STEP 1 – RESEARCH YOUR BIRD
When making bird food for pet birds, it is best that you first research the specific nutritional requirements that your bird has. This is extremely important, since it will prevent you from constructing a diet that is not adequate for your bird. Even though some commercial bird food formulas market themselves as being “formulated” for specific types of birds, this does not necessarily mean that you can follow their ingredients as a guideline. Different birds may need different types of food ingredients in order to stay healthy, which can usually be found by researching your specific species of bird.
STEP 2 – GATHER YOUR INGREDIENTS
After you have figured out what types of ingredients need to be included in your bird’s diet, you can start carefully selecting your ingredients. It is always best to go organic, because the pesticides and chemicals in many inorganic food materials can be harmful to a bird’s health. It’s usually discouraged to use any type of fruit or vegetable that is not certified as being organic. Try to only select specific ingredients that are cited as being an essential part of your specific bird’s diet. For example, if your bird is not a seed-eating type of bird, refrain from using seeds in your homemade bird food formula. In addition to this, it is also advised that you use a powder-based bird food nutritional formula as the base for your homemade bird food formula. These formulas are usually very basic, and are meant to be used in conjunction with other food ingredients.
STEP 3 – MAKE YOUR FORMULA
Once you have decided on the proper ingredients to include in your bird’s diet, it’s time to compose your formula. Try to add each ingredient in the portions that are recommended for your pet bird’s optimum nutrition. For example, one popular recipe among some pet care specialists is made with applesauce, chopped organic fruit, cooked vegetables, organic eggs and cornmeal. The ingredients are baked in the oven until most of the moisture is removed, and then given as a food supplement to certain birds. If you are in doubt that your formula is able to provide proper nutrition for your pet bird, you can also include some high-quality commercial bird food in your bird’s diet. Most bird care experts agree that it is also important to give your bird special vitamin supplements in order for them to maintain optimum health.
STEP 4 – ADD VARIETY
The best way to ensure that your bird will receive proper nutrition is to create a comfortable range of variety in their diet. It’s essential that this variety be kept within the foods that your bird will be able to digest, since some birds have trouble digesting some high-sugar or high-fat food ingredients. Try supplementing your bird’s regular food formula with occasional treats of fresh nuts, chopped fruit or fresh vegetables. As every bird’s taste is different, you may have to do some experimenting in order to figure out which types of foods your bird will eat.