Some help please

[WeeDodger]

After reading the Money Grabbers thread, and the death of a beautiful bird, im gonna start asking a bit more questions, however silly they are.

This is my first year, ive loved it and admit i will always try and learn as i go.

Now, reading about the birds diet, mines is mainly fed rabbit and pheasany, with the odd mouse , which is caught in my traps.

Day old chicks occassionally also.

What else should i feed as a balanced diet, bearing in mind i have 1 harris hawk, albeit a greedy wee *****!

Quail, rat, what else, and where can i buy in decent(small quantity)nimbers
What about anything from a butchers?

These may sound silly questions, but as a novice, and a novice novice at that, i only want the best for the bird, so he is at his best.

And supplements, are they essential?

Cheers Steve

[FlameHairedFalconer]

Steve

It sounds like you are already feeding a varied diet. After your first year you are now in a position to really understand how what you feed affects your hawk and its metabolism. You can now really build on this knowledge.

With regards to supplements, i dont feed any with a varied diet, although I am sure that there are others who do and they can advise further on these.

FHF

[Sprout]

Care feeding anything caught in a trap (like road kill!) - you can never be 100% it hasn't been baited previously. Meat from butchers isn't ideal, small amounts are ok infrequently ie washed beef whilst manning but be careful, beef can be difficult to put over - also remember the bird needs a balanced diet, meat is just meat, it needs the whole carcass

[Pitbull]

speak too keith (heike) he breeds quail and hes only down the road

[WeeDodger]

speak too keith (heike) he breeds quail and hes only down the road

Tidy, will he kill them for me - lol

[Pitbull]

their in the freezer as we type..:lol:

[WeeDodger]

their in the freezer as we type..:lol:

LOL Theyll no dae much breeding there then

[Pitbull]

it gets the foreign breeds used too the scottish weather, ..:lol:

[Gos212]

Steve,

Take a look at Honeybrook Farms website and choose your menu ! I think theres 3 sizes of Rat available, mice even guinea pigs. I like feeding Rats during the moult, good food source and keeps the bird busy for ages too.

Let me know what you want and I can add it to my order with that breeder mate of mine. He takes a delivery every month so you would only have to pick them up from me. One box (same size as DOC's) of Rats would last for a good few weeks if you feed a couple of week. Wouldnt overdo the "good stuff" though if the birds not getting alot of exercise.

[Brit-Gos]

Do you check the pheasants for lead shot? and do you gut the mice before feeding as guts from wild caught food could pass on parasites. Sounds like you feed a varied diet. I give my bird 1 or 2 drops of cod liver oil with their food and a small pinch of vitamins supplament every now and then. I try to not feed them anything which could have been shot.

[MickeyDredd]

Steve,
Take a look at Honeybrook Farms website and choose your menu ! I think theres 3 sizes of Rat available, mice even guinea pigs.


Graeme

have you ever managed to get the guinea pigs? i have only ever managed to order some once in about 5 years!!, they never seem to have them in stock.

The hawks absolutely loved them and they are a very good quality food.

[Mr_Colin]

Pets@home have them all the time Micky, they are normally alive though :roll: :lol:

[MickeyDredd]

Pets@home have them all the time Micky, they are normally alive though :roll: :lol:

and they are a few quid a head :lol:

[Pitbull]

Graeme

have you ever managed to get the guinea pigs? i have only ever managed to order some once in about 5 years!!, they never seem to have them in stock.

The hawks absolutely loved them and they are a very good quality food.


Ive started breeding them but probably wont have some until the end of the moulting time, about five weeks until the first are born. i have 3 sows so cant wait to see what pops out.

[Harris]

Ive started breeding them but probably wont have some until the end of the moulting time, about five weeks until the first are born. i have 3 sows so cant wait to see what pops out.


Dont you need a male one as well??? lol

[Pitbull]

Dont you need a male one as well??? lol

Yeah i got a boar in the freezer and the other boar well hes running around with a smile on his face waiting for the next batch too come along.

[Harris]

LOL I don't think the Boar in the freezer will do much for your breedin unless your using frozen sperm! :lol:

[Pitbull]

its just chilling out

[Pitbull]

sorry couldnt resist..:lol: :rolleyes: :oops:

[Harris]

It must be bored "STIFF" :supz:

[Sean]

Graeme

have you ever managed to get the guinea pigs? i have only ever managed to order some once in about 5 years!!, they never seem to have them in stock.

The hawks absolutely loved them and they are a very good quality food.
was is reptile shop today, asked to see them, pulled out a bag and said they were 2.20 each, they where the size of a small rat! he was ****ed of when i said no chance, so i didnt ask to see the bigger ones at 4quid or so.

how good are they

[Heike]

, so i didnt ask to see the bigger ones at 4quid or so.

how good are they[/QUOTE]


Great deep fried in batter, with chips :rolleyes:

[Gos212]

Graeme

have you ever managed to get the guinea pigs? i have only ever managed to order some once in about 5 years!!, they never seem to have them in stock.

The hawks absolutely loved them and they are a very good quality food.

Mike,

I only ever ordered them once and got them ok. As you said they went doon a treat.
Ive got to admit I never tried to order them again as I used to keep them as a youngster and every time I took one out of the freezer I had these guilty feelings !

Are the words "girls" and "blouse" coming to mind ?


Graeme

[MickeyDredd]

Mike,
Are the words "girls" and "blouse" coming to mind ?
Graeme

i'm afraid the word "YES" is coming to mind ;) :lol:

[Mr_Colin]

:twisted: My Wife is the same with me feeding Rat, how-ever I seem to have a never ending bag of rats that I have told her when they have gone I wont buy anymore, the bag never seems to go below 6 for some strange reason