Gutting food!

[Mayersie]

As I said the other day I am coming to the end of my first Season flying my 8 month old MHH and therefore I am a "newbie".

In view of recent threads I hope I am not about to ask a stupid question. I do agree that some people come on hear and even to me as a newbie make stupid comments. However, us newbies are becoming a little afraid to say anything, we have to learn same as you more experienced falconers had to learn. How does anyone learn, in any field, by asking questions of people more experienced than they are.

Here goes....

I'm going to put Kiko down for his first moult very soon and feed him up on quail, rats, chicks etc. What I would like to know is whether you should always gut the food. Some say you should always gut it others say they never do, what is best? Does it make any difference anyway?

[ColdZero]

i am a newbie too, but that doesn't mean you can't make up your own mind on things (and people) and have your own way of doing things. I personally do not gut any food i give my RT. Unless you have suspicions what you are feeding your bird might be contaminated in some way, in which case it shouldn't be near the bird at all.

Oh and the people who give newbies a hard time for asking questions are all assholes, and everyone knows who they are. :lol: ignore them

[BFC 007]

i gut rats & quail,insides are full of s*&t

[Mayersie]

Cheers M8, couldn't agree with you more - IGNORE THEM!!

[Out Hunting]

As I said the other day I am coming to the end of my first Season flying my 8 month old MHH and therefore I am a "newbie".

In view of recent threads I hope I am not about to ask a stupid question. I do agree that some people come on hear and even to me as a newbie make stupid comments. However, us newbies are becoming a little afraid to say anything, we have to learn same as you more experienced falconers had to learn. How does anyone learn, in any field, by asking questions of people more experienced than they are.

Here goes....

I'm going to put Kiko down for his first moult very soon and feed him up on quail, rats, chicks etc. What I would like to know is whether you should always gut the food. Some say you should always gut it others say they never do, what is best? Does it make any difference anyway?

Hi Mayersie,

Please do not be afraid of posting any question which you feel relevent, after all thats what the forum is for! Also, please remenber that some of 'these more experienced falconers' on here have not even got a bird, and it comes straight from the net or a book!

I worked for a well known falconry centre in Wales, they only yoked the chicks when feeding on the glove, and no other food was gutted! Now, i am not saying this is the correct way, however this did not seem to effect the breeding performance of the birds.

Personally i do gut quarry/food like rabbits and hares before feeding my birds, and i only yoke DOC's when i am feeding off the glove. Quail, rats, DOC's Pheasant etc. i do not gut when feeding in in the mews.

Now i am not saying i am right, this is just how i do things. :rolleyes:

[HawkMan69UK]

hello and welcome i gut quail and docs occasionly but rats i cut the tails off and heads as they tend to leave these ..like you say some do some dont just judge by wohat your bird is leaving...

[AndyYounger]

Hi all newbies!
i always gut all of the food i feed. i will however feed the chicks with yolk only around twice a month.
i do this as a result of hygene and clenliness. if there are no guts or yolk then there is less mess to create bacteria and disease. with quail i cut off the wings and feet as well as the sharp point on the beek. rats i cut the tail off. and chick i de-yolk.
it helps keep things clean and tidy.

[Barbary Boy]

it depends on if the bird is being free lofted or not, on the bow i would feed whole food guts in, "not rabbit or hare" but in an aviery i would take the tails off rats as they never eat them i would argue with rats that you could even skin them as they seem to eat the meat leaving whole skins lying around, i never gut quail when feeding to all my breeding falcons and i have never gutted a chick in my life. i think its all down to personal prefference and circumstances.

[MattSpar]

it depends on if the bird is being free lofted or not, on the bow i would feed whole food guts in, "not rabbit or hare" but in an aviery i would take the tails off rats as they never eat them i would argue with rats that you could even skin them as they seem to eat the meat leaving whole skins lying around, i never gut quail when feeding to all my breeding falcons and i have never gutted a chick in my life. i think its all down to personal prefference and circumstances.

I'd agree pretty much with this. I find that my birds' tastes vary, not only between individuals, but with the same bird on different occasions. Intestines are carefully discarded one day, yet greedily eaten on another. For this reason, I give my birds the choice, except for feeding rabbit to birds in enclosures, solely for reasons of cleanliness. With regard to feeding chick on the fist, I don't always squeeze them out. My wife washes my clothes.

[Darren]

while moulting i feed Ash full rats,DOC with the yokes but i skin the quail , cut the feet off & gut them....he fills his mews & garden with feathers if i feed him whole quail.

[Jackson]

i dont have my own bop but i think its just down to preference - some do and some dont gut!
and to all those who pick on newbies like me and others, cut it out! we have to learn someway or the other! so stop hogging all your amazing knowledge and flogging us off with ignorant comments to amuse yourselfs!:supz:

[Barbary Boy]

it dosnt just amuse a few pet it amuses hundreds thats why this forum is so popular! without the daftness i recon very few people would bother, love, barbary boy XXXXX

[Mayersie]

Well said, I totally agree with you. It would appear that most people do not gut the food. As for Kiko he seems to be a greedy little thing. I have seen him eat a rats tail, he leaves nothing. As Cold Zero said sometimes you have to use your own instincts and do what you feel is right for your own bird. I listen to a lot of advice and have taken this on board, however, now and then I do go by my own instinct and do what I think is right for Kiko. I am learning all the time, it has not all been easy but you learn by your mistakes. I will say that I could not have got by without the expert advice from people like, Hawkmaster, Albie and a few others and cannot thank them enough.

[Jackson]

bb its ok when its all in the name of good fun and no one gets offened but a few people are not very helpful to newbies and are a little mean to us!
but getin back to gutting! and the thread!

[Cyclone]

i usally give the rats whole but with their tails an feet cut off, i give the quail with their wings and feet cut off and i usally gut the quail
cyclone

[Albie]

Well said, I totally agree with you. It would appear that most people do not gut the food. As for Kiko he seems to be a greedy little thing. I have seen him eat a rats tail, he leaves nothing. As Cold Zero said sometimes you have to use your own instincts and do what you feel is right for your own bird. I listen to a lot of advice and have taken this on board, however, now and then I do go by my own instinct and do what I think is right for Kiko. I am learning all the time, it has not all been easy but you learn by your mistakes. I will say that I could not have got by without the expert advice from people like, Hawkmaster, Albie and a few others and cannot thank them enough.
AW SHUCKS MAYERSIE I BET YOU ONLY SAID THAT CAUSE YOU MEAN IT XXX