Homemade cockatiel feed?

[Everose]

I just recently decided that I want a cockatiel, I've never had a "pet bird" before but I've always wanted one and cockatiels look like a perfect fit.
After reading about their nutrition and looking at the ingredients on dozens of bags of feed I've been wondering if I could make a homemade mix. I order tons of grains in bulk every month from azure standard, I already have most of the ingredients I see in bagged feed.

So I was wondering if a homemade mix could meet my pets' nutritional needs? I see lots of fortified vitamins and whatnot in the feed and I was thinking maybe there's a supplement I can add to the water to keep my cockatiel healthy? Could a diet of whole (or crushed, soaked, sprouted) grains, nutritional yeast, proteins, and fresh fruits and vegetables be sustainable and healthy?
I want to be able to keep and feed my pet if it all hits the fan, additionally I will always feed my animals something made myself before I will buy feed that sat in a bag for months losing its nutrients.

Bad idea? Does anyone already do this?

 

[HappyClucker7]

You would generally be feeding a diet of 25% seeds, 25% pellets, and 50% fresh vegetables.
The seed mix you can definitely make on your own. I make a mix for my budgies. I used this recipe, and then adjusted it based on what they actually eat (birds are very picky).

You will have to buy the pellets. There are a lot of different brands, but personally I like Harrison's the best.

 

[duckncover]

Yes. Not a bad idea. Enthusiastically encouraged in the pet bird community. The bags of seed you see at stores are for the most part horrible for them. A bird like a cockatiel doesn't need sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, oil seeds, etc. They are just fatting and addictive. For the most part you can feed them (along with most other species of parrot type birds) whats called a "chop" and they will thrive on it. It's just a variety of veggies, fruit, and "fresh" foods that you chop up to a size that they are less likely to pick out just the goodies they like. You can give unfortified grains and seeds with no issue. Just try to offer something extra to balance the diet like a teaspoon of TOPS pellets every so often. (Totally organic pellets for birds). Cage birds are usually quite bored so giving a diet that encourages forging behavior is an excellent form of enrichment for them.

 

[Everose]

Yes. Not a bad idea. Enthusiastically encouraged in the pet bird community. The bags of seed you see at stores are for the most part horrible for them. A bird like a cockatiel doesn't need sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, oil seeds, etc. They are just fatting and addictive. For the most part you can feed them (along with most other species of parrot type birds) whats called a "chop" and they will thrive on it. It's just a variety of veggies, fruit, and "fresh" foods that you chop up to a size that they are less likely to pick out just the goodies they like. You can give unfortified grains and seeds with no issue. Just try to offer something extra to balance the diet like a teaspoon of TOPS pellets every so often. (Totally organic pellets for birds). Cage birds are usually quite bored so giving a diet that encourages forging behavior is an excellent form of enrichment for them.

Yay! So glad to hear that I'm not nuts
I think giving them the TOPS is a great idea, I'd rather not feed an 80% pellet diet when my bird could be getting the whole grains (or partially processed by grinding or soaking) and fresh fruits and veg for the most part.
I have all kinds of fruits and veggies in the garden in addition to ordering hundreds of pounds of fruit and grains from azure standard. So I feel confident that I can mix things up and give lots of variety.
Thank you!