Easy Microgreens for Your Parrot.

Microgreens are super fun and easy to grow for your birds. They're also a nutritious addition to their diet.  

Why feed microgreens?

Microgreens are tiny, young greens that are harvested when they are only a few inches tall. Despite their small size, they pack a powerful nutritional punch. These miniature versions of vegetables and herbs are incredibly nutrient-dense, containing higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants compared to their mature counterparts. With their concentrated flavor and vibrant colors, microgreens add a delightful burst of freshness to a parrots chop while offering an array of health benefits. 

Grow them with just a small amount of counter space.

You can grow them in pots, trays or specialty microgreen containers using soil, coconut coir or hemp felt for the growing medium.   

 

Microgreens, Parrot Foraging, Parrot Foods

Some common seeds you can grow for parrots are wheat berries, clover, peas, sunflower, arugula, beets, broccoli, kale, rye berries, barley, endive and radish. 

 Microgreens for parrots

 

Typically seeds are soaked before growing.  This gives them a head-start and eliminates some of the compounds in the seed that aren't necessarily good to eat.  Raw nuts and seed contain an anti-nutrient called phytic acid which keeps the seed safe until conditions are right for it to grow. It's super important for the seed to have this protection, but it makes them hard to digest and interferes with our parrots ability to absorb nutrients when eaten.  Soaking decreases the amount of these anti-nutrients, making it easier for your bird to digest and absorb nutrients from them.  

Most vegetable seeds grown as microgreens are ready for harvest in about 2 weeks, though brassicas (like radish) have a faster growth rate, while herbs tend to take a little longer than 2 weeks. 

Once grown, just cut the plant right above the growing medium and serve to your parrots.  You can mix them with your daily parrot chop or serve them on their own.   They're a great way to add diversity to your parrots diet.  

 

We're very excited to be finishing up ParrotUp Pantry Food COURSE that will give you LOTS of ideas for feeding, foraging and growing food for your parrot.  If you'd like to be the first to know when it comes out, sign up for our email list below.

 ParrotUp Pantry Food Course

 

You'll also get our FREE "Survival Guide to a Picky Parrot" with lots of great tips and tricks to getting your parrot eating more healthy foods.  Just enter your email in the box below and it will be delivered to your inbox. 

Parrots, Parrot Enrichment, Parrot Safe Foods, Parrot Toys

 

Comments

26 comments

Kristen Hopper

Kristen Hopper

Please sign me up for information about parrots. But please do not sell my information.

Thank you!

Kris H.

K.S.

K.S.

I’d love a free guide. Thank you

Catherine

Catherine

Thanks!

Sarah B

Sarah B

I just got a Regent Parrot… so sweet and I would like to feed him more of a natural diet.

Karen

Karen

always looking for anything healthy for my Macaws

NC

NC

Great to know this site exist😀

Peggi Johnson

Peggi Johnson

My conure is willing to try fresh food but the 3 parakeets will not eat pellets or fresh food.

Melissa Roestenberg

Melissa Roestenberg

Anything to keep my parrot healthy! thank you!

Betty Newstrom

Betty Newstrom

I have a jenday conure that hates anything fresh except apples. I need your help please.
I need your guide!

Sabine

Sabine

Need all the help how to feed my Quaker healthy foods. Thank you!

Spider

Spider

Sounds good to me!!

Lori bryan

Lori bryan

Great topic

Claudette Jaggers

Claudette Jaggers

I am interested in getting my fids to healthy how to go about it. And sprouting in a tray

Heather

Heather

I’m very interested and want to get started for my Quaker parrot

Michelle

Michelle

FREE “Survival Guide to a Picky Parrot.” Thank you!

Ana

Ana

Great ideas

Cindy

Cindy

My Sun Conure is extremely fussy- turns his beak up at most veggies. Fruits ? Apples, grapes and watermelon are all he will touch 🫤 I’ve exhausted most brand of pellets- throws them out of his bowl. Chop? Snubs his beak- once in a while he will munch on broccoli and sweet potatoes. So any ideas would be appreciated!

Thanks from a Spoiled Rotten Sunny mom

Tawnya Juran

Tawnya Juran

Please send guide. Thank you!

Bridgett

Bridgett

I would like any help I can get with my bird.

Linda Maines

Linda Maines

Always looking for ways to improve my babies life!

Jinta

Jinta

I like to receive the FREE "Survival Guide to a Picky Parrot

Rikki

Rikki

Thank you

Lori  Weaver

Lori Weaver

Sounds great!! Thanks!

Mary

Mary

Looking forward to your info and helping my birds get even healthier! They have been pretty picky, so it’s hard to keep trying with them, when they don’t really want what I’ve tried giving them. I have a umbrella cockatoo, sun conure and 2 old cockatiels.

Karen

Karen

Thanks look forward to it

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