Detailed Explanation of Hwamei Feed Formulas and Preparation Methods

The hwamei is a bird with a very pleasant call and is also a very famous cage bird, so what are the hwamei feed formulas and preparation methods?

1. Basic Introduction to the Hwamei

The hwamei is a medium-sized bird in the family Leiothrichidae and the genus Garrulax, with a body length of about 23 cm. Its external features are: the upper body is olive-colored, the crown to the upper back is brown with black longitudinal streaks, the eye ring is white and along the upper edge forms a narrow stripe extending backward to the side of the nape, forming a clear eyebrow stripe that is extremely eye-catching. The lower body is brownish-yellow, the throat to the upper breast is mixed with black longitudinal streaks, and the middle of the abdomen is gray. The iris is orange-yellow or yellow, the upper bill is horn-colored, the lower bill is olive-yellow, and the tarsus and toes are yellowish-brown or light horn-colored.

The hwamei is distributed in Laos, northern Vietnam and the southeastern coastal areas of China; in Central China, South China, Hainan and the Taiwan region of China it is a resident bird. It is the city bird of Guangzhou.

2. Hwamei Feed Formulas and Preparation

The feed formulas for feeding hwamei in different seasons are also different. The main raw materials are yellow mealworms, meat, shrimp, grasshoppers, bone meal, coarse grains, etc. The preparation method is generally to mix different raw materials together in proportion.

1. Spring feed formula

Cooked corn flour 0.5, soybean flour 0.2, Chinese yam 0.2, hawthorn 0.2, pea flour 0.1, broad bean flour 0.2, mung bean flour 0.4, goji berries 0.4, beef 0.3, rice field eel bones 0.5, native chicken eggs 0.5, live insects fed in appropriate amounts.

In spring it is suitable to boost the hwamei's spirit, but the hwamei must not be allowed to get overly heated, so in the food combination the proportion of mung bean flour is relatively higher.

2. Summer feed formula

Cooked corn flour 0.5, soybean flour 0.2, Chinese yam 0.2, hawthorn 0.1, pea flour 0.1, broad bean flour 0.2, mung bean flour 0.3, goji berries 0.1, chicken 0.3, native chicken eggs 1.5, rice field eel bones 0.8.

In summer, beef is replaced with chicken to ensure the hwamei's stamina and nutrition.

3. Autumn feed formula

Cooked corn flour 0.5, soybean flour 0.2, Chinese yam 0.2, hawthorn 0.2, pea flour 0.1, broad bean flour 0.2, mung bean flour 0.2, goji berries 0.4, black sesame 0.2, beef 0.4, native chicken eggs 1.8, rice field eel bones 1.5.

Autumn is the season for the hwamei to put on fat. During this period, carnivorous foods need to begin preparing for the molt, so the proportion of rice field eel bones has been increased, the proportion of beef is heavier than in spring, and the proportions of native chicken eggs and goji berries have also been appropriately increased. At this time, black sesame is appropriately added to the hwamei's feed; after eating it, the hwamei's winter feathers become oily and warmer.

4. Winter feed formula

Soybean flour 0.4, Chinese yam 0.2, hawthorn 0.2, pea flour 0.1, broad bean flour 0.2, mung bean flour 0.2, goji berries 0.4, black sesame 0.3, beef 0.4, native chicken eggs 2, rice field eel bones 1.5. During this period, the outside temperature is relatively cold, and in the hwamei's feed the proportion of black sesame continues to be increased to help keep it warm and protect against the cold. For the proportions in the above formulas, the unit is based on jin.