GIVE YOUR BIRD A "SPROUTING" CHANCE

As most of you know, I represent Bird Talk magazine. One of the best parts of this job is going to many different bird club meetings. In the course of this, I get to hear some really great speakers. Recently, I attended a meeting of the Garden State Exotic Bird Club, in Lindenwold, NJ, which is near Cherry Hill, and was fortunate to hear Fred Myers give a talk on sprouts. Now, I never gave sprouts much thought - after all, it's just some seeds that have been almost planted and puffed before anything exciting happens. Nothing could be further from the truth!!! Fred works in a health food store and has a store of knowledge about his subject that is amazing! Here are some of the things I learned that night:

First of all, why use sprouts? Well, inside each tiny, little seed is everything necessary to grow a complete plant. So when you soak them, you begin the process of growth which releases all the nutrients and good stuff that is stored in them. Many of us serve our friends seeds on a regular basis. If we just do nothing but soak them overnight, we are beginning the germination process and making them a little healthier for our birds. Once they have sprouted root "tails", they are a bit healthier, and once they are sprouts, they are even more healthy a food.

Now, there are some seeds you should not use for your birds, because uncooked, they can release an enzyme that can cause stomach problems. These are: soy, lima, kidney, black, fava, navy, pinto and anasazi beans. Remember, DO NOT USE these beans raw or sprouted. OK - what to use. Amaranth, barley (unhulled, whole only), buckwheat (toasted is medium brown and will not sprout), field corn, popcorn, millet (unhulled is best), oats (must use unhulled), rice (only brown will sprout), rye, triticale, wheat (hard winter wheat is best), almonds (unblanched only - soak for 8 -12 hrs and use the same day), cabbage and kale, fenugreek, mucilaginous (flax, psyllium and chia), mustard, teff (whole grain only), pumpkin (only soak for 4 -8 hrs and feed), radish, sesame (unhulled - use the first day only), sunflower (can use the ones right out of your seed mix!), quinoa. There are also legumes to use: adzuki (easiest to sprout), alfalfa and clover, garbanzo beans or chick peas (spoil quickly, so only make what you can serve in one day), lentils, which come in brown, green and red (use whole lentils only, not the split ones), and mung beans.

If you have never heard of half of these seeds, grains and legumes, you have the same question I did - Where do you get these from? For the unusual ones, go to your local health food store, where they are usually sold in bulk. For the legumes, your local grocery store sells them in packages. And many of the seeds, i.e., millet, sunflower, corn, can be found right in your seed bin! You can also sprout the seeds you have in the house now.

How to do it? Easier than I thought! Rinse the seeds. Put them in a jar of water and shake them up! Drain and rinse again. Put them in a container, cover with water and soak them overnight. The next morning, drain and rinse them again. (A little tip - use the water for your plants, as it has nutrients in it!) Spread out the seeds in a basket (If the seeds are very small, use a paper towel to keep them from falling through) The basket gives them something to grab onto to keep them growing upright! Rinse them off every morning and night. You can use the sink sprayer. This prevents any mold from growing and keeps the sprouts fresh. In 2 or 3 days, you will see little tails growing - these are the first roots and you can use the sprouts from this point on. After 3 - 5 days, you will see actual sprouts growing. (The shorter the sprout, the more healthy it is.) At this point, drain them and put them in the refrigerator. Be sure to keep rinsing them twice a day, and if you smell anything funny - THROW THEM OUT!!

These directions are for those who would like to give their birds "do it yourselfî sprouts, but you can also buy them in the produce section of your supermarket. These are not as fresh, but are healthier than dried seeds. If you would like more details, Fred has put his presentation on the Garden State Exotic Bird Club's website, (http://members.xoom.com/gsebc). So next time you are browsing, stop by there! Fred also mentioned that sprouts are not only good for our birds, but for us as well. HAPPY SPROUTING!!!