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- #961
As I'm not sure about how much your spoon is dishing out, I can't really answer that one well. If they seem well conditioned and it seems to keep them that way, it's more than likely enough. In the fall and winter months when bugs have moved more into hibernation, I start feeding in the morning instead of the evening. That season changes the amounts being fed as well because they aren't getting much out on range except the occasional bug and some greens. In that manner, you can get your feeding over with in the morning and they can find what they can find the rest of the day.
Don't be tempted to see their eating in "meals" like you would a human and think oh, no! they are going all day with just the one meal and must be hungry! I've processed birds who ate a full 18 hrs previously as their last meal and their crops were still full of feed, as was the mid-crop and gizzard. They do not digest as quickly as a dog or cat or even us humans as they have no teeth for grinding their foods, so they take a good bit longer in the gizzard to work it into a digestible form. If you are feeding them in the evening, they still are digesting last night's meal clear up until late morning hours and beyond, depending upon what you are feeding~any whole grains take longer. They really are only going without food for a very brief time until it's feeding time once again...and in that time they are foraging out on range.
Sounds to me like your birds are and will be getting plenty of nutrition with what you are feeding. You might want to move towards a scoop type serving to lessen your time and work and it also lets you get a better idea of what you are feeding as the scoops generally have cup measurements. The standard scoop is a 2 cup scoop. They also make a more sturdy stirring tool when you mix feeds a little thicker.
Don't be tempted to see their eating in "meals" like you would a human and think oh, no! they are going all day with just the one meal and must be hungry! I've processed birds who ate a full 18 hrs previously as their last meal and their crops were still full of feed, as was the mid-crop and gizzard. They do not digest as quickly as a dog or cat or even us humans as they have no teeth for grinding their foods, so they take a good bit longer in the gizzard to work it into a digestible form. If you are feeding them in the evening, they still are digesting last night's meal clear up until late morning hours and beyond, depending upon what you are feeding~any whole grains take longer. They really are only going without food for a very brief time until it's feeding time once again...and in that time they are foraging out on range.
Sounds to me like your birds are and will be getting plenty of nutrition with what you are feeding. You might want to move towards a scoop type serving to lessen your time and work and it also lets you get a better idea of what you are feeding as the scoops generally have cup measurements. The standard scoop is a 2 cup scoop. They also make a more sturdy stirring tool when you mix feeds a little thicker.