The cost of your hobby

[BFromTheBeeg]

Ok, now I realise that this thread bares some similarity to an existing thread. But as a novice i'm really interested to find out more about the practicalities of someone like me owning a bird someday.

So here is the inquisition!


How much (financially) does your bird cost you. Feeding, housing, vet, meds, insurance, inital purchase and equipment?

How much time do you spend with your bird?

How does this time vary during the winter and summer.

I work full time. During the summer I spend a lot of time with the horses, riding etc. However, with the longer days in the summer i'm out and about a lot more doing 'outdoor things' ( what a rubbish description, but walking etc, just being outdoors!). During the winter I ride a lot less, so would still have time for the bird despite the shorter days.

The problem I see is that I work full time and at a distance from home. So i'm out of the house for 12hrs per day.

Would be grateful to hear peoples experiences etc as they will all help me!

Also, what do you do when you go on hols? ( I don't go very often but I expect the other half will want to go for a week once a year!)

[AndyYounger]

I dont work 12 hrs a day and live 5 mins from my work. i think you will find it almost imposable to do any bird justice. even a harris hawk. they all need time and fitness traing and regular flying. try contacting a local center or falconer and they will tell you the same. i dont mean to put a damper on things for you but i have changed my job to accomodate my falconry and i was out for 8 hrs a day at work.
Regards
Andy

[BFromTheBeeg]

I suspected that wouldn't be ideal. However (crosses fingers), I hope this will be a temp thing as I hope to work more local one I get a job. The one I hope to get means a four day week and home by 5.30 on the working days.

It's not a case of a dampener on things, I appriciate your feedback, it's best to know before taking on a bird! After isn't the time to find out, for the animals sake!

[Skeld]

You are not doing wrong by asking this question! Too many people get a bird then start asking what they should do. Your current circumstances would not be suitable to do a bird justice.I would suggest that falconry when practiced properly is not a hobby but a way of life! Plenty of people that have jobs find ways of making time for their birds, I myself am lucky enough to spend all my time with my hawks, this includes no holidays!
I hope you can find a way of overcoming your present work situation.
Regards
Dave

[GregMik]

Are you sure you want to take up this obsession? Do you like doing most of those other things? You will prolly not be doing them much after you get a bird and get hooked.
This obsession does take allot of time. So if you do decide to take it up, that would be your biggest expense. As far as the other stuff? I will let the lads from your side of the pond tell you the monetary expenses.

Greg

[BFromTheBeeg]

Well, at this stage i'm not sure, hence the questions.

My primary concern HAS to be the bird. If I can't give it all it needs then I can't entertain the idea of taking one on.


I'm just interested to find out more. On the face of it keeping horses (which has been a lifelong passion) can be an all consuming pastime, but I do find plenty of time to do other things in addition. Perhaps falconary doesn't allow that, so it's great to get as many opinions as possible before I take the plunge (which would be a long way off yet anyway!).

keep the info coming, it's all useful!

[Renton]

I'm just interested to find out more. On the face of it keeping horses (which has been a lifelong passion) can be an all consuming pastime, but I do find plenty of time to do other things in addition. Perhaps falconary doesn't allow that, so it's great to get as many opinions as possible before I take the plunge (which would be a long way off yet anyway!).

keep the info coming, it's all useful!

Capital costs to get started in falconry can be expensive, certainly similar to the cost of buying a reasonable horse and tack. It can be done more cheaply, but I do not consider cutting corners to be a good idea. However, monthly costs are far, far lower than maintaining a horse; obviously, no shoeing bills and feed costs are minute compared to what is needed to keep a horse going! Just don't factor in your time as a cost, you'll need lots of it!

[Hells99]

Do you have a falconry centre nearby? I started volunteering at a centre over a year ago to get experience of looking after birds with a view to getting one of my own. It was a really useful experience as I now know I cannot devote the time necessary to keeping a bird myself. I do have the time, however, to volunteer each weekend at the centre where I have plenty of opportunity to fly, handle and learn more about the birds - best of both worlds :D

[Tim Laycock]

Truthfull answers from a imprint Goshawker :yawinkle:


How much (financially) does your bird cost you. Feeding, housing, vet, meds, insurance, inital purchase and equipment?

Initialy, thousands and thousands!
Thousands of pounds a year thereafter!

How much time do you spend with your bird?

Through the season. hours, every day.

How does this time vary during the winter and summer.

Marginaly less through the summer!

