Site live and Birdie Bread

I finally got the website ready and it is now live. I plan on adding a guest book and slide shows of different birds doing different things so that people can get an idea of what living with a bird is like.

Today we went out and got some new sides for the playpen. I didn't realize that the baby birds would chew on the wire as hard as they are. This version is going to be 4 foot by 4 foot. The current one is 3 foot by 3 foot. We are hoping to get the cam set up this week-end so others can enjoy the antics of baby birds. They are so much fun to watch. They are either going 100% or sleeping. I hope you visit when it is live, then you can see them playing with the plastic rings and wearing them like a necklace.

This morning the birds had their corn/rice/garbanzo bean mix. Birdie bread with broccoli, peppers and shredded carrots for lunch. For dinner they had grapes and apples. Adam and Eve are always sitting there waiting for their apple at night. If they don’t get it I will find all their bowls on the floor in the morning. They are just like kids and throw temper tantrums.

We get a lot of requests and questions about our birdie bread recipe. I have a basic recipe that you will find below. I add different things to the recipe each time I make it. Today I added one 16 ounce package of broccoli (chopped up in the food processor), 1 cup of peppers and 6 shredded carrots. I make the bread in a 13 x 9 glass pan. This makes enough for everyone to have some. If you don't need that much you can cut it into squares and freeze it. Then just remove a piece each night, let it thaw overnight and give it to your bird(s) the next day. Some people heat their birdie bread in the microwave. I worry about hot spots and crop burn so I don't do that. Since we have so many birds I allow it to cool off and give it to the birds when it is just slightly warm to the touch.

This recipe requires self rising corn meal. I don't like feeding my birds things that contain aluminum or sugar so I make my own self rising corn meal in large batches. I mix 10 cups of corn meal, 20 tablespoons of whole wheat flour, 10 tablespoons of aluminum free baking powder and 1 teaspoon of sea salt.

The basic recipe also contains dried greens; you can purchase these at most pet stores. I make my own by drying wheat grass, kale, spinach, mustard greens, oregano, basil, cilantro, chamomile, and thyme. I mix them together and use them in all sorts of recipes. I even add it to the seed mixture we make.

Here is my recipe for basic birdie bread:

2 cups of self rising corn meal
1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
1/2 cup of flax seed
1 cup of coarse ground corn meal (also known as corn grits)
1 cup of oats
1/4 cup of cuttlebone (while the birds are breeding)
1/2 cup of dried greens
2 tablespoons of cinnamon
1/4 cup of dried peppers
1 tablespoon of baking powder (aluminum free)

4 tablespoons of oil (I alternate between coconut and red palm)
4 eggs (I don’t use the shells, some people do)
1 cup of juice (no sugar added)
2 cups of organic/no sugar added applesauce or other fruit that I have pureed.
Optional ingredient(s) (see below)

Mix all dry ingredients then add oil, eggs, juice, pureed fruit and your choice of the optional ingredient(s). Mix until well blended.

Spoon into your greased (I use whatever oil I have put in the bread) baking dish. This mixture is thick and does not pour. Flatten out with a spoon. Top with one or more of the following: seeds, raisins, craisins, oats, coconut or whatever else sounds good. I use different things depending on what I have available. Using the back of the spoon gently push the toppings into the bread mixture so they don’t fall off when the bread is served.

Bake at 375 in a preheated oven until golden brown. The top usually has some cracks in it. Remove from pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Optional ingredients that I use are listed below. I have not provided amounts to use because it depends on if you are using more than 1. To give you an idea of the amount of items you can add, today I used a 16 ounce bag of broccoli, 1 cup of chopped peppers and 6 carrots. You want to have plenty of veggies or fruit in the bread. If your bird isn’t a veggie eater then start with smaller amounts and increase over time. It is a good way to get them the nutrients they need.

Optional Ingredients:
Sweet potatoes
Peppers (hot and bell) dried or fresh
Squash
Frozen vegetables such as, broccoli, corn, spinach, mixed veggies, or carrots
Fresh vegetables such as kale, spinach, collard greens, mustard greens, bok choy, broccoli, or corn,
Berries
Fresh fruit
Dried fruits (sulphur free) such as raisins, craisins, papaya, blueberries, cherries, pineapple, strawberries, coconut and mango
Fresh fruits

The house always smells so good while the birdie bread is baking.