mickp
Bronze Member
Posts: 233
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Post by mickp on Mar 29, 2008 19:40:30 GMT 10
dont know if I spelt it right or not lol.
recently I heard that using the herb comfrey as part of your birds diet can be good for them.
had all these plans of buying some from the nursery here, so much for good intentions, apparently there is more than one variety and some can be toxic, to show how good the plant shop here is no one had a clue which one is safe.
so here's my question, is it safe to feed to the birds and if so does anbody know which one?
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Post by vankarhi on Mar 29, 2008 20:39:59 GMT 10
mmmmm I have no idea. But back in my "hippy" days (oh sorry I am still in them) lol I remember going to a good friends place and being served battered comfry leaves  as part of the meal. I was very surprised indeed but managed to survive the ordeal. lol |
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Post by vankarhi on Mar 29, 2008 20:42:37 GMT 10
I give mine basil leaves and very occassionally a garlic clove.
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Post by avinet on Mar 29, 2008 21:07:16 GMT 10
I give mine basil leaves and very occassionally a garlic clove. I noticed that at the Brisbane Birds and Exotics Vets newsletter that Robert provided a link to today, it says that garlic is poisonous! First time I have ever heard of this and no doubt it comes as a surprise to all those birds who regularly get a bit of garlic. I have no idea about comfrey - my general rule with herbs in the absence of reliable information is to use very sparingly since some can be very high in a variety of nutrients, and a small bird could easily have to much and overdose. cheers, Mike |
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Post by vankarhi on Mar 29, 2008 21:20:10 GMT 10
I think garlic in large doses might not be good for birds but my understanding on the "land of vos" an ekkie mailing list .... is that it is perfectly fine in smaller occassional doses. I think it is related to the onion and we all know that onions are out of bounds for most animals.
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Post by Jane on Mar 30, 2008 9:08:21 GMT 10
Even my fish get food with garlic in it  I read alot recently about the benefits of garlic for fish and of course the horses have always got it everyday, I hadn't thought about the birds  About Comfrey I read abit lately on comfrey for horses, I seem to recall there was a balance between helpful and poisonous. My 'herby type' (horse) books are at work but I will look tomorrow and report back  |
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mickp
Bronze Member
Posts: 233
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Post by mickp on Mar 30, 2008 20:19:01 GMT 10
I'd never thought of feeding basil or garlic to the birds, the basil I can figure out how to give it to them lol but how do you give the garlic?
there's a rosemary bush in the aviary but I've only ever seen the quail eating it, dont think the finches like the smell as all I have seenthem do to it is dive bomb it. pretty accurately to lol.
looking forward to hearing what you find out about the comfrey, Jane.
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Post by vankarhi on Mar 30, 2008 21:08:41 GMT 10
Basil I just cut some off my bushes (when they haven't died lol) and they also love the heady seedy parts too of the basil.
The garlic......they haven't had for some time, but I give it to them by the clove and only one clove. They can have it in the skin too as apparently they love to peel it themselves. Mine also get ginger too.........I buy it and just cut some pieces and put it in with the rest of their fruit and veges.......but once again it is not something they get every day. Chillies they love and they get it when ever I remember to pick some when the plants have some on them. ;D
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Post by Jane on Mar 31, 2008 14:11:05 GMT 10
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Post by vankarhi on Mar 31, 2008 15:48:47 GMT 10
mmmmmmmmmm wonder what I ate then as I am still alive lol
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mickp
Bronze Member
Posts: 233
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Post by mickp on Mar 31, 2008 20:09:11 GMT 10
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Post by vankarhi on Mar 31, 2008 21:00:29 GMT 10
why?? Footy season is just beginning.........I don't watch it anyway except for state of origin.......league.
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mickp
Bronze Member
Posts: 233
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Post by mickp on Apr 1, 2008 18:37:53 GMT 10
being a broncos fan I am happy wayching league at the moment, but as for the afl my teams seems to be suffering a power failure so far  |
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as part of the meal. I was very surprised indeed but managed to survive the ordeal. lol
I read alot recently about the benefits of garlic for fish and of course the horses have always got it everyday, I hadn't thought about the birds 
