The Molt

[Riker]

ok here is my question to all. how much do yall raise your birds weight during the molt?? I know guys that put tons of weight on there birds during the molt then i know some that put maybe an oz or 2 over flying weight. most books i have read say put like 15% or so on your bird. so survey for all what do you do??

[Yarak]

Its a difficult question to answer. Each bird has a varied amount of bady fat when trapped. Lets take Bane as an example. She trapped in at 1550gms (54.25 oz) her first two seaons she flew at 1240gms (43.4 oz). That was a 20% loss of body weight. I want a contented Bane during the moult. To acheive this I remove all the hunting drive, as its related directly to hunger. So back up to 1550 mark. At that weight she is a butterball.
I mean HOG fat. Once her metabolism slows from the hunting season and it stays hot she maintains that weight on very little food. Funny though she still acts like she is starving come dinnertime. Dr Moore told me 15-20% is going to cover most birds just fine. As
Tiercel78 can attest you can fly birds year 'round without getting stress marks from hunger right thru the moult. This is acheived through routine and diet.
Yarak

[bobdale]

OK, Yarak...

So, you raise her weight, and maintain a routine... what is that routine?
My question yesterday to the Weasel was to clarify how many variables were involved when his bird got stress marks. It seems to me that any of those activities could, arguably, cause stress and interupt the molt.

[Hosehead]

Mike's telling me that ANY change in routine can cause fret marks. I feed Scarlett though a food drop the same time every morning and try not to invade her space as much as possible. I'll spend the extra week this August working her in order to get a good molt by leaving her be now. Seems like a good trade-off. Kurt

[Yarak]

I tend to do most all my hunting in the afternoon. I want the bird hungry and ready to eat when we go. I feed in the evenings just prior to dark. I get the bird out of the mew weigh her, put her on her perch. I then weigh and portion out the daily amount she is to recieve depending on weather forecast and her weight. I then put the majority of food on the lure get my game bag on step back outside to very stimulated anxious hawk ready to leave the perch and grab the heck out of me to produce food. Out comes the lure, hawk is fed, transfered off and allowed to feak and calm down a few minutes then back in the mew for bedtime ;D
And there you have it
Yarak

[rt]

Since I put my bird up for the molt I have been taking her out of her weathering area and flying her on the creance for portions of food I also have been letting her feed while my dog is near Iam hoping to discourage the attitude she has to my dog. She still responds good and flys to me even though we havent hunted since the beginning of march.

[Weasel]

Well, How is everyones birds moulting out so far?

[Riker]

my bird hasent started yet i hope he will start soon.

[frootdog]

Some of you already know that I am still flying my bird, and no feathers have dropped yet, but a mutual friend of mine and the weasel has a bird (male HH) that is just about done with the molt. His bird started in jan or feb due to a rise in weight to help recover from a minor injury. He's talking about doing some sparrow hawking with the bird starting in june.

[hoseheadwork]

Scarlett's dropped three sets of primaries and her two deck feathers. The mews looks like I've been plucking chickens. She's also developed a bad attitude over the last week. Kurt

[LeeSlikkers]

Zuri's dropped 3 feathers so far and the mew looks like a pillow blew up in there, fuzz everywhere ;D

She's also gotten a bit pissy and refuses to step to the glove in the last 3 days so I've simply been putting food in there and spending some time in there as she starts to eat.

Never thought I'd wish away a summer but dang it, I'm ready for SEPTEMBER!

[Yarak]

Lee,
Careful going in the mews with food. It may not be problem now but if she comes to expect you bringing food when you go into get her she may start becoming less than nice when you have none. It may also start her flying at you when go in, also undesired. If you have to use food to get her on the fist use a very small tid bit that she cannot see till you present the gauntlet. Then get her out of the mews for the rest of dinner. Just a suggestion and words of caution.
Yarak

[LeeSlikkers]

Thanks for the advice Yarak...

I didn't say I went in with food. I mentioned I put food in for her, I have a basket off one of her perches that she eats on...I don't walk in with it on my glove as I've seen enough agreesive redtails to know you don't want to associate you/glove/mew/food to a bird. After she breaks in or is eating I then go in and hang out with her. Often talking softly, sitting near her or crouching along side and occasionally reaching in to mess with her feet.

Thanks for double checking though...

Lee

[Yarak]

Thanks for clearing up my misunderstanding. It would be a shame to have anyone get rid of a "keeper" because of aggression. Making in and going thru the same steps as you would on a kill will certainly be beneficial. It sets a predictable pattern surrounding food that the bird comes to expect.
To stay on topic I wet out at sunrise to check Bane and low and behold their is a deck feather waiting for me. It appears it has begun. I hope its clean and quick.
Yarak

[LeeSlikkers]

Yarak, I agree and completely understand where you were coming from when pointed out the confusion.

As a side note...I just got back from lunch at home and Zuri dropped 2 more feathers today. Looking like a fairly fast molt so far, I'm just hoping it continues and she doesn't stall out on me mid-way through

Lee