Balance Their Diet for Good Health

Knowing what to feed your favorite feathered friends can be confusing. You may see labels with a large number of ingredients, but how do you know your birds are really getting the vital nutrients they need to grow and stay at their best? Above all, balance is the key to maintaining good health.

They need the right amounts of specific proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and amino acids to take advantage of each component's top nutritional value. The ratio your birds need depends on their breed. For example, some birds require a low-fat diet, while others need extra vitamins. If you are unsure of any specific dietary needs, check with your avian veterinarian.

Commercially prepared diets that are "complete" have added missing vitamins or minerals or safely altered their ratios for proper interaction. However, you still may choose to supplement for added benefit. If so, carefully administer your doses; overloading on nutrients can also cause imbalances and problems.

One way to ensure your birds are getting a good balance is to feed them a diet of variety. In the wild, birds take advantage of a wide range of food sources. You can duplicate this with a well-rounded diet. If you serve an all-seed diet, be sure it is fortified with added nutrients, and for all diets, offer meals and treats with different ingredients. This is because certain seeds and grains are deficient in select nutrients; some nuts exceed the recommended levels of fat; and some vegetables may provide little more to their growth and development than water and fiber. By feeding them varied treats and paying attention to their meals, you can easily keep them on the path to good health.