Some people even those living in big cities are still a very country at heart. They crave the morning crow of the rooster and the smell of freshly picked eggs from the farm. If you are one such person who loves poultry and the country life you can be very successful in poultry farming. But this is not less than any other business that anyone would start. This requires a lot of careful planning, a lot of investment in all the equipment that will be required and even some research on the methods, techniques, and market that you plan on serving with your business.
On top of that, there are legal regulations pertaining to starting poultry farming which mostly restrain you to the place where you can start it. Most laws will discourage you from starting farming in a residential area where your neighbors will be disturbed by the constant crowing of roosters and the mess that poultry makes.
Once you have cleared all legal regulations related to poultry farming you need to start by first getting knowledge regarding chickens, what they eat, how to keep them healthy, what kind of lifestyle to give them, their lifespans, the shelter they will need, and most importantly information about their egg laying. All this information is crucial to the success of your venture and having this knowledge beforehand is what is important to ensure you get a good start with your business. You can find some great resources on the internet related to poultry farming that will give you some great advice on how to get started with it.
Another important thing you need to clarify before getting started with this is the aim of your business. Do you intend on raising chickens for their eggs or do you plan on raising chickens for their meat? This decision is important because the type of breed you will get for your poultry depends on whether you intend on selling their eggs or their meat. The more information you have regarding the different breeds of chickens and their needs the more equipped you will be in handling all problems related to managing this business.
Now if all that has been clarified you need to begin the search for an appropriate place for the setup. As mentioned earlier it is illegal to start poultry sheds in areas like residential zones, therefore, you will need to look for an appropriate place that is well outside the city so you can have your sheds there without worrying about any neighbors being disturbed. But then again that location might get too far from your own residence in the city. If possible you might want to consider relocating for the sake of your poultry.
Running it from far away will not be as efficient as running it if you are living on the farm yourself. Once you have found an adequate location for your poultry farming you need to decide how big or small you want it to be. The number of chicken you plan on raising will determine the size of your farm. You also have to keep in view any forecasting regarding the increase in chickens and expanding your business. Do leave adequate space for the future expansion of your business.
Now you have to get onto the last step of purchasing the chickens and rooster for your poultry farming. The breed you choose should be decided very carefully and only purchase from a well-reputed supplier to ensure that you are not getting any second-hand fake breed of chicken.
By Efren Evans Poultry farming is only available to local rural places. Forming Poultry units only need a low budget and a small land. So it is like generating income that is sufficient for the rural population. Click here for Poultry farm Article Source: EzineArticles
Because of their impressive nature, people buy parrots to become their pet on pet stores on impulse. Popular choices are amazons, macaws, and cockatoos because of their adorable traits and characteristics.
But, better be careful in choosing and buying parrot pets on impulse because caring for them can be an overwhelming and stressful task for you. Before you bring home a parrot to become your pet, make sure that you do a little research on its types and caring procedures so you will know what is the most suitable parrot species for you.
Parrot shopping guidelines
Every parrot—or any pet or animal for that matter—is different. Thus, they require special needs and caring. You must know by now that choosing a parrot for a pet is a lifelong commitment so it’s advisable that you do not make hasty decisions in buying one. Since buying a parrot requires a good decision-making, here are some things that can get you started:
1. A parrot’s “noise” is one of the major considerations in choosing any pet parrot. Majority of the Conure species and Quaker Parakeets produce ear-piercing screeches that you might not tolerate.
Amazons, Macaws, Cockatoos, and African Greys, one the other hand, give out information about you that can smear your reputation while Pionus, and some medium-sized Poicephalus like Senegals and Meyers, are known to create lesser noise compared other parrots. Budgies, Lovebirds, and Parrotlets, on another hand, are famous for not having very loud screeches because they do not possess a real ability to scream.
2. The next basic thing to consider when you’re pondering over buying a pet parrot is the mess the bird will create. Don’t be shocked if you see at least one-third of the food you give to the parrot will end up scattered on the floor.
This “food-scattering” is just part of a parrot’s nature of being experimental or just being naughty. Aside from food particles, feathers will also be present everywhere. If you are not used to having pets as messy as parrots and you are about to have one, you might want to consider placing its cage where cleaning materials are accessible.
3. You should also consider the attention you can give and the attention your parrot pet will need. Being social flock animals, parrots are known to enjoy the utmost attention. You must know when to pay attention to your pet parrot because they become easily depressed, lazy, and untrusting. Give them enough freedom to explore and interact with you.
