My friend Lisa and I shot a video demonstration of how to make “Chop.” Many of my “Bleaders,” (Blog Readers) wanted more detail on the process, so here you go! I hope you get a kick out of it and perhaps will try this way of feeding your birds. Thanks Lisa, and thanks to all of you for your interest in a great way to feed your birds that isn’t just great for your birds, but very convenient for you. Giving your birds a nutritious meal day after day doesn’t have to be a painstaking process. A little shopping, chopping and packaging and you are good for months. I’ve always maintained that if something is easy and convenient for you to do, then you’ll probably do it. Making “Chop” every few months is easier then standing at a cutting board twice a day and even if I had the time to do that, There is no way I could get the consistent variety of ingredients you find in “Chop” into their bowls even in a week. The waste would be tremendous and the amount of time you’d spend shopping would eat up your week. By making “Chop” every few months, it’s easier on you and far better for your birds. You’re less likely to give up and slide back to the dried food rut.
Here are some of the more unusual ingredients I used and some nutritional information. Correction: I identified a pepper in the video as a habanero pepper. It is a poblano pepper.
Amaranth
Amaranth contain large amounts of protein and essential amino acids, such as lysine. Amaranth grains grow quickly and their large seedheads can weigh up to 1 kilogram, containing a half-million seeds. Amaranthus species can have a 30% higher protein value than cereals, such as rice, wheat flour, oats, and rye. it’s also high in iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and calcium. It’s low in gluten and sodium. Amaranth has the highest lysine content of all the grains. Quinoa comes in a close second.
Spelt
Spelt contains 15 – 21% protein; much higher than wheat. It’s also higher than wheat in complex carbohydrates, iron, potassium and the B Vitamins. Spelt is rich in protein. These proteins contain all of the eight essential amino acids needed by the human body. These amino acids are called “essential” because the body cannot manufacture them. You need to get them from food. Spelt is very high in the “bioavailability” department, meaning that the nutrients it contains are easily and quickly accessible to the body. It’s easily and rapidly broken down and used without much effort.
Peppers
Red peppers have very high levels of vitamin C and yellow and green peppers have nearly as much. The red varieties are also rich in beta carotene which the body converts to vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for healthy skin, boosts the immune system, and aids in night blindness. They have high antioxidant properties.
Kale
Kale is known as a “Superfood.” It is an amazing source of an easily absorbed calcium, which is one of the many factors that may help prevent osteoporosis. It also provides fairly decent amounts of vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin B6, manganese, and potassium.
Dandelion Greens
Dandelions are nature’s richest green vegetable source of beta-carotene, from which Vitamin A is created, and the third richest source of Vitamin A of all foods. African Greys need high amounts of Vitamin A, so dandelion greens are right up their alley as a standard food for them. Dandelion greens are also rich in micronutrients such as copper, cobalt, zinc, boron, and molybdenum, as well as Vitamin D.
Wheat Grass Powder
I haven’t tried using this before but I’ve done research and I know it won’t hurt my birds. Wheat grass is very rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium, sulfur, zinc, and protein. And it’s loaded with vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, phytonutrients and carotenoids.
Patricia Sund
BRAVO! And thank you!! Whew!! Mom’s been cooking up a version this weekend with a bean mix, wild rice, quinoa, “southern greens”, barley, sweet potatoes, carrots, ginger and some other stuff I can’t remember.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I especially enjoyed calling back to Parker while Mom watched!
Bart!
I’m so glad you and your Mom watched the video. You got to see Parker! I like to do the bean mix separately. I think it adds more variety to the meal. Beans over here, and some “Chop” over there, with some sprouts and nuts as chasers!
Hi Patricia,
I made this myself back in May, threw in a bunch of other ingredients also, including the Herb Salad as I use that as well, lots of squashes, whole cinnimon sticks and star anise, filled a 16 quart stock pot and still have probably another month to month and a half to go before I need to make more. Thanks for posting the recipe and now the video. It will truly help a lot of my members.
Friendly tip on the disinfecting the tub, although I’m sure it wasn’t much bleach used, I would recommend replacing the bleach with GSE Nutribiotic or Grapefruit Seed Extract, found at any health food store.
Thanks again!
Viki
COFOAF
Hey! It came out great!!!! YAY!
It sure did! Thank you so much! What fabulous video work!
You’re welcome! I guess I’m not too bad with the video camera….hehe. B and S had fun screaming at themselves while watching the video…..
They had a blast with everyone yesterday and enjoyed some chop for breakfast!
It just occurred to me while walking past some ice trays at Target….I know someone on one of the forums I read who freezes her birds’ fresh food in ice trays. She just pops out the needed amount. I thought that was pretty cool and I totally forgot about it yesterday.
I’m aware of the ice tray bit. But I prefer to squeeze all of the air I can to avoid freezer burn. It might work well for B & S however.
awesome mix, good job girls
Thanks Maria! It was a lot of work, but we had a good time and a couple of beers. It was fun.
Excellent video Patricia, I really have to try this method because I’m still on a homemade ‘boil’ which probably isnt’ as good as a more ‘raw’ diet.
Can’t wait to see the bean mix.
Thanks Tonya!
The bean mix video will be shot when I need to make more. I’ll probably do the sprout video first because I still have a load of bean mix to go through. But it’ll be a good one, I promise!
Have you ever tried eggshell in the mix or do you feel the calcium from the seeds/greens is enough? I’m asking this as I’m about to peel 10 hard boiled eggs and wondering if I should freeze the shells.
Why not? I don’t put it in because the kale and other items are so packed with it, but I certainly don’t think it would be harmful.
Thanks, Patricia. This was a great demonstration. I love the bathtub mixing. I always have a little trouble in my “chop” spilling out the sides of my gigantic mixing bowl. Obviously I just wasn’t using a big enough bowl. You made the process very clear and I hope everyone will give it a try. It is a terrific, healthy, time-saving way to feed your birds.
Well, there’s always a kiddie pool, but if you have a tub, why bother? A container is a container and as long as it’s clean, I don’t think it makes any difference.
Thank you so much for the great video! The day before you did your batch, I made a batch for my grey. She’d never had it before and so far, she really seems to like it for breakfast.
Another thing I like about chop is that it’s so cost effective. Recently, both my husband and I became unemployed and I have been looking for inexpensive ways to keep my birds with good food. The batches that I made (which I labeled “Sund Chop and put in the freezer) will keep Scout fed for several months and will be a good staple food. She doesn’t like pellets, but I find ways to sneak them into her food.
Chop is definitely a great staple food. Thank you, Patricia!
Thank you so much Jenni!
