Supplemental food

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Ed Pace
Posts: 680
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2011 3:31 pm
Location: NY/Jamestown

I know that you can use heart meat for supplemental feeding but I wonder if you can use beef kidneys, no fat and good protein?
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C.C.Martins
Posts: 3368
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
Location: Corpus Christi Tx
Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.

Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member

Well I don't know, two years ago a LL fed her martins shrimp in a pinch. Me, id just buy crickets and superworms. Easier for them to accept, and available.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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Jones4381
Posts: 830
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:54 pm
Location: Southwestern VA
Martin Colony History: 2020- 0
2021- 1 pair-5
2022- 5 pair-20
2023 34 pair-44
2024 30 pair-122
2025 54 Pair -178

I thought they were insectivores.
"Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you." - Lao Tzu
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C.C.Martins
Posts: 3368
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
Location: Corpus Christi Tx
Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.

Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member

Jones4381 wrote: ↑
Mon Jan 16, 2023 9:15 pm
 I thought they were insectivores.
Yes! It was a shock when the lady offered shrimp...and they took it. she was desperate and her martins were starving from their trip and a snow. Perhaps they'd have taken anything.
Best just to go to pets mart and buy crickets or meal worms, better yet Critter depot or Armstrongs and buy them in bulk. If its supplemental feeding for a starving chick, its best to give them something they are used to, dont know what beef will do their systems, they are already in a bad state.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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flyin-lowe
Posts: 3788
Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
Location: Indiana/Henry Co.

I have only had to feed a couple times in my years with martins. Typically when I do it is early in the season when I don't have a lot back and it is only for a day or two. Last year I ended up going to a bait shop and buying bee moths/ bee larvae (people use different names for them). They were cheaper than crickets, easier to handle, and the martins took them just fine. Just a thought if anyone has a bait shop near by.
2026 HOSP 26
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
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BioJoe
Posts: 188
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2015 12:18 pm
Location: PA/Erie

do not supplemental feed with anything other than insects or eggs
PMCA Pres/CEO
Erie, PA
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Jones4381
Posts: 830
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:54 pm
Location: Southwestern VA
Martin Colony History: 2020- 0
2021- 1 pair-5
2022- 5 pair-20
2023 34 pair-44
2024 30 pair-122
2025 54 Pair -178

Man I love this site. When the CEO stays in here with us you know it's a cool place to learn share and adventure together. Thanks Big Joe for leading the cause!
"Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you." - Lao Tzu
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Dave Reynolds
Posts: 2441
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:35 pm
Location: Little Hocking, Oh.
Martin Colony History: Satellite Site “Oxbow Golf Course”..
2018 - 15 Pair, 36 Fledged
2019 - 26 Pair, 97 Fledged
2020 - 30 Pair, 137 Fledged
2021 - 30 Pair, 144 Fledged
2022 - 27 Pair, 125 Fledged
2023 - 31 Pair, 130 Fledged
2024 - 41 Pair, 198 Fledged
2025 - 44 Pair, 168 Fledged

Home Site "Little Hocking, Ohio".
2019 - 1 Pair, 5 Fledged
2020 - 1 Pair, 4 Fledged
2021 - 8 Pair, 36 Fledged
2022 - 13 Pair, 46 Fledged
2023 - 16 Pair, 84 Fledged
2024 - 22 Pair, 104 Fledged
2025 - 28 Pair, 83 Fledged

BioJoe wrote: ↑
Wed Jan 18, 2023 4:06 pm
 do not supplemental feed with anything other than insects or eggs
..
.
.... Thanks BioJoe for your comment,,

Dave
PMCA Member
Little Hocking, Ohio
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C.C.Martins
Posts: 3368
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
Location: Corpus Christi Tx
Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.

Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member

Yep, enough said!
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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Ed Pace
Posts: 680
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2011 3:31 pm
Location: NY/Jamestown

Thanks for your comments I appreciate your input.
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