[Chris S]

i used to keep horses myself and there is no way i could have kept a bird at the same time as you know becky in the winter its all mucking out bring them in groom them feed never get time to ride,the only way i can see that you could fly a bird is if you could take it with you to work and fly it then there.
could this be a option?
chris

[Renton]

i used to keep horses myself and there is no way i could have kept a bird at the same time as you know becky in the winter its all mucking out bring them in groom them feed never get time to ride,the only way i can see that you could fly a bird is if you could take it with you to work and fly it then there.
could this be a option?
chris

The other option is to replace the horse with a bird. Voila! No more mucking out, no more sodden rugs, huge feed bills and mud fever! :lol:

[Afshimo]

me being me, actually was bored enough at the end of exams to work out exactly how much it would cost to feed an average falcon or harris hawk (I used shiro and morag) but unfortunatly i've lost what i worked out. This is a quick one, not fully accurate as that takes longer lol.

For instance, 200 chicks (1 box) are about £6, quail 80p each, beef £1.75 for a weeks worth used everyday.

In a week, shiro would go through 21 chicks, ATM morags goes though 35/42 chicks a week. I usually feed atleast 1 quail, when being flown i fly with full rations (bout 1oz of beef) then one full quail and dont feed the next to day to digest the quail. So a week looks like

1x quail (80p)
6oz of beed (£1.75)
25 chicks (8.3p) Total: £2.63

Thats the bare basics. I also supplement with rabbit, duck and the odd partrige from the farmers who give it free.

In moult, it goes something like

4x quail £3.20
10 chicks 3p

with free stuff. So sometimes she'll only have 1 quail with the rabbit and anything she caught before.

If she moults for 3 1/5 months: 14 x 3.23 = £45.22p
If she flys and hunts fir the rest of the year, this is not including what she catches: 14 x 2.63 = £36.82

totalling: £82

Then there's the mews, the equipment, vets bill's, petrol for driving around, telemetry. If you round things up and go for the average:

Telem: £500
Equipment: £500
Mews: £3000 upto?
Petrol: I got no idea lol. We covered bout 200m looking for shiro lol.
Vets bill's: anything up £5000.

I know, some people only have to pay a couple hundren for the mews. Stuff you can get cheaper or off mates.

Then, when your sorted with that, you gota pay for the bird, the freezer to stick the grub and bottles of wine as thanks to the farmers etc. Thats just 1 bird, 1 mews and 1 person.

That will give you can idea lol.

Also Im sad and its fun to see what the end result is. Or maybe not if your a big breeder lol.

Thats enough maths for me, im tired.

enjoy!

[Chris S]

The other option is to replace the horse with a bird. Voila! No more mucking out, no more sodden rugs, huge feed bills and mud fever! :lol:
thats what i did best thing i ever done now i just ride other peoples when i want and leave them all the good jobs

[Jazz1]

This can be an expensive interest to get into to start with but once you are hooked there is nothing else comes close.
I only now work 18hours a week over 3days due to family commitments to my kids so this leaves me 4 days free and if i am late shift when working i have up to 1 o'clock free.
Great for the hunting season birds out 4/5 days a week and time to catch up with the jobs in the moult that have been put of while hunting the birds.
You only get 1 life so why not enjoy it there's more to life than work and money.

[Pitbull]

try not to think about it,...:lol:

[CJ#HaRrIs HAwKs RuLe#]

Hi

depending on what bird you get why not combine riding and falconry?
if your horses are steady enough and when the bird is flying well why not?
and if your on a livery stables if you ask nicely they might let you fly in the fields.

I myself don't have a bird but I do have 2 ponies my family have always had horses. And like I said, if you do your homework it might work........ could it?

[Yarak1]

Well, at this stage i'm not sure, hence the questions.

My primary concern HAS to be the bird. If I can't give it all it needs then I can't entertain the idea of taking one on.


I'm just interested to find out more. On the face of it keeping horses (which has been a lifelong passion) can be an all consuming pastime, but I do find plenty of time to do other things in addition. Perhaps falconary doesn't allow that, so it's great to get as many opinions as possible before I take the plunge (which would be a long way off yet anyway!).

keep the info coming, it's all useful!

Find a good falconer and see if you can tag along and help him/her and then you will have some idea of the time and commitment needed.Just a thought!

[Pegasus]

Falconry is replacing horses for me. Equally time consuming!

[karamia]

Hey there, Soz this post is sbout 2 weeks later!:lol:
Where abouts are you in South Wales??Theres a brilliant falconry centre near Abergavenny. Its so close to me and we only found it recently.Thay have all sorts of BOP, and they seem really willing to help!! OR just go to see the birds!! The Red kites in particular are fab!! Absolutely stunning!
We are thinking of getting a hwk at the end of the year, so are going to visit as much as we can. They also do falconry courses at quite good rates, my boyfriend is doing one soon.

Hope that helps!

Kara x

[Berkut]

Unfortunatley the easiest and cheapest part of getting into falconry nowadays can be getting a hold of a hawk,which is a great shame as it encourages people into the sport earlier than they should take it up.
As other people have posted there is so much more to consider,not only from a financial point of view but also pertaining to committment.
As has been said,tag along with a genuinely experienced falconer for a season or so and then you will know exactly what is required and whether it is for you.