In an attempt to provide the necessary digestive enzyme “amylase” for exotic birds to digest starch I am always on the hunt for foods that can supply this enzyme naturally.

Birds don’t produce amylase in their mouths like humans do, therefore when we feed them any kind of food containing starch we need to make sure we feed them foods along with those starchy foods that contain amylase, or make sure the foods containing starch contain “living” starch. That would mean that the starch-containing food would be in sprouted form when the amylase is activated, such as in seeds, grains or legumes.

Well, look no further than parsley sprouts! As it turns out parsley sprouts are only one of the seeds that contain a very high amount of naturally occurring amylase during the sprouting process. For that very reason I make sure my birds receive organic parsley sprouts on a regular basis now!

Parsley sprouts are also low in histamines and salicylates which make these sprouts very feather-destroyer friendly. In addition parsley is a known liver detox agent due to its action on the liver and kidneys.

Parsley seeds can be on the difficult side to sprout so you will need to have a good level of sprouting experience and a lot of patience.

I soak my organic parsley seeds overnight in filtered water. Sometimes I will give them a little boost by soaking them in a solution of 3% food grade hydrogen peroxide overnight to help penetrate that hard seed hull. Then the next morning I rinse them really well before beginning the actual sprouting process. Be prepared for several days of the sprouting process. Know that you might have to look very closely to actually see the teeny, tiny tail. You may not be able to see the tail at all, but be assured after several days it’s there. Simply rinse in your 3% food grade hydrogen peroxide, rinse two more times with filtered water and your parsley seeds are ready!

Currently I purchase my organic parsley seed from High Mowing Organic Seeds here: http://www.highmowingseeds.com.

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