Merlins

[Apachie111]

I had a question for the merlin breeders that are producing them naturally. Do you put a premade nest in the chamber or allow the birds to make their own. Everything I have read say's merlins nest in old crow nests. Is that the standard method? If you make your own what materials if not sticks do you make it out of?

Thanks in advance,
David

[OutFlying]

I thought they use a scape in pea gravel, at the least the pair I know of do.

[StormRider]

I aint seen no Merlins in BQ pushing a trolley with bags of pea gravel on it.
Your right mate Merlins do on occassion use old crow nesting sites. They are also ground dwellers who will nest in bracken patches, etc.
If you could find an old abandoned crows nest in your loxcal forest then I would see if you could bring it down and place it in your aviary.
STU

[OutFlying]

The merlins I saw breeding - weren't in B&Q either :rolleyes:

[Tim Laycock]

Merlins breed happily in pea gravel and will use it even when presented with sticks.
I wouldnt bother with old crows nests :rolleyes:

[Apachie111]

Well thanks for the feed-back. Some of it was pretty funny.

I did find an old bird nest and I am going to put that in the aviary along with a scrape full of pea gravel. I will let them choose.

David

[Peregrine1]

My imprint merlins lay in pea gravel, and rear on it as well.
Regards
Colin

[Sparrow Hawker]

Are most of the merlin breeders using Kestrels to foster rear and hatch the young merlins?

HH

[Peregrine1]

My older merlin rears well a cracking mum. The youngster has not had chance yet.
Regards
Colin

[Sparrow Hawker]

Thanks Colin, What's the survival like of the young merlins, know of some breeders who are struggling either the female killing the young or the young just dieing when everything looked like it was going well.

All The Best,

HH

[Peregrine1]

To be honest my Merlin rears Perlins which start out life much the same size as a Merlin from same egg so its probaly obvious. Shes reared for the last 3 years and has not hurt a feather on any of her chicks in this time.She reared 6 last season and a peregrine tiercel reared 4. He has also reared for the last 3 seasons just as gentle, he even sits tight on eggs. But as soon as he has eggs he stops giving semen.
Regards
Colin Pic tiercel rearing off video poor quality

[Dougie Mc]

Colin you don't happen to know where there might be a spare jack as i have a female egg layer sitting doing nothing justnow

Hybred

[RobCole66]

Hi david , all our merlins are given washed fine river gravel or pea gravel, they are to a depth of 4 inchs and are 2 x2foot ish in size .

rob cole.......

[RobCole66]

I find the survival rate very good once i get them out of the egg ( over the last six years i have raised about 60 with 1 loss) . I now creche rear almost all of my young as i have found it to unpredictable to leave the parents hatch and rear for the fist 10 days, we do on occations put some back with the parents at this time . I find no problem breeding from creche reared and we are getting very good fertility from all our birds
Hope this helps
rob cole........

[Apachie111]

Hi david , all our merlins are given washed fine river gravel or pea gravel, they are to a depth of 4 inchs and are 2 x2foot ish in size .

rob cole.......

Rob,

Thanks for the information. I ended up putting a nest box in there with pea gravel and also a stick nest to give them a choice.

This will be the second season they have been paired up. Last year I saw lots of activity but she never laid any eggs. Hopefully, they can build on it and take the next step. I may have to purchase the jack a video or educational book.

Thanks,
David

[RobCole66]

Hi david , it sounds as if you should get something this season , i find that they breed very easily in the second season although i have in the past had them breed at 10-11 months old . The problems seem to come at pip , i would suggest using a good egg weight loss program if you are artifitially incubating ( paul mackinder does an exellent one ) , rearing is quite easy so as long as you get some fertile eggs you should be flying a merlin this season .
best of luck
rob cole.......

[BrianM]

great thread guys