Many of you already know that we continuously reformulate and 3^rd-party laboratory-test our OWD diets according to any and all reliable research information we run across. We also study how our foods are affecting our own Providence Exotic Bird Sanctuary flock members. If we see a change needs to be made, we don’t hesitate, we do it. If the changes are positive we keep the new formulation; if the changes we see are not positive we throw our theories out and back to the drawing board we go!

Machelle Pacion
Passion Tree House LLC

Owner, Managing Partner, Formulator, Developer, Producer, Author, Avian Nutrition Specialist

Origins Wild Diet Daily Diets

For the entire year of 2017 into 2018, we have been working on improving our formulations. We had hoped to have completed the new formulations by mid-2017, but it was not meant to be. Why? More and more research information kept coming our way. We decided to put this new information to the test; we began changing the diets of our own flock to see if any improvements in their overall health and vitality would be experienced.

Much to our liking our birds are, in fact experiencing better health and vitality overall with the new formulations. Some changes only made small, minute improvements probably only visible to us, the formulators of OWD. Other changes have been very visible, and we hope you notice these changes too once the new formulations are fully implemented in the formulation and production of our foods!

Some of the benefits of the new formulations are, but not limited to:

• Calmer behaviors.
• Less aggressive behaviors even during hormonal cycles.
• More active vitality.
• More alertness.
• Increased vocalization without screaming.
• Improved droppings.
• Better skin condition.
• Better appetites, but no “fat” weight gain with the increased appetites.

What are some of the changes we have made?

1. We have increased healthy dietary fat, something we believe exotic birds require to thrive. After all, dietary fat is the first source of energy for just about any living creature.
2. Added beta-carotene from starchy fruit-like vegetables you are now seeing in many of our foods. Foods like butternut squash, limited amounts of raw sweet potatoes with increased amounts of pineapple and papaya which are necessary to break down and digest the fiber in raw sweet potatoes. Since we don’t believe in feeding any cooked foods (except in extremely ill birds whose digestive tract may not be able to handle raw food), both pineapple and papaya are necessary to feed in conjunction with any high-starch food.
3. Increased amount of nuts per species-specific Again, nuts add healthy dietary fat plus they are a good source of protein.
4. We have added Croatian Chamomile flowers to almost all of our formulated foods to help calm and soothe.
5. Mentioning dietary protein, we are attempting to increase the protein levels in our foods. We believe birds consume more protein by way of insects and/or decaying carcasses as well as snails, mussels and clams depending on each species unique region of origin and dietary needs.
6. We have added probiotics due to the fact that captive birds may experience difficulty synthesizing healthy gut flora. We believe this is a common phenomenon. So many captive-bred birds were weaned from their parents too early in life, fed highly processed baby bird food, and fed highly processed kibble to much of their lives. Giving a boost of probiotics that do not contain any dairy digestive enzymes has only proved to be a positive advancement in our OWD formulations.

Feather Destruction Foods

As many of you know, we have feverishly been working to improve the quality of lives for all feather destroyers. It will come as no surprise to you that we have also run across research information to help improve and increase the overall health of these delicate, yet tough birds!

Just this year, early in 2018 we have added or increased ingredients that are proving in our own flock to calm the behavior of these birds further. Feather destroyers “stress out” a lot easier than birds who don’t engage in feather destruction. It seems to be constant that all of us who care for these special-needs birds try to reduce or eliminate any stressors that may cause a bout of feather destruction.

Inasmuch as healthy dietary fat increases the overall health of all birds, feather destroyers probably need more dietary fat than normally healthy birds. Feather destroyers need this fat to increase their brain function so as to utilize the new, healthier neurotransmitters their digestive tract is now beginning to produce, many for the first time in their entire lives!

We have also learned, through trial and error that feather destroyers require more protein than normally healthy birds. This is most likely due to the fact their system cannot fully break down and assimilate dietary proteins.

Which brings us to another vital point. More probiotics are needed in a feather destroyer’s diet than in a normally healthy bird’s diet. Again, this is due to the poor nutrition they have received most or all of their lives. The main probiotic we are now using in our feather diets is one that aids in the breakdown and assimilation of dietary fats.

Many feather destroyers suffer “leaky gut” just as many humans do. This is due to the consumption of highly processed foods, too much starch in the diet, too many legumes, too many grains and the lack of B vitamins, Choline and the wrong kind of dietary fiber consumed in high volume long-term. Therefore we are using additional amounts of B vitamins – the kind that is “optimized” for complete absorption. B vitamins also help calm the nerves and soothe the emotions and “fright factor” many feather destroyers suffer.

Next, we are now adding a natural source of Vitamin E to aid in dermal repair and continuous healthy hydration of skin overall. Vitamin E also prevents macular degeneration, many other vision problems and helps maintain healthy blood pressure. Controlling the amount of nitric oxide produced by the body is a side benefit of consuming Vitamin E. Nitric Oxide, I have believed for many years is a contributor to the causation of blood vessels twitching and therefore adding to itching that feels like “bugs crawling under the skin.”

Finally, we have found a flower that is extremely low in both naturally occurring salicylates and histamines, both of which are triggers for increased feather destruction engagement. That flower is Chamomile. We are now adding organic Croatian Chamomile flowers to our feather diets to help calm and soothe the emotional and mental psyche of these birds. Feeding Chamomile flowers alone, without our feather foods will not eliminate feather destruction in most birds, but they definitely help calm birds. Both those who engage in feather destruction and those who do not. Chamomile is a natural steroid as well as a natural anti-inflammatory.

We will continue to work on these improvements and more. We believe our constant research and updating of the OWD formulations are only a couple of reasons you continue to feed Origins Wild Diets to your beloved flock!

Please, if you have any concerns, suggestions or comments send an email to Machelle at Machelle@TheBestBirdFood.com. I will be happy to discuss your thoughts with you and possibly to our entire VIP Member group!

©3.3.18 Passion Tree House LLC – All Rights Reserved