Why Should You Bother to Soak Seed

By Mark Davies

I have found that prior to the breeding season, birds need to be boosted in some sort of way that will stimulate them into doing things that come naturally. In the wild (such as Australia), birds of all kinds are stimulated into a breeding cycle once the rains come to shower upon the dry and arid land. Unseen from the surface lie dormant seeds just waiting to erupt from the ground, carrying valuable nutrients through their growing system. Hence the birds see this as a time to take advantage of the abundance of food available to them. It is known that if there is a plentiful supply, then the clutch will either be larger than usual or a second clutch could be reared. Noticing this valuable information, it seemed obvious to me that the birds in our care may not have this natural stimulation, being confined to a limited area, and being reliant on the offerings that we provide. Soaking seeds that the birds usually eat anyway seemed to be a really good substitute for the grass seeds in the wild.

A dry seed carries valuable ingredients that lie dormant until activated by moisture. When the seed starts ‘drinking’ the water, amazing changes activate the seeds into a completely different form. It starts to live. Proteins and valuable nutrients awaken to ensure the growth of the dormant plant. Germination starts, At this point, the young plant is ready to leave its sheltered capsule from which it has been hibernating. The root is the first to leave the shell, searching for goodies within the soil to be converted into valuable nutrients in order to keep the young plant alive and so on.

Whilst getting your birds into condition for the breeding season months ahead, a boost in protein should be given, not only to keep the birds in condition, but also quite importantly, to aid the fertility of your stock. This protein can be given in the form of soaked seeds. My method of soaking seeds is very basic and practical. I use a base mix consisting of 3 parts sunflower, 1 part safflower (which by the way sprouts wonderfully), 1 part oats (with shells as these are most beneficial to the birds, and hulled oats do not sprout), and 1 part budgie mix. The seeds are mixed together in a 9 liter bucket, some people refuse to use plastic, but I have had no problems with it. This fills the bucket about half way, and then I put a couple of drops of Aviclens (a product from Vetafarm), to keep the water ‘sweet’, and then fill the bucket to the top with warm water. I seem to have a better germination result using this method. Clean, fresh seed is essential for this process for if old dirty seed was to be used you would notice a lack of germination and a musty odor. The odor should be sweet and not a sour smell, if this is the case discard the mixture, as it would be very hazardous to your collection. Once the seed has been covered with water it is placed in a warm area. An airing cupboard would be fine (if room is available). I keep ours by the fire. After 12 hours of soaking the mixture is rinsed thoroughly about 2-3 times until the water runs clear. (NB if soaking hulled oats the water will remain cloudy white). At this time the mixture should have a sweet, fibrous smell. Aviclens is added again and water filled to the top, and soaking is continued for another 12 hours. After the second soaking, rinsing of the seed is repeated until the water runs clear again. I find rinsing the seed out with a large sieve the best way or the use of another bucket with small holes in the bottom would be fine.

At this stage of soaking the mixture is left in the bucket without water so that germination can begin, again store it in a warm situation. At this stage the seed mix should have expanded by about half again its original volume when dry, and signs of germination will be obvious on some kinds of seeds. Germination time can vary from one species of seed to another. I have found that soaked millets take longer to germinate than safflower or sunflower. Twelve hours later the seeds are rinsed thoroughly again and left in the bucket to germinate. After the second day the mix should be ready to feed out the following morning, again rinsed thoroughly. It is always better to rinse too much than not enough, for harmful bacteria thrive in warm, damp environments. If there are any signs of mould, discard the mixture.

Your birds should enjoy the benefits of this mixture. The most beneficial time of the growing seeds life to be fed to your birds is when the root starts to appear. This is when the young plant contains its highest protein content. If feeding soaked seeds to pet birds that do not exercise very often feed very sparingly. Excess protein will turn to fat if not ‘burnt off’ as would be the case of breeding birds with chicks who in turn feed it to their youngsters which need the extra protein to grow into strong healthy babies. I also add supplements to the soaked seed mix such as a vitamin and mineral supplement. Vegetables can be finely diced and added. If you have never tried soaked seeds before, give it a go, your birds will love it!

Kellies note: Lorikeets love to eat soaked seed, it’s not just for parrots, so give it a go.

Last modified: 17 December 2001.