Chia seeds are labeled as a superfood, especially in the eyes of the health-conscious and those on special diets. If you don’t eat fish then this food can be a stand-in as it offers the omega 3 fatty acids that are usually derived from fish. This food is also a good source of antioxidants.
In addition, it adds an interesting texture to foods like bread, smoothies, and breakfast bowls. But can this food benefit birds as well? This article explores the question of ‘can bird eat chia seeds’
Birds can certainly eat chia seeds. This food has high levels of protein, amino acids, calcium, omega 3 fatty acids, fat, phosphorous, manganese, folic acid, riboflavin, thiamin, niacin, fiber as well as antioxidants which will be of benefit to the bird’s body.
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Can birds eat chia seeds?
Benefits that chia seeds offer birds:
Birds can definitely eat chia seeds. These seeds offer birds a wide variety of vitamins and minerals which keep the bird healthy. One such mineral is protein.
The protein content in this food is so high that some professional athletes eat chia seeds to maintain their intake of protein.
The high levels of amino acids in these seeds help to break down the protein delivered by the seeds. This allows the protein to be easily absorbed by the bird’s body.
Chia seeds also contain calcium and antioxidants. One way that humans get calcium into our bodies is through dairy products.
Birds, on the other hand, are lactose intolerant, and thus can’t process dairy products well. This is where chia seeds can come in. The high calcium content of chia seeds will bridge the gap if your bird is suffering from a lack of calcium.
Other beneficial minerals that chia seeds contain include omega 3 fatty acids, fat, antioxidants, phosphorous, manganese, folic acid, riboflavin, thiamin, niacin, and fiber.
The fat present in chia seeds (chia seeds contain 40% fat) helps to maintain the brain function of the bird and fiber is necessary for the digestive health of your bird.
On top of all this, chia seeds can provide energy to your bird, can help lower cholesterol levels, can prevent diabetes as well as prevent hypertension and heart disease in birds
How to prepare and serve chia seeds to birds
Feeding your bird chia seeds is as easy as sprinkling the seeds onto your bird’s food. The bird will eat the chia seeds along with the food and quickly get a boost of nutrients
You can also add chia seeds to their chop. Chop is a mix of vegetables, dry grains, and cooked pasta all chopped up by your food processor. Sprinkling chia seeds on top of the chop before serving pigeons can add nutrients as well as taste to the food
If you’d like to get creative with feeding your bird chia seeds you can make a chia seed pudding similar to the chia seed pudding you’d make for yourself.
Simply swap out the milk in your human recipe for water in your bird’s recipe (birds cannot digest large amounts of milk). Soak the seeds in water for one to two hours, soaking them will make them swell.
For added variety in the pudding, add some chopped-up fruits and nuts to the recipe. Expect the seeds to get quite large, chia seeds can absorb 12 times their weight in water
Moderation when feeding chia seeds to birds:
When serving chia seeds to birds, remember not to overdo it.
Yes this food is good for the animal but it should not make up a major part of your bird’s diet, this food should only make up 10% of your bird’s diet. This 10% is how much-combined treats and snacks your bird should be eating.
The rest of their diet should consist of pellets and vegetables.
Note: When looking for chia seeds for your bird get the best equality seeds you can find. The lesser quality seeds are less nutritious and are of a lower quality than regular quality seeds
What seeds are bad for birds?
Seeds, in general, are good for birds, in the wild, seeds make up a large part of a bird’s diet.
That being said, seeds can be unhealthy when given in too much supply. Seeds may contain good amounts of nutrients but they do not offer enough to sustain a bird if the bird is having a seed-only diet.
Thus, you’ll need to limit how many seeds you feed your bird and give it other foods to vary its diet. In addition, avoid giving your bird apple seeds, these are toxic to birds
Conclusion
In conclusion, chia seeds are good for birds. These seeds contain a number of beneficial vitamins and minerals which are great for a bird’s health.
You can prepare them by sprinkling the seeds on the bird’s food, you can also make a chia seed pudding for birds.
Remember not to feed the bird too many seeds, only allow 10% of the bird’s diet to be seed.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other bird related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Can birds eat asparagus?, Can birds eat butter?, Can birds eat mouldy bread?, Can birds eat beans?