What a heart-warming comment! It made my day. You can get the cost down even more if you shop at Farmer’s Markets and find the bruised and less than “cosmetically perfect” vegetables, cut off the brown bits and they are good as new. They’re cheaper and just as good. Perhaps you can make deals with vendors about getting a package deal for a load of them. But isn’t it amazing how inexpensive it is on a daily or even weekly basis? And it’s so much better for them! And in the overall, the time it takes in one day to make it saves you so much time. This will be extremely helpful when you are both back to work! *Wink* And I know that will come to pass! Good luck Jenni and I hope it all works out for you.
Patricia
Ohhhhh, how I recognize those familiar “Grey” sounds!!!
Patricia, this chop looks faaaab!!! I marked down all of the ingredients, and I may also add one or two additional ones, myself. This chop is very similar to my “mash” that contains about 15 very nutritious ingredients. Naturally, each batch won’t be the same, but that’s okay.
I noticed you didn’t measure anything, as that could take twice as long so, do you just throw in some of this, and some of that? Also, do you boil or microwave your sweet potatoes before throwing it into the pot?
I have 3 fids: Grey, Conure and Cockatiel, but I also have a bird sitting and boarding facility so this chop is ideal for my fids and boarders. Presently, I usually serve the birds whatever I’m having for dinner, however, it’s time consuming spooning out individual portions and of course cutting up small pieces of chicken, potatoes, or whatever for the smaller birds. For breakfast, they receive the mash, either alone, or with mixed veggies, but this could be served for breakfast, and then your chop for dinner………how perfect
!!!
Thanks so very much for sharing this and I now look forward to serving it to my guys and guests, lol.
Hi Gaye,
Thanks so much for your comments. “Chop” is a “concept.” The reason I don’t stick to a recipe per se is because I don’t want to discourage someone from adding something wonderful they found on sale at a Farmer’s Market that isn’t in the recipe. or what if they can’t find red kale? Well, regular kale is just fine. No Poblano peppers? No problem, another kind is just fine. I won’t give a recipe because I don’t believe in restricting anyone from adding something that their birds like or that is fresh and readily available.
I grind the sweet potatoes up raw and they get tossed in just like everything else.
Chop is about making this huge batch of fresh, wonderful stuff and freezing it in individual portions. It’s about making it easier for families to feed their birds a HUGE variety of great food every single day. If you had to chop all of that stuff every day you’d have a huge amount of waste and it would be time consuming. I make it differently every time I make it. It depends on what’s good and what’s available. It also gives the birds a wider variety of foods.
I also believe in a separate bean mix for them. It gives them more choice over flavor and adds more variety to their plate. As in, “Oh! I have two different things to eat here! Cool!” rather then one big plate of the same thing. You can also change up the Chop every day by sprinkling it with different things, milk thistle seed, adding some cayenne pepper for a new taste, or adding sprouts, nuts or a bit of sesame seed. So you see, it’s not about the recipe, it’s about the method. I really appreciate you flying by! Thanks so much, Gaye!
That was great ladies! I’ve been doing veggie mixes for years, but yours looks so much better, tastier and definately more nutritional!!! Going shopping this weekend to make sure I get all the goodies that you put in yours!!!!
Great job and thanks so much!
I’m so excited for you! Please take photos and let me know how it comes out.
P.
Although you’ll need space to store it I bought a very large plastic container that I use to mix my pellet mix in. If you ever get tired of carrying that 60lbs of chop back and forth to the bathtub you can give that at try.
60 pounds is 60 pounds. Perhaps a lighter container would be easier, but then I’d have to store it! No room. I’m fine with my “Big-ass Stock pot!” It belonged to my Dad and every time I use it to good use I think of him. So I think I will stay with my stock pot for sentimental reasons. It feels good when I do. But it’s a good idea for people who don’t have the sentimental stock pot to deal with.
P.
Not to mention the work out you’re getting carrying it around! I used to mix my dry bird food in 3 different large bowls (for 12-14 birds) and I noticed my sil using the large plastic container so finally got one, but I do hate storing the darn thing. The funny thing is she used to mix her food in garbage bags. LOL! Hey whatever it takes!
I will definately take pictures!
Thanks Patricia
Lynne
Hi Patricia! After we flew together, I knew I had to get down and find your blog. Richard and I watched your chop video, and we are now inspired to go to Marando Farms and get some organic veggies and get chopping. Also, I’ll never look at my bathtub in the same way again. Who would have thought it to be something to process food in? The only problem we might have is freezer space. It is filled to the gills right now with Costco stuff. We’ll have to cut back on Costco human stuff. It would be better for us anyway because most of it is processeed fast food. As far as the portions, how much should we bag for Beaker and Mac for a day’s worth? I wouldn’t feed it to Tiki and I.Q. though. I have to watch Tiki’s iron intake, and I.Q. will only eat fruit juice, purees, and nectars. She does like cut up grapes though. Hope to see you after we’ve made our first batch.
My pleasure, Patricia and I do “get” what you’re saying as I feel the same about the mash.
I’ve also been sprinkling wheat grass, cayenne pepper, and on occasion, cinnamon along with garlic. Fresh garlic is best, but powder will do. I’ve been a fan of wheat grass for many yrs. due to its high nutritional value.
When my “large” batch of mash cools off, I simply add a tbsp. of same to ice cube trays, & freeze in freezer bags; once frozen, I just pop them into one large freezer bag, remove a couple ea. day, defrost in microwave, and voila!!!!
Thanks for this great meal and I’ll apprise you of my fids’ “rating” ;-D!!!
I have a timneh grey that has been a feather picker all his life, so I am told. He is five, and I adopted him last year. He is a total delight, and very smart. I am always looking for fresh new way to enhance his diet, and your “chop” looks like a winner! I will be making it and giving it to all three of my birds. Thanks for such a great blog!
Michelle
You are so welcome! Keep me posted on how it’s going.
Patricia,
I noticed that there was no mention of fruit? Do you feed your birds fruit? I know that fruit probably wouldn’t hold up to well in the freezer. My ekkie loves her fruit!
“Chop” is a vegetable mix. It’s what it is intended to be. I don’t even put beans in there as I do a separate bean mix for them to add more choice and variety to their world. I love to give fruit to my birds but again, I do that separately. You are right that fruit doesn’t do well in the freezer. I serve fresh fruit to them, but they aren’t that crazy about it. They eat it now and then, but for the most part they are veggie and bean guys. “Chop” is a drier mix that wouldn’t hold up well with fruit in it.
I’m big on variety, and if you serve separate dishes to them, I think it gives them more choice in the world. They eat it all, but they eat it the way THEY want to. Choice is important. And the illusion of choice works if they feel that they can pick and choose. A dish of “Chop,” Bean Mix, some nuts, and sprouts and they feel they are at a three star restaurant!
