HELP!!!

[ButtonquailGirl14]

so I have been feeding my buttons chick starter, when I read it was also healthy for them to have bird seed, so I sprinkled it in the cage every day when I noticed my button pair becoming very skinny when they had unlimited food. when I realized they would ONLY EAT BIRD SEED they refuse to eat chick starter now. I am conserned that it isn't very good for the so I stopped giving them bird seed and only offered them chick starter and for three days they ate NOTHING so I gave them bird seed. that is all they will eat now. is this so bad for them? I would think they would know what they should eat?


(they also are offered oster shell)

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

I heard you should give them half and half? (half chick starter half bird seed)

 

[blackdust951]

yes you should probably mix for now and and see if they eat it if they don't you might have to use game bird food or you could add protein supplements to the bird feed? also what protein percentage does each one have?

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

I already mixed it, they just pick out the bird seed and leave the chick starter

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

ill check

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Have you tried putting less seed everyday, instead of taking it away altogether? almost like a weaning process.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

yes! they are crazy!

 

[Binki]

Can you perhaps sprout the seeds to get more nutrition and protein from them? They may prefer greens

There are some seeds that are super nutritious when sprouted for just a few days

 

[DK newbie]

My buttons definitely prefer seed over their game bird feed and just like yours they don't touch their gamebird feed if seed is available. But you rarely find a seed mix that has more than 13% protein and buttons need at least 19%. So in general, I don't offer mine seed.
However I have tried what you did - scatter some in the cage every day - but never had them actually stop eating gamebird feed. Once they go hungry after eating all the seed, they have always started eating the gamebird feed again.
I have a small group of buttons living in a budgie aviary at my parents' place and there is always some fallen seed on the floor. Consequently they rarely touch their gamebird feed and get way too little protein. This has led to feather picking - only one of the 4 birds in the aviary still has feathers on her back. They look horrible. It's been going on for a year now, so even if the diet is corrected it's most likely become a habit they won't grow out of. You do not want that to happen to your birds, so make sure you get some protein into them.
Some people use meal worms to boost the protein. You can try this, but I never feed my birds meal worms, because there is a risk they'll mistake each others' toes for worms and hurt each other.
Sprouting the seed as Binki suggested is better than dry seed, but still not enough protein. Sprouted seed is wet though, if you mix it with the 'chick starter' (beware that might not have enough protein either - some chick starters only have around 17%) some of it should stick to the seeds so they are forced to eat it. Wet feed spoils quickly though, so don't give them more than they'll eat in a few hours.
Also make sure they get grit when eating seed - otherwise they have trouble digesting it.

I'm still very surprised they didn't eat for 3 days though. Sure there wasn't some left over seed or something somewhere in the cage? Or that they didn't just peck a little at the chick starter when you didn't look? If they ate the chick starter before, they know it's food and I have never had or heard of a button starving itself.
Even buttons that might never have seen a crumble feed in their life have eaten it straight away when I've served it for them - assuming there are no bugs or seeds available.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Can you perhaps sprout the seeds to get more nutrition and protein from them? They may prefer greens

There are some seeds that are super nutritious when sprouted for just a few days

I do that too