You’ve probably noticed by now that most bird supplements suggest adding them to water. You may think that’s a great way to do it, since surely they drink water every day, right? I used to think that way too.

But later on I saw problems with this method. For one thing, by observing your birds you can see that some drink far more water than others – even when they’re the same size. Another problem is that some supplements, like multivitamins, contain sugar so they quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria.

To further complicate matters, some ingredients in the multivitamins – those same ones that are recommending using them in water – are not water soluble. No amount of shaking or stirring will cause them to dissolve. The hard lumps gather in the bottom of the water dish or drinker.

So all in all I feel that it’s better to use supplements on fresh wet foods. That’s not to say you’re doing it wrong if you’re putting them in the water – but it’s something to think about right?

Besides, certain meals are so tasty to my flock that I know they’re going to eat all the food. This is key, to know what they will consume and supplement in those meals. At my house, anything containing fresh sprouts or eggs / eggfood will be gobbled up so I feel safe putting supplemental vitamins, trace elements, and amino acids on them.

Let me know your thoughts!