Thanks so much for the comment about fruit. It’s a good point!
My birds aren’t big on fruit either. And I thought it was just my crazy little dudes!
Naww! They’ll eat it occasionally, but they aren’t into fruit. I guess it’s just not big on their list.
You’d think birds would love fruit, but I tried to give some mango to my GCC conure a few weeks ago and she ran like the dickens to the other side of the cage. Guess she thought it might eat her. I usually find it slung against the walls or on the bottom of the cage. I know when I hear that “THUD” what I’m going to find.
I do beleive I read somewhere that the dried fruit is actually better for them. Has more cancer fighting properties in it than fresh fruit. My guys do like the dried fruit so we’re good!
Lynne,
I didn’t know that about dried fruit. If you find any data on that, could you send it along to me?
Hi Patricia. I don’t remember where I got this, but I read that birds in the wild only eat fruit when it is ripe, it said about two weeks out of the year. I thought this info might be something you could use.
I’ve never done your chop before but I’m reading on it and the bean mix right now. I have budgies, so would there be anything different I should know, besides the size of the chop? My budgies like it chopped till it’s almost a mush. lol
Also, what percentage of the chop makes up their daily intake? Like, chop/pellets/seeds?
For what it’s worth, the only animal in my house that would eat the Beak Appetit was my dog, and I had to watch his weight, so I wouldn’t give him much of it! LOL
Hi Patricia:
Well, looks like on payday I will be looking for a bigger food processor and retire my little Cusinart which holds maybe two cups of anything. Thanks for the wonderful video and the idea to feed the chop twice a day with other stuff instead of once a day as I have done for years.
Btw my avian vet says to minimize fruit because of the sugar content (especially grapes), particularly for porkish birds like ekkie females and amazons.
Mary,
I started with a little one-cup job when I was chopping every three days. I had the “big boy processor” but it didn’t occur to me to use it for bird food. Then the light bulb went off and I never looked back. That food processor LIVES on my counter. I occasionally bow to it! Trust me. As I tell people: “Once you go “Chop,” you never stop.”
[...] birdy “Chop” We made our own version of “chop” after a quick stop at the grocery store. #gallery-1 { margin: auto; } #gallery-1 [...]
i have been reading your post on “chop” now for a while. i have been trying to get my birds to eat a healthier diet. currently they are on a dry seed mix and i can’t get them to eat the fresh foods. i have tried everything it seams like but they just look at me like i am crazy. i have been pureeing all the veggies and mixing it in with the dry mix so they would get some of the good stuff while they were eating the sunflower seeds and peanuts (thats what they eat the most of). the first time i put the fresh foods into my yellow collard macaws dish she sat on top of her cage and screamed at me for 2 hours. she will now pick out the dry mix from the veggies. my blue and gold isn’t crazy about the veggies and will pick at them some. now my little lovebird was eating the veggie mix real good but she quit eating them one day and i don’t know why.
the chop looks very good and i want to give it a try. how do i go about converting them to the chop ? as long as i add the dry mix in with the fresh foods they will eat a few of the dry mix out of it and then they leave it alone. it seems like they aren’t eating very much and i worry because i don’t want to starve them. i am willing to try any tips you could give me on converting them to a better diet.
thanks
robin
Hi Robin,
I don’t offer sunflower seeds at all. Parker doesn’t even like them. First of all, I’d remove the sunflower seeds entirely and replace with good seed like hemp seed, rape seed, and milk thistle seed. (Sunflower seeds kind of blow, nutritionally!)
Then mix that with a little chop. Over time, add more chop.
Then begin putting the seeds into the chop. Do it gradually. If they like table food, mix some of your table food with the chop. You also might want to serve it to them warm if they prefer warm food. Also, you could add a little something that they like, such as salad dressing, or some sort of sauce that they are crazy about. Don’t worry about the nutritional content of the sauce or dressing for now, it’s only temporary. The chop nutrition overall will override that eventually. One of these days they’ll get it and recognize it as something good to eat. Don’t fret, just keep trying! Keep me posted and let me know how it goes.
P.
my yellow collard macaw will hardly eat any type of people food. the only reason she will stick her beak in the dish when i put the fresh foods in her dish is to pick out sunflower seeds and some nuts. i know that sunflower seeds are not the best things for them to eat. i read somewhere that they are high in fat. i have taken all the sunflower seeds out before and she wasn’t happy.
my blue and gold will eat some fruit (i know not the best thing for her) and she loves junk food. everyone in the house loves feeding the pretty bird the fries or chips. i am always getting onto them for that. she will eat nuts of any kind. she also likes sunflower seeds but not as much as my ycm.
my little lovebird use to eat the fresh foods but now she won’t go near them. she also eats a lot of sunflower seeds. she loves millet. she has got to be the pickiest one of the three.
i have tried fixing them fresh foods before. it seems like i have tried to do this every way possible but nothing works. i’m not gonna give up on this though. i need to take a trip to the store so when i am able to make up the chop and feed it to them i will let you know how it goes. thanks
robin
Patricia, I can’t remember where I found that article as it was a few years ago. I found this article that talks about although the nutritional value of fresh fruits is better because some of the nutrients are leached out during the drying process and they become higher in sugar than fresh, the antioxidant level is higher in dried fruit.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Preserved-and-Dried-Fruit-Vs-Fresh-Fruit-Nutrition&id=2854412
Patricia, I just bought some virgin, organic coconut oil from avi-tec.com and wanted to share with everyone all the benefits of this. It can be added to the chop before serving. On the bottle is says
100% organic
antimicrobial
antifungal
antioxident
anti-cholesterol
skin and feather conditioner
I added it to my chop tonight and the birds seemed to really enjoy it. It’s for people too so everyone pick up your virgin coconut oil!!!!!
I’m going to do some more research on this, but sounds like a great ingredient even if we just do it occasionally. On the bottle is says to use 1/8th tsp for cockatiel size birds and 1/4 tsp for grey, macaw size. This is in case you get it from a whole foods store or some other source
Lynne!
Thanks so much for your contribution! Love to see this sort of addition to PN. I intend to do some research on this when I have time. Again, thanks for the addition.
i am getting ready to make my first batch of chop this weekend. i have some barley grass powder, wheat grass powder and some kelp powder. are these ok to use in the chop? ok my next question is how do i convert my birds to eat a healthier diet? i have been trying to get them to eat a mash diet and they didn’t want anything to do with it. i have some grain, wheat pasta, brown rice, oat meal and some frozen veggies. i am going to go get the fresh veggies this weekend is there any suggestions on witch veggies would be good to start with? also i plan to soak my grains and then sprout them. is this a good idea or should the grains be cooked? one more question…….. can i add beans to my chop or should i fix up a bean mix too? any tips would be very welcome……… thanks
robin
All of the powders you mentioned are fine in moderation. To convert your birds to a healthier diet…well, I’m assuming they eat seed. Not so good. Begin mixing it the seed in the “Chop” when you serve it. You’ll get waste while you are converting them but it’s just how it is. If you’ll notice in the video, I mention that the chop gets stuck to everything. Mix a lot of seed at first and then pull back the amount over time. Gradually remove the seed. They will get used to it.