4. You also be prepared to maintain the cleanliness of your pet parrot. No bird—or any pet for that matter—will be happy and healthy if they are confined to a soiled, dirty cage. Putting newspapers under their cage is the easiest way to get rid off soiled perches but make sure you don’t use colored papers because they contain toxins that can be harmful to your parrot pet.
5. Lastly, contemplate on feeding your parrot pet. Far from common perception, birds—especially parrots—cannot live in birdseed alone. Daily pelleted or seed diet combined with a variety of dark green, orange, and yellow vegetables or cooked brown rice, pasta, and beans are best for your winged pet.
Pet Sun Conure (Aratinga solstitialis) demonstrating analytical puzzle solving skills. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
For those of you who own a sun conure or have recently purchased a baby parrot, I'm sure you will agree that they are lovely birds to have as pets. Although a sun conure can become quite feisty and loud at times, they are still beautiful parrots to keep in the house and uplift your day. A sun conure always looks like it is smiling at you. There is magic in their eyes and expressions and they give you a sense of warmth and love. They are cute, cuddly and lovable plus they will be open to your touch and warm embrace most of the time. And with some hard work and dedication, you can actually teach a sun conure to talk and perform tricks. Below I will cover some of the basic strategies for teaching your bird to perform sun conure tricks and how to train conures to talk.
Praise your Conure:
The first thing you have to learn about teaching sun conure tricks is that parrots will only associate progress with praise. Your bird may perform a really cool trick or do something cute and funny that you will want it to repeat on cue, but it will never know that it was appreciated unless you show it praise. A common form of praise is to smile and speak the words; 'good bird' or 'good boy /girl' with an uptone sound in your voice. Follow the praise with a treat. Sun conures love treats especially if they are only fed to them sparingly. Your parrot will associate the act they just did follow the praise and reward they got and they will remember this for next time.
Do Not Over Train:
The second thing you have to understand about teaching sun conure tricks is that you cannot overwork your bird. Forcing your parrot to repeat words or perform tricks can make him or her frustrated and exhausted. A solid 10 to 15 minutes of training a day is all that is required for your parrot to slowly learn how to perform sun conure tricks. Some days they may not respond well to the training and you have to be aware of this. In that case, limit the training to 5 minutes and do not harass them again until the next day. Do not forget to show praise and give them treats.
Never Scream at your Parrot:
Finally, when teaching sun conures to talk, you want to make sure to never scream at the bird. Never raise your voice to the point where you sound angry. This will only cause your conure to associate anger with your command and it will be afraid of performing for you for fear that you will become upset. Be patient and kind with your conure and gently repeat simple words that they could learn to speak such as; 'hello', 'goodbye', 'i love you', etc. Keep the words or phrases to a minimum and use an uptone or singing tone to them. Birds associate tones with phrases and will remember them better than if you were to repeat them sounding flat, monotone or dull.
Training sun conures to talk is a well sought out skill and can be quite challenging at first. Many parrot owners give up trying to teach them tricks because they lack the patience or experience to deal with this type of parrot. However, it is not impossible to teach a sun conure to talk and you too can learn the skills necessary to turn your pet into a show bird. Click here to discover the secret coveted skills of teaching sun conure tricks!
Many people want to get birds as pets, and they tend to like the most colorful ones, and/or those which are the most intelligent. The African Gray species is one of the favorites that humans like to take in as pets. Humans believe them to be quite smart because they can learn words, and they have extremely well-evolved voice capabilities. However, you must understand that there are many other birds that are also quite smart and intelligent. One very intelligent bird species are those birds that look like big black crows; ravens.
It is amazing what they have been observed doing in the wild. They think, adapt, hunt, and they use tools. They do just about everything they can to prove to us they are intelligent, and yet because they are birds, sometimes we don't see it that way. It is interesting that we believe the African grays are so intelligent because we observe them up close and personal as pets in cages. The Ravens can be somewhat tamed over time, but you can't use trickery tactics and merely food to keep their interests. In many regards, they might be simply too smart to be a pet.
Since they are so cunning and intelligent, they have also intrigued man, and because they are black they take on a spooky occult like an image in the minds of men. They learn quite quickly, and they can solve problems. They're a lot smarter than we give them credit for and therefore they end up surprising us time and time again. Is this the reason we have used them in our horror films and stories, as demonic, evil, or out to get us? Who knows, maybe they really are?
