Growing millet for finches, parrots in captivity or in the wild
Why should we grow bird food in the garden?
Lots of amateur bird lovers in the world buy seeds for wild birds (especially abroad in Israel there is no culture let alone culture of feeding wild birds) although by proper sowing and planting cycle the birds can be fed all year round and independent of dried seeds and almost free by choosing plants That bloom / flower in different months as presented in this article.
Although this article focuses on one plant Italian foxtail but it has many benefits as it can be grown from spring to winter and with proper fertilization every two to three months we will get a crop full of giant seed heads that will feed our birds and other pets with it for example Parrots, Finches, Queens, Pigeons, Hamsters, Mice, Rats, Gerbil.
*Warning for bird keepers It might attract wild birds and rodents.
Italian foxtail grains that have been harvested fresh and served to birds are much more nutritious than grains that have been dried and it has long process from harvest until they get to you.
Of course the pleasure of raising bird food cannot be replaced especially after watching them enjoy it after harvest.
In this article we will concentrate solely on the Italian foxtail millet / Setaria italica.
 |
 |
The foxtail millet is considered to be native to South Asia and is considered one of the oldest cultivated millet.
It is an annual crop, annual in the hot season, 2 to 5 meters high.
Foxtail millet grows in cooler and drought areas than other millet.
What varieties are grown?
Hylander variety, this is a variety with a large and beautiful uniform crop that is intended for the flower industry, 30 cm long and a plant 2 meters high.
A similar variety with small heads intended for bouquets and decoration is called Lowlander and is not grown commercially for animal feed.
To view photos click here
Lime Light variety (US variety) , this is a variety that grows more evenly but a little slower than others. It takes 70 days to receive seed heads (spray) and they are light green in color and range in size from 12 to 20 cm. Very easy to grow and very common in the US seed market.
To view photos click here
Golden German variety, most often used for exotic bird feeding, pigeon fields, animal foods and food feed for deer, turkey, quail, pigeons and other wildlife. German golden foxtail millet is commonly referred to as "German millet". Crops get a golden hue when ready and dried, 20-30 cm long.
Italian variety (some claim that the Italian and German varieties are the same variety so I have grouped both here).
To view photos click here
French Red Anjou, this breed is known all over the world and every bird breeder is supposed to know it is marketed mainly by the VERSELE-LAGA company in addition to the Chinese and German golden red variety sold by them. The millet get a strong red hue when ready for pick and are uniform in size in the fields 15-20 cm long which are well suited for packaging. It is claimed that the French variety has higher nutritional values than the Chinese equivalent, but due to corruption in the food industry I would not believe it so quickly Market dominators usually fund these studies.
To view photos click here
Chinese red variety, the prepared grains will get a rusty red hue, the plant itself is more hairy than usual.
Widely used in the bird pet industry sold by most major companies including
VERSELE-LAGA.
To view photos click here
The Red Jewel variety, grown as an ornamental plant in gardens and sold in nurseries, the size of the millet seed heads varies depending on the quality of the plant. Hairy plant and seed heads After drying you can burn the hairs with a lighter or leave as is birds will not care one way or the other, ready-to-harvest heads will get a red tint.
To view photos click here
 |
| seed tray |
 |