Use the video as a template for what you should use. I made this batch of chop this way due to what was available at the time. If it’s fresh and healthy, it’s fine! Use the veggies they seem to prefer. That will make it easier to convert them.
Cook the grains for the Chop. Sprouts are a different dish. Beans should be a separate dish as well. Chop is a veggie dish. The next video I make will be the bean mix I make and freeze. But I do them separately. It adds more variety and more choices for them. And it freezes better. The texture is more appealing to them when you don’t mix everything up. Good Luck with it Robin and let me know how it goes!
Patricia
thanks patrice
there really isn’t any veggies they prefer. i have tried hanging fresh greens in their cages to eat/play with. my blue and gold will munch on them a bit and my yellow collard macaw only shreds them and my lovebird will not go near them. yes they are on a seed diet and i so want to get them off of it. like i said before i had been trying to convert them to a mash diet and it wasn’t going over well. i had been chopping up veggies every 2 or 3 days. i put a lot of time into it and they weren’t eating it. i was getting very discouraged, then i read about the chop so i hope it works.
how do you cook grains? i have never cooked them before and i need a little help with that. as for the powders should i leave them out of the chop since they should be fed to them in moderation? thanks again and i will let ya know how its goes.
robin
Robin, I hope they start eating them soon, but it took my african grey and my hahns macaw a year before they touched their veggies. I put a bowl in every single day like everyone else, but they ignored. The day they began eating it was like an awakening for them! I’m sure they were thinking “WHY didn’t I just try these earlier!” Even if you just put a tiny amount in, give it to them daily regardless. It doesn’t take most birds that long, but my grey had been on a seed diet only for 15 years until he was rescued by Laura Breakstone. She got him on pellets and things and he turned up his nose at veggies, then continued this at my house for a year before braving them LOL! Patricias idea of adding the seeds to it is a great idea! I should have tried that. Normally once a bird tastes them, they will eat them. They always accidentally taste them when going for those seeds
thanks for the encouragement. i really want to get them off the seed and onto the the chop diet. i know all about the “i’m not even gonna touch that stuff” looks our birds can give us. i have been trying to get them to eat the good stuff for at least 2 years….. maybe 3. the first time i put the fresh foods into my yellow collard macaws cage she stood on top of her cage and screamed at me for 2 hours. that first time i feed fresh foods to her i mixed it with the seed and left a dish of just seed in her cage. she didn’t want that stuff anywhere near her cage. my 2 macaws will at least pick some of the seed out of the dish through the veggies but it seems like they aren’t eating enough. now my little lovebird won’t go near it. she was eating the fresh stuff really good then she stopped. i have no idea why she stopped but she did.
i will hopefully have my chop done sunday and i will start feeding it to them monday so i will let everyone know how it goes. oh by the way i still don’t know how to cook the grains. could someone tell me?
The best part of Chop os that they can’t help but get the good stuff because it’s chopped up and sticks to their seeds. Chop is fresh however, so you’ll want to feed it with he seed mixed in the same bow and take it out after a couple of hours. Just keep trying.
Robin, my grey was disgusted with his veggie bowl too for a long time then gave up and ignored it until one day he just tried it and decided it was gooooood!
You could start out with the frozen peas, corn, carrots and green bean mixed. You can cook it slightly or just thaw it. Put the seeds in there. get them used to it and then Sunday after you make your chop, throw some of that in there too. Also some of my birds like when I hold the bowl up to their royal beaks. LOL I’m serious, then they’ll eat it. What ever it takes, Then put that bowl down and tell them they have to do it themselves.
As far as cooking the grains, I wonder if there are standard directions on line somewhere. Just cook them as you would for yourself and that should do the trick. We’re pulling for you!!!!
This is a great way to make sure your birds get lots of good stuff. I think it is great that they eat it as it is being made! I’ve been browsing through and reading about the chop you make and am really impressed by the variety of ingredients. I think I may have to break down and get a food processor and try this. Have you ever thought about getting a vacuum sealer?
You can, of course, vacuum seal “Chop.” But I don’t find it particularly necessary unless you make an absolutely enormous batch that would last you a year or so. If I had the freezer space I’d probably do just that and vacuum seal it. But the vacuum bags are far more expensive than the baggies. It works just fine if you make “Chop” three or four times a year using regular zip- lock bags. But if you are freezing it for more than a few months, I would definitely recommend using a vacuum sealer.
Hi Patricia, I am going to try your chop on my parrotlet. Can you tell me how much of the powder supplements should I be adding to the chop. My parrotlet is on Harrison’s pellets as well. Also I noticed that you give the bean mixture separately to your birds. What about parrotlets, should I be adding some to the chop? Someone told me not too much beans for parrotlets, too high in protein. I don’t add seeds to his diet, but is hemp seed, rape seed, and milk thistle seed, okay for him? or would the hemp seeds be too high in fat for him, again not sure. He is a featherpicker as well, since I have added some veggies to his diet, he has improved dramatically.
Hi Carol,
I’d probably put in about a teaspoon for every quart of Chop you make. You don’t need to overdo it. Look at the package directions and use your best judgement because I don’t know what you intend to put in there.
Hi Patrica, When I make my chop, I am going to add Kale, brocolli, Radicchio, cauliflower, collard greens, maybe some garlic, some of the twin beaks herb salad. Also I am going to add some garlic, green sugar snap peas, quinoa, brown rice, millet,and some baby barley cereal, a little coconut as well, and some hemp seed. Should I add some beans as well or would I be better to give the bean mixture separately? Again I not sure how much protein is good for parrotlets? I’ve been told not too much. I would like your opinion? Thanks Patricia!!
I do a mean mix separately, which I think would be ideal for you if you are concerned about protein levels in your birds. he best thing to do if you are concerned is to do some research on Parrotlets and find out what the best protein level is for them, and how good parrotlet caregivers feed their birds. If I have time, I’ll try and get the answers for you. I have a few Avian Vet connections.
Thanks Patricia, I have done some research on parrotlets, concerning protein levels. I have not been able to come up with too much information. I have however been told not to give too much fat, that parrotlets don’t do well on high fat diets. I am hesitant on giving nuts in his diet. Thanks you again Patricia, and thank you for taking the time to answer some of my questions, it is very much appreciated!!!
