My White Flamingo

Did you know that the fabulous, famous pink flamingoes aren't pink unless shrimp are part of their diet? Without the beta-carotene provided by shrimp in their diet, flamingoes lose the intensity of their pink plumage, fading to a pale pink, almost white shade over time. The old adage that you are what you eat certainly holds true for these gangly stalkers of the shallow tropical water.

The same holds true for many of the more colorful avian species kept and bred in captivity. Diet and nutrition can and do affect the color and condition of a bird's plumage. Canary breeders have recognized and capitalized on this fact for generations. Color feeding has been a standard practice of red factor canary breeders for many years. Yellow and orange are other colors that canary breeders specifically feed to enhance. On the other side of the coin breeders of white canary breeds and mosaics take particular care to avoid food with any pigmentation that would affect the white feathers.

In the wild, birds acquire alpha and beta carotenoids from the insects, crustaceans, and minerals that they ingest. By duplicating these additives in the captive birds' diet an aviculturist can intensify the birds' natural colors. Paprika, saffron, roxathin red, beta carotene, canola seeds, and canthaxantin among other agents have been used to bring out, enhance and intensify colors.

Many avian enthusiasts have not yet realized what canary breeders have known for years; The food offered to birds in captivity can and does affect the color of the feathers. Quiko Classic Red, and Quiko Special Red each contain canthaxantin to enhance the red feathering (commercial flamingo foods often use canthaxatin, and some poultry foods add it to darken and brighten the yolks of chicken eggs sold for human consumption.) Special Red was developed specifically for use with red factor canaries. Quiko Classic Red can be used for all birds with red feathers.

If you have finches, or hookbills with red plumage, Quiko Classic Red will intensify the natural red color.

Here is a short list of species of birds that might benefit from the use of Classic Red Eggfood.

Finches & Softbills Hookbills

Bishop Weavers Moluccan Cockatoos

Red Headed Finches Leadbeater's Cockatoos

Red Siskins Scarlet Macaws

Fire Finches Cherry Headed Conures

Gouldian Finches (some color mutations) Red Lories

Scarlet Tanager Chattering Lories

Orange Weavers Rosey Bourke's Parakeets

Crimson Rosellas

And don't forget the Flamingoes

Quiko Classic Red

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein (Min) 17.5 %

Crude Fat (Min) 6.2%

Crude Fiber (Min) 1.4%

Moisture (Max) 12.0%

Vitamins

Vitamin A

Vitamin D3

Vitamin E

Vitamin B1

Vitamin B2

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B12

Vitamin C

Biotin

Ingredients

Biscuit (egg, sugar, wheat), rusk, honey, soya, millet seed, carophyll (canthanxatin), vitamina-A-palmitate, vitamin-A-acetate, cholecalciferol, a-tocopherol acetate, thiamine-mononitrate, riboflavin, biotin,pyridoxine-hydrochlorid, cyanocobalamin, ascorbic acid.