 PM
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