I just got a response from Dr. Scott Echols, Avian Vet. Here is what he stated about protein for birds:
“At this time, there is no information on protein requirements in almost all birds except poultry. Most of what I see is a risk of protein malnutrition and not protein excess.”
So I wouldn’t worry about it with your little guys. There’s beans on the horizon for your little guys!
Hi Patricia, Thank you so much for the information about the beans, that is great news!! I am thinking that since he is noted for featherplucking the bean mixture is going to be a great thing for him. I am definitely going to try the bean mixture for him. Thanks again for everything, you have been so helpful!!! I am going to try and make the chop tonight and the bean mixture tomorrow. I will let you know how he likes it, which I am sure he will. He does like veggies, and is doing nicely on them. The chop is such a great idea, I loved the video as well!!!
i made my first batch of chop on labor day. for the fresh veggies i used
2 sweet potatoes,
1 butter nut squash,
1 purple cabbage
2 broccoli crowns
1 cauliflower
2 zucchini squash
4 carrots
5 stalks bok choy
5 stalks celery
green and yellow bell peppers (2 or 3 each they were small)
2 different hot peppers (2 or 3 of each they to were small)
the frozen veggies i used were
peas
corn
carrots
mixed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, corn)
okra
green beans
all frozen veggies were small bags and i used the whole bag.
for the dry ingredients i used
crushed red pepper (2 tbsp)
wheat grass powder (1/2 tbsp or less)
garlic powder (1/2 tbsp)
flax seed meal (2 3/4 cup)
celery flakes (2 tbsp)
cilantro (2 tbsp)
turmeric (2 tbsp)
oat meal (4 cups)
i cooked up some grains.
Quinoa
hulled barley
hulled spelt
kamut berry
oat grouts
i wasn’t really sure how to cook the grains so i just boiled them until they were tender. if this was not the right way to cook them will someone please tell me how to?
i used roughly 2 cups of grains
for the fresh veggies i put through the food processor until they were chopped up very good how ever i did dice up the celery by hand because i didn’t want it to turn real watery.
the frozen veggies i just let then sit until they were room temp. and add them in.
i cooked up about 2 cups brown rice and only used a cup, and i cooked up 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pasta and used it all.
i also made up a bean mix using
adzuki beans
mung beans
lentils
garbanzo beans
green split peas
i let the beans soak over night and cooked them at a rolling boil for 10 minutes then covered and simmered for 20 minutes.
then i added some corn, broccoli, cauliflower, and broccoli slaw.
for the beans i used about 2 cups of beans and roughly 1/2 cup of each veggie.
i started feeding it to my birds the next day. for each of them i am mixing in 1 tsp of the chop with their dry mix. they will go to their dish and eat but they are just picking out the dry mix or throwing out the chop. i haven’t started them on the bean mix yet.
my chop turned out a little wetter than what i wanted it to be because i didn’t have enough dry stuff. i also didn’t have hardly any green veggies in it. next time i will add more greens.
please let me know if my chop sounds ok and any advice on getting them to it it is always welcome.
robin
It sounds wonderful! I always advocate fresh over frozen if they are available. But frozen is fine if you can’t get fresh. Just be sure to drain them well. Fresh garlic would be better than garlic powder. The powder is wonderful as a flavor but raw garlic has nutrients that are valuable.
Try and put your chop where it can drain for a while. I use the tub. You’re definitely on to a good mix but it is a learning process. Try and figure out how to make it drier: Drain the grains really well. Undercook them a bit.
Don’t worry about them throwing it out of their bowls. It might take them a year to get it. But they are still getting a bit of it stuck to their other food and that benefits them.
Keep the faith!
Patricia
I gotta tell ya that my chop came out a bit too wet, and I added whole wheat bread crumbs to dry it out, but to no avial
. The grains were drained well, a bit overcooked, but I’m thinking now that the numerous “greens” I added may NOT have drained enough. All in all, the birds are lovin it. Actually, my Grey, ‘tiel and conure prefer their fresh foods slightly moist, so no biggy ;-D.
ALL food was put in the Cuisinart, including the frozen veggies, once they defrosted. It doesn’t matter, though, as long as they’re ingesting it!!!
Patricia, cannot wait ’til your bean mix is done. AGAIN, “market” this chop, for pete’s sake, lol.
Gaye
Gaye, sorry it took me sooo long to get back to you. When I first began making “Chop” I had the same problem. Eventually you get a feel for it and figure out how much to cook the grains and properly draining it. Adding more dry items, such as dried sea vegetables, dry baby cereal, more uncooked oatmeal etc. will dry up the mix to where you need it to be. You’ll get there!
thanks. i used the garlic powder because its what i had. the next time i make it i will get some dried birdie greens. this batch is a test batch. it is very colorful thats for sure. i made 1 1/2 cups rice and didn’t use it all. i also didn’t use all of the grains i cooked because there was just so much of them. i was also worried about space in the freezer………next time i will use everything i make. i ended up with 56 baggies with i cup in each. i thought about mixing the chop up in the bath tub but i was doggie sitting for my sister and he doesn’t handle new foods very good.
i like to use fresh organic veggies, but i live in a small town and they don’t have the best selection at the local grocery store, so i got what fresh veggies i could get and used frozen for the rest.
is cinnamon a good spice to add to the chop? thanks again for your suggestions…….
Robin, sorry I took so long to get back to you, but I was in Utah when you posted and I’m still catching up. Cinnamon is fine for a seasoning. Fresh ground garlic would be better I think because garlic most likely has more anti-oxidant properties than the powder. That way you get not only the flavor, but the health benefits as well.
Don’t worry about using the frozen if that’s all you can get. I would rather people use frozen kale than none at all.
Hi Patricia, I love your Chop video, and all the information given. I have a big question. I was giving my Severe Macaw a little cooked chicken. Also a small cooked chicken bone to nibble on, and he just love it, but recently I read somewhere that birds should not be given cooked meat of any kind. Is that true? Please advise me because, I eat a lot of chicken and my Macaw begs for some, but I am afraid
to give it to him. Please advise.
Lindalee,
Thank you so much for your kind words. I had a question from another reader about “too much protein,” so I consulted with avian vet, Dr. Scott Echols. Scott said that in all of his years and thousands of cases he’s handled, he said he has never seen a case of a bird having protein levels that were too high. On the contrary, he said that the opposite was more common; too little protein.
I wouldn’t worry about cooked chicken a couple of times a week, as well as a cooked chicken leg bone now and then.
Remember that birds are omnivorous and eat stuff in the wild like grubs, bugs, insects, worms, etc. These are all sources of protein and this certainly isn’t plant life! Just last night, Parker got a duck leg bone so he could crack it lengthwise and scoop out the marrow.