Now then, there are some people who are even more intrigued due to the stigma, and therefore wish to make them pets, simply for the fact that they are spooky to so many. Ravens can take care of themselves without any problem in a wild due to their intelligence, their size, their big claws, and their ability to reason, adapt hunt, and use tools. They do not need human's help, not even a little bit. They're also smart enough to know that if you are offering assistance, food, or something that they need, then it behooves them to cooperate.
In many regards, ravens are a lot like humans. Still, Ravens as pets may not work out for you, there are simply too smart for humans, and are not easily manipulated or tricked. Plus they are fiercely independent, and they don't need us, it's just that some people feel they need a friend or a pet, and those birds always seem to be around. Please consider all this and think about it.
By Lance Winslow Lance Winslow is a bird watcher and observer, he is fascinated with flight. Article Source: EzineArticles
Let me introduce you to Lambeau our Hahn’s Macaw parrot (also known as the Red-Shoulder Macaw Parrot). She is the smallest of the Macaw parrot species. Though some say it is the Noble Macaw parrot. There is that debate. Lambeau is quite comical and extremely sweet. She doesn’t talk, she chatters. Lambeau is quite intelligent and is very attentive when being spoken to. We call her the human leech because she wants to be on your shoulder all the time. She thinks she is one of the large Macaw parrots and has no fear. Lambeau has a great disposition and I wouldn’t trade her in for the world.
Now we are going to talk of the genus of the Macaw Parrot. There are about 17 different species within the Macaw parrot genus. They are all on the CITES index, which means that Macaw parrots, like Amazons, Pionus, Caique and Cockatoo parrots all protected exportation out of the wilds like Brazil, Central and South America and the likes of Mexico; also including Australia. On what is called the CITES Treaty; CITES stands for Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna. The CITES also known as the Washington Convention was created by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It was adopted in 1963, the convention then opened for signatures in 1973 and entered into force on July 1, 1985.
Macaw parrots are on the CITES appendix ranging from extinction to vulnerable. Of the 17 species of Macaws, there are two that are extinct in the wild; they are the Spix Macaw and the Glaucous Macaw. The reason that Macaws have been placed on the CITES Index is that of the deforestation of the Amazon and the illegal trapping of these majestic creatures. There are many conservation acts that have been put in place in the last 20 years.
There are the large Macaw parrots such as the Blue and Gold, Scarlet, Green Wing and Hyacinth that are known. There is the Mini-Macaw parrot and they behave just like their counterparts with big personalities, affection and yes their vocalization; may not be as loud but just as vocal. The several types of mini-Macaw parrots they are the Severe, Yellow-Collared, Illeger’s and of course the Hahn’s, to name a few.
They are just as social, animated and loyal to their owners like the larger Macaw parrots. If you your house cannot fit a larger Macaw and you have always wanted one of these majestic animals; I highly recommend a Mini-Macaw parrot. You will not be disappointed. You get all the benefits of a large Macaw parrot just in a small package. They may not be as colorful but their shades of green are breathtaking.
Macaw parrots vocalize with screams and squawks; these are ways of communicating with flock (family). Identifying each other and marking their territory. You may believe that this behavior is only displayed in the wild; no, this is also their way to speak in a domesticated situation in your home. They are loud so I do not recommend getting one in an apartment situation. Macaw parrots are good talkers not just mimicking speech.
Their diet consists of seed, I advocate a type of pellet included, fruits such as apples, oranges, mango, papaya, banana, berries, and veggies like squash, sweet potatoes, green beans, baby carrots (they can hold like a toy), red peppers and many more. Remember that all fruits and veggies need to be washed as there are pesticides on them and they will pass through their small kidneys. Dehydrated fruits and veggies are great because they don’t spoil. They are perfect when you are going on a trip. That is if your parrot will eat them. Just like humans, they prefer the real thing. NEVER give your parrot alcohol, avocado, and chocolate as they are toxic. They can kill your parrot. Also avoid asparagus, eggplant, cabbage, caffeine products, junk food, milk and cream, raw potato and rhubarb (including the leaves).
Macaw parrots are like a feathered 3-year-old child you are going to bring into your home. They are very cuddly and animated; an excellent choice to have in any home, as they form very strong bonds within the family dynamics. They are very playful, sweet, the class clown and extremely social. They are smart and inquisitive which leads them to trouble. They are chewers and will chew anything. Like I said they are inquisitive by nature and may wander into your dining room and see that antique dining set your grandmother gave you. They don’t see it as a family heirloom they see it as a toy and oh boy, it is something to chew. I recommend if you have anything important that you do not want to become kindle for the fire, keep it out of their way.
