Homemade Cockatiel Bird Formula

Try making homemade cockatiel formula rather than buying it from a pet store.

Cockatiels are birds with an average lifespan of 15 to 20 years. Many people have cockatiels as pets. Feeding your cockatiel the right food will help to ensure that it stays healthy. Although you can buy pre-mixed cockatiel food from most pet stores, this becomes costly. You can make homemade cockatiel formula right at home for a fraction of the cost.

Things You'll Need

• Beans and Rice
• 1 1/2 cups dry assorted beans
• Bowl
• Strainer
• Medium saucepan
• 1/2 cup split peas
• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 1/2 cup cracked corn
• 1/2 cup dried peppers
• Air-tight containers
• Veggie and Apple Seed Formula
• 1 apple
• Large mixing bowl
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup cooked frozen corn
• 1 cup of chopped green lettuce
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup wheat germ
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 1/4 cup buckwheat
• 1/4 cup groats
• 1/2 cup mixed nuts
• 1/4 cup soybeans
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 5 eggs
• Spoon
• 9-by-13-inch baking dish
• Cooking spray

Instructions

Rice and Beans Cockatiel Formula

1. Pour 1 1/2 cups of dry beans into a bowl. Cover them with water and let them soak overnight.

2. Drain the water the next day. Put the beans in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Put the pan on the stove over medium heat and bring the water to a boil. Let it boil for two minutes.

3. Remove the pan from the stove and let it cool for one hour. Drain the water and rinse the beans under cool water.

4. Put the beans back into the saucepan and stir in 1/2 cup of split peas, 1/2 cup of brown rice, 1/2 cup cracked corn, 1/2 cup dried peppers and 4 cups of water. Put the pan on the stove and bring the mixture to a boil.

5. Reduce the heat to simmer and stir the mixture frequently. Let it simmer for about one hour or until the water is absorbed.

6. Let the mixture cool completely. Put it in air-tight containers and store in the refrigerator. You can also store this formula in air-tight containers in the freezer.

Veggie and Apple Cockatiel Seed Formula

1. Chop up one apple finely. Put the finely chopped apple into a large mixing bowl.

2. Add 1 cup of cornmeal, 1 cup cooked frozen corn, 1 cup of chopped green lettuce, 1 cup of shredded carrots, 1 cup of wheat germ, 1/2 cup of soy milk, 1/4 cup of buckwheat, 1/4 cup of groats, 1/2 cups of coarsely chopped mixed nuts, 1/4 cup of finely ground soybeans, 1/8 cup of olive oil and five cracked eggs with shells. Mix the ingredients well with a spoon.

3. Grease a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Bake the mixture in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool completely before serving to your bird or storing in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

References

• The American Cockatiel Society: Recipe Corner--Beans and Rice
• Tiel Town: Apple Veggie Seed Mix