Also, what about cooked fish, maybe a little turkey burger????
I am going to work on fixing up this wonderful chop. Looks good enough for me to eat.
I think a little cooked cold-water fish such as salmon is a great idea! Dr. Sam Backos, avian vet, recommends it for the omega three fatty acids. And the turkey burger would be just fine too. Everything in moderation, but for the most part I think you would be doing them a big nutritional favor by offering these items now and then.
I like the occasional bit of cooked chicken, chicken bone and I do even like salmon. Good to know that small amounts of these are A-OK!! Thanks again, Miss Patricia for your “food revolution”. ; >
Bart, I’m glad you and the gang are trying this food concept. It’s healthy, the variety is only limited to Mom and Dad’s imagination and you get to eat such good stuff. It is estimated that Greys in the wild eat about 300 different items over a year’s time. I tell people that if I can get 100 different things into Parker and Pepper in that time, I will have accomplished a lot. I think a little of everything is going to make for a healthier Bart, don’t you? For instance it’s possible to get a lot of calcium from vegetables. And eating kale and watercress will really help your need for vitamin A. Watercress is LOADED with vitamin A!
[...] made our own version of “chop” after a quick stop at the grocery store. #gallery-1 { margin: auto; } #gallery-1 [...]
[...] http://parrotnation.com/2010/08/08/chop-shot-by-shot/ [...]
Patricia,
Thanks for the great video. I just got my first Timneh grey about 2 weeks ago. Loki is about 3 months old or so and I’ve been studying feeding a mash or chop style diet along with his pellets for the past 10 months while waiting on hatching and weaning. He’s been great so far with switching from PrettyBird to Harrison’s and on only the 3rd day of offering a simple mash (quinoa, lentils, and adzuki all sprouted then put thru the food processor), he cleaned up his entire bowl! Since I only have one bird, I’m using the icecube tray method for the moment, but I think this weekend the snack size bags will be put to good use. I think it’s off to the store I go tomorrow to get more veggies and his freezer(yes, he has a freezer all to himself for his food..lol) should be well stocked for a few months! Thanks again for the great presentation and can’t wait for the next installment of Memo to Parker and Pepper!
Wow, Heather!
Thanks so much for the really sweet post. By starting your Timneh off right away on a great diet, you are going to have an incredibly healthy little guy. I’d love to have a freezer just for the birds. That way I could make different versions of Chop and bean mix and rotate them. Lucky bird. The next Memo should be pretty good if I remember correctly! I never know which one the Magazine is going to run until they send me a sketch of the illustration for review. Keep me posted on how it’s going with your Timneh and best of luck!
Hey there Patricia, I love your blog!
My flock includes three budgerigars, whose names are Koko, Kasper and Froot Loop. I have been trying to start them on a healthier diet because they have been eating an all-seed diet for the majority of their lives. They have already tried several different vegetables and fruits, but this “Chop” concept seems to be the perfect solution for their eating habits.
Koko is nearing the age of 8 years, so it may be a bit difficult to transfer her onto this kind of a diet. Kasper is only around 2 years, and Froot Loop is under one year old, so they may catch on easier.
I have a few questions I’d like to ask:
What amount of “Chop” do you recommend I serve to them each meal? I’d like to feed them every morning and evening, so their normal amounts may change. I also have one separate dish for each bird.
When making my own “Chop”, do you think I should exclude the bigger ingredients, or would cutting them more finely work?
Would these ingredients work as well?
- Baby Spinach
- Ground Cinnamon
- Scramble Eggs (With the shell crushed in)
- Apples (I know this is a fruit, but it is pretty hard)
- Baby Carrots
- Carrot Tops
- Wheat Germ
- Cooked Brown Rice
Oh, and would those 100% Whole Grain Quaker Oats work alright?
Thanks for your time!
First of all, thank you so much for your kind words! I’d start them out with about a tablespoon in each of their dishes. The rest of the ingredients are fine. They will eat as much as they will eat. So add more than you think they will at first and gauge how much they consume. Then gradually cut down to where they are always leaving a bit of it. Always boil the egg shells in a cup of water in the microwave for a couple of minutes to get rid of any bacteria before crushing and adding to the Chop. Let me know how it goes! And thanks for flying by!
Thanks!
I can’t wait to see how they react to the “Chop”. I might be able to make it this week, so I’ll be back soon!
You have a comment and some advice! Please read…
Hey Kritter
I have budgies as well
couple things i do:
cinnamon is great for them but i do not include it in my chop. It tends to get a very very funky rancid smell to it after a while and it totally over powers the flavor, making cinnamon the primary flavor. add cinnamon to their seed mix or into some birdie bread
or… and i do this alot for myself… throw in a couple cinnamon sticks when you cook your rice/quinoa/barley for the chop 
as for eggs … again very good for them, though you only want to feed a budgie eggs about once or twice a month as they are very high in protein and budgies are so tiny that they can get an overload on proteins which can lead to gout. Flax seed & safflower help to process and digest proteins so be sure to add that to their diet. i use safflower oil anytime i cook anything im giving to the birds, very healthy for me and great for them. (like the rice for the chop, or oil added to bread, oil used to cook eggs in etc)
eggs in chop? ive tried it …did not end well, they get very disgusting and slimy during the whole freeze & unthaw process but YES to the crushed up egg shells!!!!
as for the oats… eeh… i would say no…. simply because they will absorb all the moisture and get so big then just break down and get gross… they are too flimsy a grain to stand up to the process… you could add some oatmeal to their diet though
i give mine oatmeal with honey or with cinnamon and they love it 
…yet another way to get cinnamon in them home made apple sauce or sweet potato/pumpkin are other great things to add cinnamon to.
the other stuff sounds fabulous. you want to get as much variety as you can without making it wierd.
for the budgies i put everything in a food processor and get it chopped pretty fine. things like bell pepper i chop myself very small…food processor just turn it to mushy pepper water…
but the greens, carrots broccoli.. squash, zuchini etc can go in the processor.
apples.. i would peel first.. even organic apples have a wax coating sadly… and of course no apple seeds. Also same as the pepper… chop it by hand it just becomes apple sauce in the food processor.
as for portions… i would do a small spoon full in each cup… just a normal regular spoon from your silverware drawyer. sprinkle a few seeds on top. If you notice they arent eating it skip a day & try again, or take a spoon & eat some from their dish so they see you eating it & realize you didnt die from it HA!
Thanks for the great advice Aminah! It will definitely come to good use when I make my Chop.
i hope they enjoy it !!!
Great advice Aminah. I need to add more cinnamon to my birds diet and now I know some new ways.
