Ok, I've been told professionally what to feed my birds and I have also listened to many well experienced bird owners what to feed. My vet, Dr. Orosz highly recommends Lafebers and that's the only seed I feed my birds. She had told me a couple of years ago, I can't remember exactly but it's close, 75% Lafebers, 25% fresh veggie, fruit, etc. I have pretty much stuck to that over the past couple of years, except for Molly, and all has gone well. I have heard from many people over the past year or so tell me I should try eliminating most seed. So, I thought I would give it a try and have been backing off the seed and only giving it to them once a day now. It's been very hard. They all want their Lafebers, still! I've been concocting meals full of dark orange and green veggies, pasta, chicken, beans, eggs, rice, nuts, some fruits, etc. Well, I looked at Rico yesterday and his feathers are starting to look a little ratty. Not bad, but very noticeable to me. Rico has always had beautiful feathers. So why did I mess with a good thing? I'm switching them back to 75% Lafebers and 25% veggies, nuts, etc.
I wanted to hear what you guys thought. What is your daily mix, how has it worked and how long have you been doing it?

Lara, I'm going to copy the post I had in the Parrot Chatter forum, for further discussion here:

I have two GW's here. I usually mix up about 80 - 90 lbs. at a time.

I mix 20# Higgins Celestial Mix; Ingredients: http://www.foryourbird.com/Merchant2...&Screen=higcel

20# Higgins Veracruz Mix; Ingredients: http://www.foryourbird.com/Merchant2...&Screen=higver

10# Higgins Boca Nuts; Ingredients: Ingredients:Shelled Almonds, Shelled Peanuts, Shelled Walnuts, Shelled Cashews, Coconut, Banana, Papaya, Pineapple, Blueberries, Pepita's, Raisins.

10# Large Fruit & Veggie: Ingredients: http://www.foryourbird.com/Merchant2...&Screen=higlfv

10# Zupreem Fruit Pellets and
10# Goldenfeast GoldenO'bles or 10# Harrison's Pellets.

I'll usually also throw in a few pounds of Pine Nuts, Whole Star Anise, Cinnamon Sticks, Dried Hot Peppers, Cashews, Shelled Macadamia Nuts, Unsalted Pretzel Nuggets, a Granola type cereal nuggets and Pistachios in the mix.

This all goes in their dry food bowl along with a one or two blue corn tortilla chips, a couple Nutriberries, a couple pieces of air popped popcorn and a few little parrot biscuits (Kaytee or Brown's). I use the large two quart stainless steel dishes, so they get a foraging experience browsing through everything.

They get a smaller separate dish for all their nuts Walnuts, Almonds, Hazel Nuts, Brazil Nuts and peanuts.

In another dish they get their fruit, veggies, cooked meals and birdie bread, which I change a few times a day.

To try to break the ratios down for my guys of exactly what they're eating.

Kita eats 99.8% of the dry mix and nuts. She will have an occasional piece of fruit. Everyday she is offered fresh veggies and such, but does not eat it.

Kady eats 80% of the dry mix and nuts. The rest of his diet is veggies, pasta, grains, fruit, birdie bread. (The usual good stuff)

With Kita, we've had ongoing health problems that we're still dealing with from their past home. She's been on some tough drugs lately. All I can say as to whether it's working or not is; she has gained 200 grams since being here (9 mos.) is full of energy and her feathers just glisten.

Kady has also gained weight in his time here, about 80 grams, and looks wonderful.

One thing I have definitely noticed, with offering the variety that I do. They will eat what their body needs at that time. I have seen this time and time again and have discussed what I'm seeing with my AV.

Wow, what a great sounding mixture! Would be interested in hearing ideas on translating it down for smaller birds, say conure sized. Heck, leave the pellets out and it sounds like a good recipe for a Superbowl party!

I think the seed question may depend on species as well. For my small guys, who are ground foragers in the wild, seed is important to their diet - and Lara, Dr. O has told me to even add a little extra seed in addition to the Lafebers, which she has recommended for them as well. I add extra seed mix in daily, 1/4 tsp. for Jerry and 1/2 tsp. for Lulu. I don't use seed mixes that contain sunflower seeds. (This is all in addition to their daily fresh foods)

In the beginning when I was trying to figure out the best ratio of everything, I did notice something interesting with Lulu - if I added slightly more seed to her diet, her poops were much more well-formed. With less seed, her poops are runnier.

But these are my first birds so I'm still trying to figure things out as well. I do pay close attention to their feather condition and since their first big molts after coming to live with me, they have had gorgeous feathers - so I figure something must be right!

Nate, I don't know if Conures have specifics for their nutritional needs, but I don't think there's anything I offer size wise, that a Conure would have any problem eating. With maybe the exception of the in-shell nuts.
I have tasted all the pellets myself, they're not too bad, but you'd definitely need a few beverages at this party!

If you don't tell them, they won't even know.

Sarah, this is the same effect but backwards for Molly. The less seed, the more well formed her poop. She's is the only one in which I'm not reverting back to the Lafebers.

I also think you may be right on it being species specific.

I know I got caught up in the whirl wind that is the internet highway!! There were so many contradicting beliefs and opinions about what to feed it was very confusing for me. The store owner as well as the breeder I got my birds from said 80% pellets 20% fresh veggy. My avian vet also said that throwing in that it should be a quality pellet like Harrisins........... which happens to be about the only quality pellet they haven't tried!! After that and enough 0n line "experts" to fill a football stadium, I let them pick. lol They get a bowl full of veggie mash and a bowl of a pellet blend.

Some avian vets recommend a pellet based diet, some recommend a seed based diet (all with fresh veggies, fresh foods, etc)- I don't think anybody even knows for sure what is best for our fids. Ollie is on a pellet based diet of Zupreem as recommended by both her breeder and the avian vets here in Manhattan. She gets a spoonful of seed as a treat every few weeks (her breeder was shocked when I told her this, and told me to quit giving her seed immediately!). I've read so many conflicting things that I'm just going to incorporate a little bit of everything into Ollie's diet.

Karen,
I don't think I've ever read before what diet you feed, but let me say this now- Kady and Kita very very lucky! I would eat that! I'm going to try to incorporate some of that stuff into Ollie's diet, like the cinnamon sticks?? yummy!

Like Camille, I tend to believe that a balanced diet of a little bit of everything is good, just like with humans.

Exercise is a factor for what I feed as well. Knowing that seeds are important for tiels and budgies, and also knowing that seeds are fatty and can lead to fatty lipomas in tiels and budgies, this is another justification for me to keep my guys flighted. Based on how I've seen them play when both clipped and flighted, they are getting the most exercise flighted (I really don't mean to turn this into the beloved clipped vs. flighted, but this does affect the diet I choose to feed).