They wander around the floor like your dog following you from room to room. It is so they can be with you and with their inquisitive nature, to see what they can get into. The nice thing about Macaw parrot is that many can stay on a playpen or stand while you are gone and will stay put. Though like any parrot they should have a cage to retreat to for food or just to take a nap.
If you decide to cage your Macaw parrot, you need to adhere to the guidelines of caging your parrot. You need to get the largest cage possible! The large macaw parrot has a wingspan up to 3½ feet and from head to tail they can measure at 4 feet. They need to have the space to move around from perch to perch, play with toys and climb their cage. Their cage must be twice the size of their wingspan and twice the size of their tail. If you do not follow these simple guidelines you will have an unhappy or injured parrot. A wrought iron or steel cage is highly recommended; a Macaw parrot’s beak is very powerful and can break open nuts like a can opener. Like I mentioned they are chewers and can chew through many perches you purchase. I suggest Manzanita or Iron Wood. They will eventually get through it but not as frequently. It is best to have dishes that are attached to the cage or you will find them on the floor. When you put dishes in their cage, get one for food, water, and fruits/veggies/ treats and put them next to their perches. They are escape artists so get a cage with a lock on the door.
Toys are very important as it will occupy your parrot while you are out and they are caged. Like any parrot, if boredom sets in you will get behavioral problems. I highly advise you to get toys, toys and more toys. Get them toys they can throw, thrash, chew, and make noise with. I like to get toys with wood blocks, plastic chain link, and bells. They love to destroy so allow them to do so with toys. It is a difference between a happy healthy parrot and an unhappy parrot with behavioral issues.
When you place the cage in your home with the new baby, put in a high traffic area so your Macaw parrot can interact with the family and socialize with people when they come over. Be sure to not put in an area without a draft. They love to interact with people so keep it where your parrot can see all that is going on in the household. These are not pretty birds to stick in a cage for a conversation piece or decoration, they are a new addition to the family and need to be treated as just that.
Macaw parrots are very endearing and bring much joy to your household. When they reach about a year to 18 months they become more boisterous and mischievous. This is a fun time and but you have to set the limits with your Macaw parrot. All macaw parrots are very loud and get cranky like your toddler. They can throw temper tantrums. Keep this in mind; they are a big bird with a big beak. You could easily be in a situation that requires stitches or worse could lose a finger. This is not to scare you but you need to know what you are dealing with. Your Macaw parrot will probably be sweet 99% of the time; you just need to be able to read their body language to avoid disaster. A parrot will generally bite out of fear or anger. Each macaw parrot is different; so spend time with your new baby before it comes home. A hand-fed baby is going to be a great addition to your family as you now will have a companion for life.
Your Macaw parrot is a unique individual. Their eye patches are like our fingerprints, each one is different. They are majestic in stature and their colorful plumage only adds to that. The large Macaw parrot is quite striking in an awry of colors like a rainbow. The Mini- Macaw parrots are generally green with coloring on their wings or around their neck. Their tail is probably as long as their body. That is why I highly advise you to get a cage as large as you can get it. Take into consideration that Macaw parrots are very good at staying in their playpen or stand when left alone so this may be another option you may want to consider.
People have begun to breed hybrid Macaw parrots. People reported the overabundance of female Blue and Gold Macaw parrots which differs from the general rule of other captive Macaw parrots and parrots in general, where the males are more abundant; which explains why the Blue and Gold Macaw parrot is the most hybridized Macaw parrot. The only difference with a hybrid Macaw parrot is the true genetics and coloring. Male offspring take on the traits of their mother and the females take on the traits of their father. Yes, they have beautiful coloring but you need to be careful as there may be some behavior issues you will not find in a true genetic Macaw parrot.
I want to point out is that Macaw parrots are not for the first time parrot owner. They are time-consuming and require a lot of attentive attention. They are very social and strong-minded. You need to give them the time and energy they deserve and also be able to set the boundaries for your new baby. This commitment is one for life and Macaw parrots do live beyond 35 years. You need to keep in mind; as to who will care for your Macaw parrot if anything should happen to you. They are not known for great talkers but they make it up in character, how cuddly they are and being a parrot you can easily train. This is only true of any parrot that is socialized, handled properly and fed a proper diet.