Hey, my husband bought me a Ninja food chopper for Christmas and I love this thing. It chops even the peppers nicely and small, but you have to pulse it. I can get my veggies nice and small and not mushy with this thing. Love it!
Anyway, I didn’t know about the safflower oil, so will be picking some up this week. I’m always trying to decide what oil to use to make things for the birds so this was great info!
I am getting ready to make my second batch of chop. My first batch didn’t turn out like I wanted it to. I think it was too wet. What is the best dry ingredients to use? My first batch seemed to be a bit watery. How do I keep it from being so watery when I thaw it?
Thanks, Robin
Try using shorter cooking times for your rice, pasta and barley or other grains. This will enable it to absorb the moisture from the vegetables.
Dry the vegetables thoroughly after washing and add more dry oatmeal to your mix. You might want to add some baby cereal to it to help absorb more moisture.
Also, you may want to increase the amount of herb salad you add.
I hope this helps and let me know how it goes.
You have a wonderful site and personality, Patricia! I really enjoy scouring for little tidbits on here. It really is scary how many people still think a sunflower seed diet is still acceptable. I saw this video late last year as we were getting ready to move and took on an emergency rescue quaker. It’s perfect for our malnourished quaker, but wonderful in that it’s great for the green cheek and parrolet too. I just made it tonight as we’re finally settled into our new home. It’s quite a task for one person. I can see why you had help. =) However, I discovered an awesome farmer’s market out of the whole process, and am really proud of my chop results. Now to get the little buggers to eat it! Haha! Thank you for sharing!
You are so welcome! Good luck with your chop and the flock. I really enjoy people coming over to help with the Chop duties. We all share the labor, the cost and the chop. Great way to get it done.
well batch number 2 turned out a lot better than the first batch did. since my guys aren’t use to eating veggies and don’t like them too much i am only adding a little to the dry seed mix i feed them. for the 2 bigger birds i am adding 1 tbsp of chop to 1 tbsp of pellets and 4 to 6 tbsps of the seed mix. for the yellow collard macaw i am adding 1/2 tbsp of chop to 1 tbsp pellets and 4 tbsps seed mix. for the lovies i am giving them 1/2 tsp chop to 1 tsp pellets and 3 tsps seed. i figured this will be a good way to start with them. i started feeding them the chop on tuesday, and so far they are doing pretty good.
now my question is how much should i feed my birds (yellow collard macaw, blue and gold macaw, b. f. amazon, and 2 lovies)? also i froze the chop in 1 cup servings. right now that will give them enough for a day and a half. after the chop is frozen and then thawed how long is it good for?
thanks
robin
Give them as much as a couple tablespoons. Then gauge how much to give them by how much they leave. The thawed Chop should last at least two days in the fridge. That’s why I freeze mine in smaller portions, only enough for one meal. I take two baggies out the night before I’m going to use it, one for each meal. Each baggie is enough for all of my flock for one meal.
Patricia, can amaranth be cooked, sprouted, or fed raw? Or all three? Thanks!
Hi patricia
thank you for tbe video,i have a question i live in egypt and here there are no pellets available for parrots so i mainly feed seed mix and vegetables and fruits,so if i made the chop will it be enough to feed it as the main food daily with a piece of fruits?and i once ordered harrisons high potency pelets for my african grey but he totally ignores it and never touch it no matter what i try i followe the advise on their web site but he totaly refused them,is there another brand of pelets that you know about that most african greys love and cant resist? What brand of pellets are u personally using?i intend to order some pellets internationally but i hate them to end unused like harrisons,thanx in advance for your help
Sala,
My friend Lynn has some suggestions for you!
Hi Salah,
Try making some corn bread muffins for your grey and add any unwanted pellets in them. That way you can try different pellets until you find one he likes and there will be no waste. Try looking for a corn bread mix without sugar and unfortified or try making your own homemade corn muffins.
Another trick is to try using finch size pellets and dampen them with a little water. They look like millet so may fool your bird. If and after he is eating them well you can add less and less water until he’s eating them dry and then try a little bit bigger size if you like.I’m having good luck right now with zupreem natural finch size pellets. I managed to convert an 8 month old seed junkie with this size pellet and this method! lol. Also it might just work to throw some of those finch size pellets right in the chop you make.
Lynne
Thanx alot i’ll try those finch size pellets ,brilliant idea
I hope they work Salah! I would add the pellets to the chop just before serving probably. I like offering pellet and goldenfeast mix during the day when I’m at work to give them something to nibble on all day. Goldenfeast is expensive but they do make some mixes that are a complete diet. I have a friend (who I just gave her some finch pellets to try) whos bird won’t eat pellets so she gives him one of the goldenfeast dry mixes.
Hello and thanks for such a great resource. We will be adding a CAG to our family in about 1 month. My current plan is to utilize Harrisons High Potency Coarse as a nibble on as desired base food with “chop” and fresh sprouts provided daily. I have already bought two easy sprouters, GSE and Dr. Bird Bird Sprout Mix (Adzuki Beans, Mung Beans, Millet, Buckwheat (in hull), Green Peas, Speckled Peas, Bill Jump Peas and Yellow Peas, Green Lentils, Crimson Lentils, French Blue Lentils, Black Lentils, Pardina Lentils, Orange Lentils, and Yellow Lentils, Black Garbanzos and Small Beige Garbanzos, Fenugreek, Alfalfa, Red Clover, Oriental Mustard, Daikon and China Rose Radish, Quinoa, Amaranth, Chia, Almonds (shelled)). At this time I’m not planning on making a mash. I also have RPO and birdy bread mixes.
These are the ingredients I have already bought for the “chop”.
Organic Whole Wheat Spirals
Spirulina
Organic Quinoa
Organic Black Quinoa
Organic Red Quinoa
Organic Kamut
Hemp Seeds (organic ones were very expensive – okay to use?)
Organic Pepitas (No Shell Pumpkin Seeds)
Organic Spelt
Organic Amaranth
Organic Bulgur Wheat
Organic Red Lentils
Organic Green Lentils
Lucknow Fennel Seeds (they did not have an organic version of these – okay to use?)
Organic Long Grain Brown Rice
Organic Chia Seeds
Organic Alfalfa Seed
Organic Rolled Oats
Organic Millet
Organic Golden Flax Seed
Twin Beaks Aviary Herb Salad
Twin Beaks Aviary Hatched 100% Pure Eggshell Calcium
Questions:
I have 1lb of each coming, except for Spirulina is only a sample. Most have a shelf life of at least 6 months to 1 year if stored properly. Can you give me a starting point on how much to add and what ratio of these dry good to fresh goods I should shoot for?
Other than the fresh stuff, do you see anything major missing or anything I should leave out?
