One of the first things new Gouldian finch owners learn when they go online is that seeds are not a complete diet. In fact they are a very, very incomplete diet lacking in most nutrients. So one of the foods we immediately offer is “chop.”

Chop is simply cut-up vegetables, which provide many of the vitamins our Gouldians need. Chop is good for every species of bird, from finches all the way up to the largest parrots – so if you have other birds feel free to give them some of the chop as well.

A good way to get them to eat vegetables is to serve those same vegetables each day in the same type of bowl and at the same time.

There are very few vegetables that are off-limits: onions, avocado, apple seeds, and tomatoes come immediately to mind. People will tell you that lettuce isn’t the best, simply because it has high water content. But my argument is this. If they like it, which most do, and it helps get them to eat chop, why not? Just don’t overfeed it since it does cause a loose stool.

Most people like to vary their chop, offering many different vegggies. I usually make a big salad for the humans and divide out part of it for the birds before putting in the onion, avocado, and dressing.

So your first chop might consist of a small bit of lettuce, broccoli, carrots, peas, and corn. Maybe some cucumber. Put those in the food processor and pulse just a little, enough to make it small but not too much like purée. Gouldians don’t care for terribly wet foods so purée won’t work for them, although some other birds like it just fine.

One thing I do for birds that haven’t tried chop before is dry it a little by stirring in a spoonful of plain dry breadcrumbs or dry egg food. This helps soak up the water content. You could also sprinkle a little of whatever they are used to eating on top.

The first time you serve chop, don’t be surprised if they don’t eat it. This is to be expected. Everything is suspicious at first! A good way to get them to eat it is to continue serving those same vegetables each day in the same type of bowl and at the same time. You could even pull out their other food containers for an hour or two to encourage the Gouldians to give it a try.

If after a week they have not tasted their vegetables, it’s time to change it up. Don’t chop it as much, or chop it smaller. Offer it as little piles of separate foods instead of mixing it. Warm it up (birds love warm food). Don’t overheat it though, especially if using a microwave. Offer cooked sweet potato – I have yet to see a bird refuse warm sweet potato.

Remember that a finch eats maybe ½ teaspoon per day, so don’t expect them to eat big piles of vegetables. If you see them nibbling it, or dragging a kale leaf across the floor, celebrate – you did it.

Once you have your Gouldians eating fresh vegetables, it is easy enough to change it around. Offering 10 or 20 different foods in a week is not too much. The point is to provide them with as many whole food nutrients as possible in order to provide the best health possible.