I’m not one for dictating; telling people what to do and how to do it, I simply allow people a peek into how I do things. Do I think the way I feed is a better way than an all-seed diet? Of course. Do I have all of the answers? Hell no.
If I can help someone, great. If my little moments of enlightenment here and there inspire people to find the better answer, the better idea, and the better method, I sure hope they share it with me.
One of the reasons I like making and serving Chop to my Greys is that it’s easy and convenient for me. I’ll actually make the stuff and package it because in the long run it takes less time. Same for the way I clean their cages. (Usually one a day.)
I’ve learned so much from so many people by watching them. It was amazing what I picked up at the Oasis Sanctuary. Their foraging tray concept is brilliant!
And so are Best Friends foraging trays:
Susan Chamberlain swears by misting the bottom newspaper substrate of your cage with water to keep the dust down when you’re changing the papers. And while I don’t have an outdoor flight, the Oasis Sanctuary has the coolest flight bridge between aviaries.
When I saw Shari Mirojnik use a tray to pick up all of her play stand and cage bowls for cleaning I wanted to kick myself. It was such an obvious “easy thing to do” and yet it had never occurred to me.
Sometimes it’s the little things that either make things more interesting for your birds, or easier for you.
Patricia Sund
Parrot Nation 
June 12, 2011 at 1:09 pm
I love the Chop as does Pepper and my friend’s Caique Boingo. My friend calls it “Birdie Crack”. I have been using compostable carry-out containers to provide Pepper a foraging source. Filled with some goodie goodies, pellets,maybe an almond or walnut or 1 or 2 seedballs I give it to him when I go to work or leave the house for a couple of hours. It provides entertainment, snacks aside from his regular food and something to attack and destroy. Much less expensive than store bought foraging trays or containers.
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June 12, 2011 at 2:32 pm
Can you tell a little more about the Oasis foraging tray? thank you !!!!!
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June 12, 2011 at 6:28 pm
Sure Ilona!
Here is a link to a video about them:
https://parrotnation.com/2010/09/22/foraging-trays-at-parrot-garden/
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June 12, 2011 at 6:24 pm
Reminds me of the day I bought two plastic chair mats and stuck them under the bird cages which up to then were sitting on carpet… a true bonk myself on the head moment for not doing it years and years ago. When I had more then the two bird cages, I had a rolling cart which I used to get all the bowls from the cages to the kitchen and back.
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June 12, 2011 at 8:11 pm
I have a rolling food cart for my birds. On it is an empty plastic coffee can. It resides in the bird room. In the morning, I dump their waters in the coffee can, place all bowls on the cart and roll to the kitchen. I dump food, dump the water, wash all bowls, line them up (this includes a tortoise and 3 lizard bowls, too). Put in chop, condiments, other fresh food left overs, place them on the cart, place empty water bowls on cart, and roll back to the bird room. I distribute food bowls, line of water bowls, use a gallon jug with fresh water to fill the water bowls, and put water bowls in. Everyone is happy and quite.
At night, I have extra bowls, so I line up extra food bowls, put in dinner, take to bird room, and swap out dirty bowls with fresh food and clean bowls! So easy!
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June 12, 2011 at 8:34 pm
Fabulous idea! I never thought of dumping the water into a coffee can as I go. Set up all of the new bowls and dump as I go. Great concept!
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June 12, 2011 at 8:12 pm
Oh, also, I have one of the bird room walls lined with shower curtains and plastic. Remove, wash in hot water, replace! Keeps flung sweet potato mash off the walls.
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June 24, 2011 at 3:51 pm
I have double the amount of water cups needed for the bird room. I also have a rolling cart. I put a gallon jug of fresh cold water on the bottom of the cart and use a plastic pitcher to fill the clean cups on a tray as I take out the “dirty” cup and replace it. I use a dump can when I give them fresh food. That dump can is taken out to feed the wild birds and a ground hog or 2 who have discovered what a great place this is to get a snack.
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