Every bird owner loves giving their feathered friends treats to enjoy.
Unfortunately, a lot of the bird treats available in stores are full of preservatives, artificial flavors, and colorful artificial dyes.
These can cause health issues for your bird.
Luckily, you can make treats for your bird(s) at home, cheaper and healthier than anything you can buy.
It’s a win-win!
You know exactly what’s in every treat, and you spend less money.
Please keep in mind that even healthy and nutritious treats are still treats.
What am I getting at here?
Be sure to feed treats sparingly, one to two times a week. This reduces the risk of obesity and other health issues too many treats can cause in your bird.
Here are the four healthy treats you can make at home.
Oatmeal Birdy Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dry old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/4 cup almond or coconut flour
- 1/2 cup of your bird’s seed mix
- 1 tbsp water
- 1/4 cup honey
- Optional Add-Ins: You can toss in a few pinches of chopped raisins or raw unsalted nuts
Directions
- Mix all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl until combined.
- Add the water and honey and mix well until thoroughly combined and forms a stiff dough (if the dough seems too sticky, add a little more seed or flour).
- Take a small amount of the dough and form into balls about the size of a quarter.
- Place the small balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and use a straw or chopstick to create a hole in the center of each ball (to allow a piece of twine or bird treat skewer to be placed for hanging).
- Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 20-30 minutes, or until firm and lightly browned (watch carefully to prevent burning).
- Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- The fun part – Run a piece of twine through each ball or put them onto a bird treat skewer (available online or in pet stores).
- These treats store in a sealable bag in the refrigerator for up to one week, or freeze for longer storage.
Birdy Omelets
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup of your bird’s seed mix, flax seed, chopped unsalted raw nuts or chopped fruits and veggies
Note: You can mix and match the add-ins for different flavor varieties.
Directions
- Crack the eggs into a bowl and mix until well scrambled.
- Add the add-ins and mix well.
- Pour the mixture into a sealable quart-sized freezer bag.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil and place the bag with the egg mixture into the water and boil for 13-14 minutes to ensure the eggs are thoroughly cooked.
- Remove the bag from the water and allow cooling completely before serving.
To Serve: Cut the omelet into portions appropriate for your bird’s size and serve. Be sure to remove any uneaten eggs after one hour to reduce bacterial growth, which can cause illness in your bird.
Store any unused portions into a freezer container or bag (be sure the portions do not touch until frozen to make it easier to remove a portion for use).
The treats can be stored in the freezer for up to one year, but for best quality, use within one month.
And please, make sure the omelet is fully thawed before letting your bird dig in!
Sweet Potato Birdy Blueberry Biscuits
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond or coconut flour
- 2 cups cooked, peeled sweet potatoes (can also use 100% canned pumpkin)
- 1/2 cup mashed fresh or thawed frozen blueberries
Directions
- Place flour into a mixing bowl and add the sweet potato and blueberries and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Spread the mixture onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet to make a ¼ inch layer.
- Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 25 minutes, then remove the tray and allow to cool.
- Cut into portions appropriate for your bird’s size and turn each piece over on the tray and place back in the oven for an additional 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Remove and allow to cool completely before serving.
- Place into a sealable freezer container or bag and store in the refrigerator for up to one week, or freeze for longer storage.
- Allow to thaw before serving.
Birdy Bread
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup dry old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup water
- Optional: You can add chopped fruits and veggies, chopped raw unsalted nuts, flax seeds or your bird’s seed mix.
Directions
- Place all dry ingredients and add-ins into a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Now add the water and stir until combined, again.
- Pour the mixture into a parchment paper lined small or medium loaf pan or baking dish and bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely and cut into pieces appropriate for your bird’s size.
To Store: Place in a sealable freezer container or storage bag and refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for longer storage.
Allow to thaw before serving.
Bonus Video Recipe!
The recipe in the YouTube video below is very flexible. Adjust the size of the balls based on your bird. If you have a small bird, make smaller balls and adjust the baking time accordingly.