Post by Annie on Apr 14, 2012 17:32:40 GMT -8
(source: by Katy McElroy, Hornbeam Aviary)
Bean, rice and corn diets are widely considered to be one of the best means of supplying good natural nutrition to parrots. They are excellent for pets, breeder birds or weaning chicks, and wonderful for converting seed junkies. They work well for a few birds when the cooked mixture is frozen in serving-sized bags, but many breeders find it difficult to cope with the amounts necessary to feed a whole aviary. I have been feeding this mix for many years with good results and, after much trial and error, have developed an easy, nearly painless cooking method. I make 12 quarts of this mix 2 or 3 times a week. It takes about 1.5 hours from start to finish with very little fuss, uses just 1 pot and doesn't need pre-soaking or draining. I use a 16-quart stainless steel stockpot for both cooking and storing the mix. It will keep at least 4 days in the fridge. I buy the ingredients in bulk from Gordon's (restaurant) Food Service and my local feed store.
If ONE PART is equal to a level 1/2 cup measure (4 ounces), you'll end up with about 5 quarts of food.
Ingredients:
-4 part whole shelled field corn (from your feed store)
-4 parts dried beans (I use a mixture of black-eyed peas, great northern beans and green split peas because they cook in about the same length of time. Pintos and other dark beans tend to stain the whole mix brown, which may make it less inviting to some birds.)
-4 parts chopped carrots (or yams, sweet potatoes, winter squash or pumpkin---all unpeeled)
-Crushed egg shells, dried hot peppers, cinnamon stick, garlic cloves (all optional)
-5 parts water
-2 parts plain long grain white rice (not quick-cooking)
-3 parts THIN egg noodles or any THIN pasta
-2 parts rolled oats (the long-cooking Quaker type, not instant)
-1 part raisins
-4 parts frozen green peas
Method:
1) Measure the field corn into the stockpot, rinse with water and drain. Add the beans, carrots, optional items and the measured water. At this point your pot should be no more than 1/3 full or you won't have enough cooking room.
2) Put on the lid and bring to a full rolling boil over high heat. Stir in the rice and the chopped carrots (or whatever root vegetable you are using) and reduce heat to very low for 25-35 minutes, or until the rice is almost done. Don't lift the lid for the first 25 minutes that the rice is steaming and don't add more water.
3) When the rice is almost tender, turn off the heat and stir in the pasta, rolled oats and raisins. Leave the lid on and stir a couple of times while the pasta and oats steam and absorb the remaining moisture. In 10 or 15 minutes the noodles will be softened (they'll still be a bit leathery) and you can stir in the frozen peas.
4) The mix should be dry and fluffy---not wet or sticky, and very little should be stuck to the bottom of the pot after it cools. The beans and corn will range from crisp-tender to crunchy, depending on the type used. Nothing should be over-cooked or mushy. cool the pot quickly---in a sink full of cold water if necessary---and refrigerate. Lay a couple of paper towels on top of the mix under the lid to absorb dripping condensation.
NOTE: If you are going to freeze this mix, wait to add the frozen peas as you bag it so they don't thaw and lose quality. You can experiment by substituting one part each of the beans and corn for another whole grain such as buckwheat, flax seed, hulled millet, barley or lentils. Just be sure that the ratio of water to beans and grain remains the same.
If you are successful with this recipe, pics of your fids enjoying this would be greatly appreciated!
Sunny enjoying tiny corn cob
