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Can I feed raw quinoa to my birds?

I don't have a definite answer to this question Aldo. Everyone I know that feeds it to their birds, cooks it. The one fear in feeding it uncooked seems to be that since it expands so much during cooking, it might swell after being eaten raw. If anyone else reading this has an answer, we would certainly like to hear from you.

Hi,
The birds seem to love the seeds toasted, they are good in cereal that way too.
I know it has to be washed well, as it is naturally coated with saponin, to keep birds and insects away. I was told to cook it first, to be on the save side.
Went looking to find on eating raw, but no luck.
Dawn

Thanks Mavis and Dawn for your answers.
I was aware about the high concentration of saponin in the outside of the seed or bark. Even when I normally use quinoa in my diet I did not relate the swelling of the seed as a problem for their crops.

So far, I am giving cooked quinoa to my birds. The finches do not seem to like it, but the budgies are eating some. I realize cooked quinoa goes bad quickly (not as fast as the boiled egg) in the summer.

If anyone else can advise in this matter please do. Because I would like to change the diet of my birds using quinoa as the base seed in the mixes. I have read several studies in quinoa flour for chickens, cooked quinoa, quinoa for fish and quinoa as a superior food for humans. All the information agrees in the advantages of feeding quinoa normally in the diet.

By the way, I use washed quinoa without saponin. The same kind it is used for human consumption.

It seems as if you know a whole lot more about quinoa that many of us do Aldo.
One friend of mine said that her birds once got into it raw and they really (& I mean REALLY) loved it. They didn't appear to suffer from any ill-effects from their feast, but I don't know how much they actually consumed before they were caught in the act. She has since then continued to feed it to them either sprouted or cooked though.

Dear Mavis:

Thanks for your reply.

I have got some more information about Quinoa, but not relevant my doubt. Anyway, I will set up some cages far from my aviaries and will make some test in a month or two with some baby budgies that are looking weak.
Thanks,

Aldo

Sprouted quinoa is an excellent nutritional source, one of the more complete grains. Don't even have to "sprout" it actually, just soak for about 12 hours and you can feed as soon as it is puffed. Good for people too <G>.