Having a macaw is going to be one of the greatest joys you will ever experience. They are majestic, captivating and endearing. My wife used to walk to downtown Santa Barbara with Qazi, a Green Wing (one of the largest of the Macaw species) on her shoulder like a pirate. He would just hang on her shoulder ever so gently and they would cruise State Street telling everybody about her step-mother’s bird store. He was a great conversation piece. When we were in Mexico we went into a restaurant that had a Military, the Macaw was just hanging out and came over to our table ever so curious, he climbed up and sat on my wife’s Louis Vuitton purse and started chewing. This Macaw did not see it as an expensive handbag; he saw it as a new toy to chew. As we were sitting there the owner of the restaurant would put the Macaw on his shoulder and run down the street with him.
From the largest to the smallest Macaws, each one is fascinating and grand with their own individuality. I hope when you decide on a parrot you consider a macaw. You need to ask yourself, “Am I ready for this big commitment.” They are not for the weary at heart; they are for a strong person who wants to take on that responsibility. If a large Macaw wouldn’t fit into your lifestyle, getting a mini-Macaw is just as rewarding and you will get the same satisfaction. Whichever you decide on, know it is going to love you unconditionally and depend on you for life.
A pet Sun Parakeet (also known as a Sun Conure) in a parrot cage. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
What do birds like eating? Here we came to my favorite topic: I am a great glutton that is why I try to please my birds.
The main parrot food is millet. It is sold in every ”bird” shop. There should always be enough millet into the birdcage, birds know themselves how much to eat . They also enjoy oats very much but only oats (unpeeled, absolutely natural ) which I haven't seen anywhere in shops : – ((. It is found only as an addition to combined foods. As a compromise variant oat kernels can be given.
They also enjoy sunflower seeds, but not baked of course Give sunflower seeds to your bird only several times per month because it contains lots of fats and the bird gets stout. Before giving it to the bird it is good to crash it slightly (thus they will consume it easily).
They absolutely adore fresh vegetables! They die for cucumbers, lettuce, carrots, peppers and pepper seeds ( they should not be hot !). They also eat cabbage. Be careful with nitrates! They are particularly harmful to birds as they can even kill them If it is possible to prevent buying foods cultivated in greenhouses.
Other " green food ” that they like very much is ordinary fresh and tender grass. I mean ryegrass, clover especially couch – grass or something likes, but not that grass! Something that you should never give them is parsley! I don ' t know why, but it is written so in the books and I have ' n ' t made experiments what will happen to them if I feed birds with parsley.
Give them fresh fruit at any possibility apples (They like cores because of the seeds ), pears, plums and also pumpkin. I haven't noticed them to like citrus fruit.
All fruit and vegetables should be well washed.
Give them hard – boiled egg ( a quarter of egg per two birds ) at least once a month. From it, they supply themselves with proteins and vitamin D.
Don't throw the shell away! Give it to them finely crushed. It provides them with calcium.
Another resource of calcium is chalk. Birds gnaw it with an appetite so be sure always to provide chalk in the cage.
Birds like eating bread. It doesn't matter what kind it is. Put a piece of slightly damped bread between the bars and they will tackle it so that your appetite will come back to you.
There should always be sand in the birdcage ( that is why I told you in the beginning that you should buy two vessels for food ). They need the sand in order to assimilate food easier. Food does not go to the bird's stomach directly. Before that, it stays for some time into its throat. There due to enzymes and the sand all grain foods taken get broken to pieces, get soft and get digested preliminary. The sand should be fine, that is why you must sift it well and to remove the coarse fractions because they can block the bird ' s throat. It is compulsory to wash the sand, to boil it for a short time in hot water, to dry it and only then to give it to the birds. Sea – sand is very appropriate, but it must be well – washed from the salt !!! Salt is not very useful for birds.
Pigeons can easily adapt to almost any given situation and this is why they are one of the best pets an owner could ask for. Give them their living essentials and the right environment, and they can easily do the rest. However, you have to be more meticulous when you want to raise a pigeon for racing. In this case, how a pigeon's loft is designed plays a big role in making sure that they will be raised to their full potential.
Here is a breakdown of loft designing fundamentals that will help your pigeon become potential champions in pigeon racing.
1. Ventilation
Like any other warm-blooded animal, pigeons need air as much as they require food and water. Make sure that the loft has openings where air can enter and escape. The openings can be placed on the roof or along the roofline. If air is scarce in the location where the loft is placed, installing exhaust fans should be able to help. Setting up an aviary also gives the pigeons the luxury to enjoy the fresh air at their own leisure. Pigeons need to be intimate with nature; a loft that allows them that luxury can make it easier for them to develop an attachment to their homes.
