Most days I receive messages asking “What can I feed my budgies to make them larger?”, “What supplement can I use to make cap feathers grow longer?”, and “What can I add to the feed to give larger rounds of bigger chicks?”
Everyone looking for the “magic potion” that will change pet quality birds into show winners.
Over the years there have been literally thousands of products that made outlandish claims… everything from products formulated for horses to steroid injections… and the answer is simple. There is NO MAGIC PRODUCT that will drastically alter the size or appearance of your birds.
The overall size and features of your birds is controlled genetically… by the genes passed down from parents and family background, not by some special supplement you feed.
There are, of course, plenty of good products available today that supply nutrients that may be missing in the day to day diet you feed. These are important to include if you want your birds to develop to the best their genetic makeup allows.
If you feed a good mix or top quality seeds from a
variety of sources, plenty of vegetables and fruit, grits and clean water..
your birds will do well. Look for natural remedies and a few supplements to
add a little extra… But don’t expect your birds to improve dramatically
overnight. It takes time, patience, knowledge, and a good breeding program
with the best quality stock you can afford to achieve that.