Are the wheat spirals, red/green lentils and brown rice the only things above than need to be cooked prior to adding to the “chop”?
THANKS!!!!
Brett
You could probably just use boiled eggshell from the eggs you use and skip the cost of the Twin Beaks. Boil them, or microwave them on high to a boil and then freeze, add to the bag as you use eggs, and crush before adding to the Chop mix.
As far as the ratio is concerned, it depends on how much you want to make. It’s trial and error for a while, but make sure you don’t chop it too fine or it gets kind of “liquidy,” and you don’t want that. You want it on the dry side. At first, you’ll want to go heavy on the dry stuff as you want it dry for the freeze to be good; so it’ll be crisp. Undercook most of the stuff a tad so it will absorb the excess liquid.
Overall, this looks like an ambitious and fabulous list. You’ve done well!
I’d like to see a possible vegetable list. Try and do some research on some vegetables you’d like to use. Be sure and check out watercress.
Good luck with your Chop and if you need any help, let me know.
Thanks Patricia -
Are the wheat spirals, red/green lentils and brown rice the only things above that need to be cooked prior to adding to the “chop”?
Brett
You need to cook the spelt, the quinoa,the kamut, the amaranth, and the bulgur.
Hi. Thanks for your video and work. I have a 25 year old yellow naped Amazon parrot. My husband has done a pretty godd job of taking care of his diet over the years however we are trying to improve it. Would you think that this chop would be ok to introduce after 25 years of just seeds and raw veggies? Thanks!
Absolutely! It might take a while to get him to recognize it as food, but if you begin by mixing it in with his regular vegetables, he’ll probably readily take to it. Be sure and use an abundance of the vegetables he already eats in the mixture. Give it a try and let me know how it’s going.
Last week I found your blog and this post about “chop”. I was so excited! This morning I made my own version and my little guys (two pacific blue parrotlets – 5 & 6) loved it! I’ve been making them a simpler mix every morning and didn’t use nearly as many fresh veggies as I did with the “chop”. The whole process took me about 2 hours, start to finish. And that yielded about 40 daily servings. The good news is I will probably be adding couscous and quinoa to my diet as well (I was tasting everything as I went).
So thanks again from me and my little housemates.
Kim
You’re quite welcome Kim. I’m glad it’s working out for you and your flock.
[...] Video by Parrot Nation showing how to make large batches of chop Advertisement GA_googleAddAttr("AdOpt", "1"); GA_googleAddAttr("Origin", "other"); GA_googleAddAttr("theme_bg", "ffffff"); GA_googleAddAttr("theme_border", "bbbbbb"); GA_googleAddAttr("theme_text", "333333"); GA_googleAddAttr("theme_link", "1c9bdc"); GA_googleAddAttr("theme_url", "1c9bdc"); GA_googleAddAttr("LangId", "1"); GA_googleAddAttr("Autotag", "recipes"); GA_googleAddAttr("Autotag", "food"); GA_googleAddAttr("Autotag", "cooking"); GA_googleAddAttr("Tag", "eddy"); GA_googleAddAttr("Tag", "eddy"); GA_googleAddAttr("Tag", "recipe"); GA_googleFillSlot("wpcom_below_post"); Share this:EmailFacebookPrintMoreTwitterStumbleUponDiggLinkedInLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. [...]
I thought I was feeding my Eclectus Kermit a healthy diet until I saw your video. I immediately made up a batch. Kermit is a plucker and a somewhat challenged little guy but after consuming about 1/2 of the first batch I see feathers growing back. I love this stuff and so does Kermit. Thank you.
Carol, you’re more than welcome! It’s stories like this that make it all worth it.
Just my 2 cents. You have to be careful with Eclectus. They need a different diet than the majority of parrots. I have lorikeets; and they are similar. My lorikeets have to have a low-iron diet. Check on what you should and shouldn’t feed to an Eclectus – they can also get iron storage disease.
Thanks for the heads-up Melissa. I’ve modified the chop to suit my little guys special dietary needs. Eclectus really are special birds right down to and especially their diets.
Melissa, that’s why I don’t provide a recipe. It’s too limiting. I ask that Families do their homework and tailor it to their own flock’s needs. That’s the beauty of it. People haven’t quite caught on to that totally, but I think the more I post about it and you all bring these issues up, this is where it becomes far more precise in what certain species require or should avoid. This was an excellent point you made and one that needed to be brought up. Thanks Melissa!
I have iron storage disease myself and I don’t take vitamin C with anything that contains iron or take citrus things with high iron foods.
And there you are, tailoring your diet to your needs. As all people who make Chop should be doing. Great comment.
Thanks, Patricia. I remember when I first ran across your chop philosophy, I asked your recipe. I felt lost. I hope other people dive in and make up their own recipes as I have learned to do.
Melissa,
And now it’s like breathing. You’re a natural. You know what you want to put in it, you look for other items and you’re always interested in making it better. It’s all about what;s best for both you and your flock. And that’s what makes it work. I don’t dictate about how it should be made. As I’ve always said: It’s not a recipe; It’s a concept. And you grabbed onto that and ran with it. Bravo!
Hi, Patricia. I’m thinking about doing the chop soon for Sueño and Gracie, blue-headed pionus parrots, but have some concern about the storage. I won’t use the microwave at all – for me or them – so that’s easy to avoid. But, as a host of a Health Mastermind weekly call we’ve been reading about how plastics have carcinogenic properties and that for some freezing is worse than heating for breaking down these toxic substances that leach into the food. So while the chop is a great idea and plastic is very convenient for storage, I would be concerned about that and will start to see if there are any alternatives. If any of your readers have any ideas I would love to hear them. Thanks so much – loved the video. I can just see feathered friends wanting to play in the mixture in the tub if not supervised! Wendy
I suppose aluminum foil would work. And there are containers made of corn fiber that break down in about two weeks. And if you’re careful, glass canning jars might work.
[...] All along the way, my “Chop Concept” was gaining ground and due to the blog, high interest in a low-cost, low effort, efficient way of feeding good stuff to your birds, people were clicking on the blog videos of how to make Chop. [...]
do you have a doc that list ALL the ingredients and how much a batch cost to make?
[...] [...]
I have a 9 mos.old SI Eclectus male. He is my first bird. I have really enjoyed researching and learning about bird health, nutrition, and diet. I watched your video, went to the store, and made the chop. It is amazing and he loves it. Thank you so much for sharing. You have just made my life easier.
Hello I had been told to always cook the sweet potatos before feeding to my birds Is it okay to feed them raw?
I’ve been feeding the sweet potato raw for years with no iil effects. I also know of a guy who’s been involved with birds for decades and has been feeding it raw for that long. So I’ve never had a problem.