2. Dry Environment
Too much moisture inside and outside the loft increases the chances of your pigeons to acquire diseases. As a pet owner, it is your sole responsibility to ensure that the loft stays dry. It's a good start to keep the loft in a slightly elevated position. Placing the loft on a pair of stacked cinder blocks can definitely do the job. As for the height of elevation, 18"-25" off the ground should be good enough. This set-up allows air to circulate under the loft to keep it dry. Using a wooden floor also prevents the building up of moisture from pigeon droppings.
3. Cleaning Made Easy
A clean loft prevents pigeons from acquiring diseases that may affect their training and worse, lead to death. Administer regular cleaning to the loft by scraping unwanted dirt several times a week. As mentioned earlier, a wooden floor really helps since it can absorb moisture from droppings. As we all know, dry droppings are much easier to clean than wet droppings. And don't even plan on using formica type material for floors, perches or for any part of the loft that requires regular cleaning. Sure, the smooth surface makes it easier to scrape, but the stains that stick to it are bound to give you more headaches.
4. Accessibility To Sunlight
Pigeons need and love the sun so make sure that your loft is accessible to the sunlight. Pigeons from time to time want to sunbathe which is why you need to make sure that the aviary gets as much sunlight as possible. Keep in mind though that too much sunlight can be bad, so a small allowance for a shaded area should be designated inside the loft. This gives them the right amount of sunlight and will provide them with Vitamin D needed for strong bones.
A few years ago while sitting on a bench outside my workplace I noticed two birds running around making all kinds of noise. One was much larger than the other was so I assumed that she was the mother trying to feed her young. I couldn't believe that the small bird, a lovely little sparrow, was jumping up an down trying to put food in the mouth of this ungrateful screeching little big bird who did nothing but keep his mouth open and run around as if he wasn't getting enough to eat.
The mother was exhausted from all this jumping about. I thought I'd give the mother a break and throw some breadcrumbs out there for them to share. Do you think the 'Baby' bird would feed itself - NO! It still waited for Mom to jump up and put the morsels in its mouth. If this were the real mother of this monster bird, then I would hate to see the father! I've heard of birds laying their eggs in 'foreign' nests but the least they could do is pick a surrogate mother their own size!
Since then I've been reading up on 'brood parasites' - that's what they call these deadbeat mothers who leave it up to other birds to raise their babies. The one most popular in the Americas seems to be the Brown-headed Cowbird which is a pretty big bird in comparison to the sparrow. To help out the sparrow I decided to go into real estate - wild bird real estate that is: birdhouses and feeders, plus baths and fountains. This way the sparrow can move in a small holed birdhouse and not worry about a bigger bird coming in and laying its eggs for her to raise. She can bring up her own little sparrows the way nature intended.
When children hear about parrots, the first thing that comes to mind is that this bird is usually on the shoulder of a pirate and it can talk.
Though this creature has a habit of wanting and eating a cracker, studies have shown that this magnificent and colorful animal needs more than that in order to maintain a healthy diet.
By following these simple tips, the person can find other things, which are also essential to the parrot’s diet.
1. Parrots should have also had some vegetables, cooked meats and grains just like humans. This is because these creatures need the same nutrients that people get from eating such produce.
2. A healthy diet also means giving the parrot the right portions of each meal. If the owner gives too much, this should be reduced. This will take some time to get it right so the individual should just monitor the volume each time this is given to the animal.
3. Parrots get sick very easily. If there is excess food on the plate, this should be removed because this becomes the breeding ground for bacteria and molds.
4. Aside from food, the parrot must also be given a fresh supply of water daily. This will avoid making the bird dehydrated, which can also cause it to get sick.
5. Many people see pet owners giving seeds and nuts frequently to the parrot. Studies have shown this should be done sparingly because it does not provide that many nutrients, which are needed for the bird’s diet.
6. Though parrots may eat almost anything that humans eat, these following should never be given. These are chocolates, avocados, caffeine, alcohol, kidney and lima beans.
7. Parrots should be fed twice daily and enjoy it if the food is mixed with water in the bowl. It is advisable for the pet owner to wash the dish first before and after each meal to make sure it is free from bacteria and other germs that could endanger the life of the bird.
These are just a few tips for feeding the parrot. The owner can read up more by buying a book or doing some research on the Internet.
Before buying any food for the parrot, it will also be a good idea to seek the advice of a veterinarian. This specialist can check on the bird and recommend the proper items to be bought from the pet store.
Birds lay eggs; that's what they do. But did you know that this could be deadly for your pet?
