No-LimitR
44 posts
May 01, 2007
4:07 PM
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I understand that everyone has their own system of feeding but i would like to know how much of the rollers crop is filled after you guys have got them fed. Is it full, half, or 1/4. I feed each one a spoonfull but i'm trying to estimate how big or small the spoon should be. Any advice would be apprciated.Thankyou, Tou.
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MILO
327 posts
May 01, 2007
4:29 PM
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Great question.
To be honest, I haven't given it a whole lot of thought. I try to get them controlled, by feeding them just enough to fly the time and to keep them responsive to me. I would have to say the most important thing to me is that they have no feed in the crop right before they fly. For my family, that spells certain disaster. After a feeding, I can feel feed in the crop, and as it is mixed with a good drink gives it some size, but never so much that has a "hacky-sack" like appearance. LOL
c
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No-LimitR
45 posts
May 01, 2007
10:51 PM
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Milo, Yes i was wondering because right after i feed my rollers their crops are always full. I know that this means i'm feeding them too much but i would like to have an idea of how much less by feeling the crop since my spoon size is different from everyone else's. But again not everyone of them has full crops. Some just eat faster then others i should say. Maybe this is why some of them feel so full and some are half full. Thankyou.
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J_Star
857 posts
May 02, 2007
4:57 AM
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No-Limit,
You said that you are feeding one tblspoon full to each bird. If you are feeding the birds on 24 hrs intervals, then that is not enough feed? One cup of feed for 10 birds does not equal 10 tblspoons for 10 birds. You must keep feeding your birds on 24 hrs intervals and measure how much feed to give them based on their flight time and trapping behavior. Start with one cup per 10 birds and start to take away one tblspoon of feed off every day until you reach the optimal feeding portion. Also you can not do that every day and for ever. If you do the Yo- Yo method of feeding then you need to follow a different approach.
Jay
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Velo99
1079 posts
May 02, 2007
5:00 PM
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Your birds should have a smooth feel from the underside of their chin down to the breast. the crop should feel like a natural part of the bird. Not tooo full and not too empty.
Takes four days of 1 1/3 cups for my birds to come down wings up. Now most of these birds are a year or so old,been good kitbirds. When I overfeed this time of year I get too much mating activity. That has a tendency to be hard on the hens.
I alternate between cup of wheat and a 1/3 of either pellets, WBS or safflower. Every other day or so I`ll go with 50/50 milo wheat. Usually on pellet or safflower day. WBS has milo in it. Depending on how they act as to what I feed. Sometimes it isn`t the quantity you feed it`s the quality.
I very seldom feed over a cup and a half of any mix of feed. When I need to get thier attention I don`t have to fly more or use a drastic feed cut.I use a feed mix to get it.
Example: Milo is an airy seed. Birds cannot live on milo alone for very long.Feed em straight milo,usual quantity and fly them once a day for two days.You`ll have thier attention.
Experiment with feeds and quanities,you might get a pleasant surprise.
This is what I do with my family;results may vary from strain to strain.
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V99
Flippin`The Bird!
http://www.bluedotloft.50megs.com
Last Edited by on May 02, 2007 5:04 PM
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