the throes of egg laying, don’t freak out — it’s never too late to get a leg up on their diet. Here are some foods that can aid in getting their diets into a more fertile friendly shape. The first food that I found to be the most fascinating is called Maca (pronounced mah-kah). Maca is derived from the root of the Lepidium meyenii plant that is native to the high Andes of Bolivia and Peru.
Maca works by regulating the organs that secrete hormones, from the hypothalamus, activating the pituitary, suprarenal glands and pancreas, getting an increase of testosterone levels and general levels of hormonal balance. The alkaloids act in the hypothalamus-pituitary and the suprarenal glands producing the increase of energy, vitality and virility. Studies in rats found that animals that ate Maca or isolated alkaloids of the Maca root showed a multiple maturity of follicles in the female rats, while the male showed a significant increase in the production and mobility of sperm. It is an adaptive root with multiple benefits for both males and females. It is not a medicine or a hormone, it is a food that thanks to its natural composition regulates hormones and helps the internal reconstruction of the system. Maca powder is available at most good health shops; it has a
24 BIRD SCENE
melted flavour similar to Horlicks! The birds love it and it has no toxic side effects. It is fairly expensive but if it does the trick it will certainly be worth the outlay.
There are quite a few different herbs, nuts and seeds that birds can be given to increase their fertility. One such seed which plays a role in promoting male fertility is flaxseed and flaxseed oil. The compounds within flaxseed oil help to keep the sperm healthy and may also help with regard to male impotence. Flaxseed oil is a wonderful herbal supplement to feed when trying to promote and achieve a fertile clutch of eggs, because the hormone-balancing lignin’s and plant phytoestrogens in flaxseed oil help stabilize a female’s oestrogen- progesterone ratio.
Flaxseed Oil is good for the general health of the bird, providing important Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. Fatty acids are critical for health - and for fertility. If your male birds do not have enough fatty acids in their system the result may be low sperm count and low sperm viability.
Another source of Omega-3 fats comes from fish. While hard boiled eggs may be fed to increase protein levels, include a small amount of cooked fish — readily taken and enjoyed by the birds. Many bird
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