My beloved bird is a cockatiel. She's a beautiful bird and a great companion. About twice a year she gets in a mood to respond to her God-given natural activity of egg laying. The first time she ever did this it was really cute.
The problem was, the egg wasn't fertilized, so it wouldn't hatch. So after a while of the egg not hatching, she determined the trick was to lay another egg, only to get the same results. This led to more eggs until she had six or seven eggs she was watching over.
When I first got her I did some research on the Internet about cockatiels and bird care. So when this egg-laying event was happening, I remembered reading something about it depleting them of calcium. I went back and read more about it. Sure enough, laying eggs depletes them of calcium and that is deadly to them.
I decided I had to take away her eggs. I didn't want to lose her over this. So, away they went. I made sure she watched me do it so she would know it's dangerous to lay eggs in her cage. They won't lay them if they are not comfortable with the nesting area.
That didn't stop her. She started again and I took them away again. After a few rounds of this, I decided to pull the bedding out of the cage, thinking it would make it less 'homey' for her and she would knock off the egg laying. It did stop for the season, but a season later she got the call to lay again and we resumed the battle.
As the days and weeks went by, she insisted she was going to lay the eggs and I insisted she wasn't. But, she was winning, in spite of my removing them. Then it happened...
One day I walked by her cage and there she was, in the bottom of her cage, still and silent and her limbs and head were twisted into a nearly grotesque position and I couldn't tell if she was even still alive. I was devastated; even to the point of not being able to react.
The evidence seemed clear that I would lose her. This was not a goldfish, but a friend. We talked and played every day. We ate and went to sleep at the same time. She sat on my shoulder and cheered me on as I worked on my computer. There would be no replacement bird; no more than you can replace your child.
I couldn't think right so I had to call on a friend. As we raced down the highway towards the veterinarian, I kept talking to my bird hoping to keep her awake and maybe get that little 'peep' to tell me she was going to be okay.
We rushed her to the emergency room and the vet rushed her behind those swinging doors. Had I seen the last of my bird?
They came out and asked me to step back into another room, where I waited to hear the news. I was waiting for the 'bird nurse' to come out and break it to me when the door opened and I only saw her back. She walked back through the door and as she cleared the door she turned around to reveal the white cage I had brought my pet bird in.
Inside that cage was a vibrant, confused and curious cockatiel who saw me and let out a loud chirp as if to ask, "What's up?" My bird was going to make it and doing just fine!
She had gone into a seizure because of calcium deficiency from laying the eggs. They gave her a shot of calcium to revive her. They also gave her a shot that was supposed to keep her from laying eggs. They said it might need to be done every month.
Sure enough, several weeks went by and she was back in the egg laying business. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't keep taking her to the veterinarian every month for expensive shots, but I couldn't go through that again.
I sat looking at her cage one day thinking about how I could make it less desirable for her to lay eggs. Finally, the light bulb went off.
I jumped up, went to the pet store and bought her a cage big enough for a parrot (remember, she's only a cockatiel). The reason I wanted this was that of the big grates on the bottom of the cage. She can still walk around the bottom of the cage, but she cannot nest an egg there because it falls through the grate.
Oh, she tried. She tried one time. She laid that egg and stared at it for days as it lay underneath that grate and she couldn't get to it. That was the last egg she ever laid. She doesn't need the shot either. She's in fine health and we're enjoying each other more than ever.
Medieval people engaging in falconry on horseback. The horses appear to have the body type of palfreys or jennets. from the Codex Manesse. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Falconry is training birds of prey to hunt game. Falconry is also known as hawking, despite the fact that in falconry today buzzards are usually used.
It is thought that falconry was established in the Middle East by 2000 BC although the earliest evidence of falconry has only been found from about 700 BC.
There are references to Caesar using falcons to kill pigeons so we know that the Romans practiced falconry and it was most likely introduced to Europe in about 400 AD.
Falconry is known as the sport of kings and many Kings of England have proclaimed it their favorite sport including Alfred the Great and George III.
Much has been written about King John and crane hawking. He used to bring hunting parties to fly falcons at herons which were ringed prior to being released back into the wild. Information about these herons can be found in the Domesday Book.
During the Middle Ages laborers would also participate in falconry, usually illegally and King John banned people from taking a game from the Royal Forests in order to improve the game caught by his own hunting parties.
He made a law that a hundred peasants should be fed with the catch from every Royal hunt but the law would still have caused much suffering.
