Wingbeat 2 Posted October 9, 2012 Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 Stick to the old favourites and you won't go far wrong, I have never fed and of my birds fish so cant comment ..... A good varied diet is the answer taking into account that certain foods will pack the weight on .... Alec Quote Link to post
KenKeeping 13 Posted October 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 Thanks for that I will I think. Always worth asking advice though I recon! Can you please tell Jessy not to eat it all in one sitting, lol. Quote Link to post
Bone42 41 Posted October 9, 2012 Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 Nice bird.. A quote from a respected avian vet..The lack of complete scientific evidence and research does not allow anyone to set down formal rules for the feeding of domestic birds of prey. This guide can only be an introduction to what is currently known. it is clear that day-old chicks are a cost effective and nutritious staple diet for raptors particularly when supplemented by a variety of other whole prey items. Furthermore the alternative to the provision of a varied diet: routine vitamin supplementation under taken by many falconers is either unnecessary or indeed may be detrimental to the health of their birds... Quote Link to post
KenKeeping 13 Posted October 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2012 Nice bird.. A quote from a respected avian vet..The lack of complete scientific evidence and research does not allow anyone to set down formal rules for the feeding of domestic birds of prey. This guide can only be an introduction to what is currently known. it is clear that day-old chicks are a cost effective and nutritious staple diet for raptors particularly when supplemented by a variety of other whole prey items. Furthermore the alternative to the provision of a varied diet: routine vitamin supplementation under taken by many falconers is either unnecessary or indeed may be detrimental to the health of their birds... Thanks! Reading that puts it into perspective! Was told that the egg sack in a chic is a waight gain factor of BOP. Is that so, and when controling waight for flying etc, is it practice to remove these? Quote Link to post
Millet 4,497 Posted October 10, 2012 Report Share Posted October 10, 2012 Ive never heard of anyone ever feeding fish..when flying and hunting chick's are all i have ever fed and a crop full of what ever the hawk has caught fed accordingly to what species has been killed as some thing's pile the weight on a bird in hunting condition.. A harris will realy only be successful on rabbit and moorhen's..you can let the bird crop out on rabbit but in doing that you generaly have to fly every other day..if it nail's a moorhen you don't let them eat too much of that as it is very rich and can take the hawk well over it's previous hunting weight.. When moulting out in the aviary you can give them whatever you want..Pigeon/Quail/Chick's/Squirrel/Rabbit and the list goes on.. Quote Link to post
KenKeeping 13 Posted October 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2012 Thanks Millet for the input! All answers are apreciated big time! Quote Link to post
KenKeeping 13 Posted October 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2012 Is there anything that would be recomended to put into the mews with the Harris to help her keep her beak and tallons down? Quote Link to post
Millet 4,497 Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 I use rabbit head's Ken for the beak maybe 2 per week seem's to do the trick..as for the talon's they need to be kept as sharp as possible mate as that is what they catch stuff with..if they are allowed to go blunt the hawk will struggle to keep hold of prey.. Quote Link to post
KenKeeping 13 Posted October 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Ah! Get you on the talons! Ta! Quote Link to post
Millet 4,497 Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 I think you are taking the piss.. Quote Link to post
KenKeeping 13 Posted October 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2012 I think you are taking the piss.. Funny but Ime not realy, lol. What it is, I had a Female Kestrel here not so long back that had been rescued from a old couple that had had it years. They actualy treated it like a parrot, and took it away in their caravan in a budgie cage! Her beak was curved right under so I had to get it reshaped. The talons were about three times as long as they should be and she couldnt stand on a perch tidy no matter a block perch! All I was wondering is was there anything that the bird uses in wild that helps stop the talons overgrow, that I can add to the mews to help imitate! That Kestrel had Bumblefoot as well because the couple didnt know or ask questions. Didnt mean to sound as though I was taking the piss dude! Quote Link to post
Wingbeat 2 Posted October 13, 2012 Report Share Posted October 13, 2012 If you have the room a large boulder will do the trick, I always take the point off all my birds talons for their own protection (self inflicted wounds) they will be able to keep hold of the quarry dont you worry about that .... I de-egg most of my day old chicks when flying so my gloves stay clean ............. Alec Quote Link to post
KenKeeping 13 Posted October 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2012 I do have a granit bolder in the middle of the floor but its not that big, she perches on it and uses it as a table sometimes. Once the flight is erected, I will put some other larger ones in there. Thanks for input Wingbeat! As I mentioned in other post, I ws so shocked at the talons and feet in general of Kessy the female , that I am determined that none of my birds are gonna get in that state! Quote Link to post
grovsey 74 Posted October 14, 2012 Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 I do have a granit bolder in the middle of the floor but its not that big, she perches on it and uses it as a table sometimes. Once the flight is erected, I will put some other larger ones in there. Thanks for input Wingbeat! As I mentioned in other post, I ws so shocked at the talons and feet in general of Kessy the female , that I am determined that none of my birds are gonna get in that state! just cope the beak and talons falcons need it doing alot ,just use a dremil works a treat Quote Link to post
KenKeeping 13 Posted October 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 Sounds easy in theory Grovsey, but you have to know exactly what your doing with that dremil not to do damage to its beak! We had the Kestrel done by someone who does it regular, and it was real fiddly, the bird needs to have a lot of trust in you to hold still, even if you are manhandling her to keep her still. The noise isnt going to go down well, lol. Dentists come to mind, lol. Quote Link to post
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