A custom in the Middle Ages known as the Laws of Ownership meant that birds of prey were all assigned a rank and nobody could hunt with a bird that had a higher rank than him. The original Laws of Ownership was written in the Book Of St Albans in the 15th century.
Nowadays anyone can practice falconry in the UK and no license is required although only captive-bred birds can be used. Despite pressure to have falconry banned it has been allowed to carry on albeit with a number of conditions attached to it. Birds must be ringed and government registered and DNA tested to certify their origins and wild birds may not be used for falconry
By Anna Price If you would like to learn more about falconry then you may be interested in birds of prey day where you can try out the sport. This article was written by the author of British Bird Lovers. The author is a keen gardener and amateur bird watcher. Article Source: EzineArticles
Silhouettes of birds of prey (including vultures here)
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Most people can tell a bird of prey when they see one in flight or at rest. Many don't know or cannot tell the types of raptors from each other. This article will allow you to recognize, or at least know about the major groups of raptors in the United States.
First, let's discuss the major groups of raptors, then we'll get into the major groups of hawks. Raptors are birds that prey on other animals, be they other birds, small animals or large insects. Generally, this does not include birds that prey on small insects. Eagles are one class of raptors. There are two common species of eagles in the US, the Bald Eagle, and the Golden Eagle. The adults are easy to tell apart as the Bald Eagle has the black body and white head and tail, and the Golden Eagle is dark brown all over with the less noticeable golden hackles of the back of the neck from which it gets its name. Both are very large birds that soar high in the air much of the time.
Falcons are narrow-winged fast flying birds of prey. Then mostly feed on other birds, and tend to have fast direct flight, except in the smallest US falcon the American Kestrel which tends to have a weaker more buoyant flight. The Falcons we see are the massive bulky Gyrfalcon, the Peregrine Falcon, the Prairie Falcon, the Merlin and the American Kestrel, listed from largest to smallest. Buteos are what most of us think of as the classic hawk. They are broad-winged, relatively short-tailed birds that usually inhabit open areas, though some of the smaller may be forest birds. They soar on broad wings and hunt by dropping from flight or a perch onto prey.
Accipiters are a group of three species of hawks that primarily hunt other birds and take their prey by direct attack. Some use surprise, others just agility, strength and speed. They all have long tails, broad wings, and strong flight. The three species are the large Goshawk, the medium-sized Cooper's Hawk, and the smaller Sharp-shinned Hawk.
In almost all birds of prey, the females are larger than the males. This is presumably to allow them to better conserve heat and incubate eggs, while the smaller males are more efficient hunters and support the female and the young on the nest. See the Cornell University Ornithology web site for photos and more information.
The peregrine falcon is the best-known falcon and most widespread in the world. However, if you travel to North Dakota, you won't see many and you will not find any at all in Antarctica.
This falcon was on the endangered species list back in 1970 because of a problem with eggshell thinning that was caused mainly by use of the pesticide DDT during the 1950s and 60s. It took biologists 20 years to figure out that the pesticide used to protect plants from insects was the problem affecting these birds and other animals. Small animals ate the plants contaminated with the pesticide, and when the peregrine falcon hunted those animals, the infected flesh poisoned them. The chemical even changed the behavior of peregrine falcons in that it made them stop caring for their young.
The federal government banned the use of DDT in the United States; however, the recovery process took a while because the chemical residue remained in the environment. Other countries which are home to peregrine falcons still use DDT, and that, along with trapping and shooting by poachers, still cause the bird's population to decrease. Today the endangered list still includes the peregrine falcon, and they are gradually increasing in population.
The peregrine falcon is not a very large bird; it is about the size of a crow. It is identifiable by its dark blue to slate-colored back and its white throat. It also has a black teardrop right under its eye and small black sideburns.
Peregrine falcons hunt at dawn and dusk; they will prey on ducks, pigeons, other birds and small mammals. They search for their prey from the air, and when they spot something to eat, they attack, making a sharp loud territorial call. They will swoop down at an incredible speed, up to 200 miles per hour, which makes this the fastest creature on earth. When they target their prey falcons use their talons to strike a severe blow to the creature to eat on the spot or to carry away to their eyrie.
Peregrine falcons are normally cliff dwellers which build their nests far out of reach of people. However, you can find some in cities on top of high buildings. Researchers who study these birds help them with city nesting; they supply certain buildings with leaves and other materials which the Falcons can use.
The peregrine falcon can be found all over the world. Just look out for a bird the size of a crow with dark sideburns, yellow legs and pointed wings when in flight. Hunting permitted with a camera only.
