Need Tips On Training PMs To Take Crickets - St Louis Area
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Guest
I hope some people with more experience reply to your question. I am dealing with similar circumstances. I am fixing eggs/crickets and am going to lower their house and stuff some crickets inside.
I only have 2 birds together. I loaded the nest tray with pine needles and used the handwarmers. I hope it helps. An article here said if they are well fed they can handle the cold. I hope that is true. Best of luck.
I wondered what time of day to feed them, but I am going out now, regardless. Only 22 degrees, but it is 10 am. I think I can't wait any longer to give them nutrition.
Hope some senior advisors will post answers to our questions. Hint, hint. Sue
I only have 2 birds together. I loaded the nest tray with pine needles and used the handwarmers. I hope it helps. An article here said if they are well fed they can handle the cold. I hope that is true. Best of luck.
I wondered what time of day to feed them, but I am going out now, regardless. Only 22 degrees, but it is 10 am. I think I can't wait any longer to give them nutrition.
Hope some senior advisors will post answers to our questions. Hint, hint. Sue
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John Miller
- Posts: 4863
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Sue
I'd wait until this afternoon to stress the birds less, but we're all still learning. Sounds like you have a "house" and not gourds, so clear the floor a bit in an area in front of the nest tray of needles and add some crickets. Hopefully you will get right compartment, but would not hurt to load up several -- if you have enough crickets. It's said they tend not to go for egg until they get used to first first crickets or mealworms.
John Miller
I'd wait until this afternoon to stress the birds less, but we're all still learning. Sounds like you have a "house" and not gourds, so clear the floor a bit in an area in front of the nest tray of needles and add some crickets. Hopefully you will get right compartment, but would not hurt to load up several -- if you have enough crickets. It's said they tend not to go for egg until they get used to first first crickets or mealworms.
John Miller
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Don & Danielle
- Posts: 111
- Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2003 6:55 pm
- Location: Dardenne Prairie, MO (suburb of St. Louis)
Good point Sue. I have to lower the rack to stuff in crickets, & I don't know if I should do it once a day, or more. I hate to force them to fly around in this weather more than necessary.
I'm still having trouble seeing if they're actually eating the "in-gourd" crickets. I put them in a pile off to the side of the gourd. When I look the next day, the pile changes to a few crickets scattered around the gourd. Since I didn't count them when I put them in, I'm not sure how many are actually eaten.
I haven't checked yet this AM... I'm waiting for it to warmup a bit. Again, not sure if that's the right thing to do or not.
All we can do is keep trying!
D&D
I'm still having trouble seeing if they're actually eating the "in-gourd" crickets. I put them in a pile off to the side of the gourd. When I look the next day, the pile changes to a few crickets scattered around the gourd. Since I didn't count them when I put them in, I'm not sure how many are actually eaten.
I haven't checked yet this AM... I'm waiting for it to warmup a bit. Again, not sure if that's the right thing to do or not.
All we can do is keep trying!
D&D
Sue, I have been placing 2 dozen or so crickets in their compartments twice a day. Morning and evening. I also try to toss a few at each feeding. As I said earlier, they have eaten 90% of what I have put into the compartments. It is now 28 degrees, finally a bit of sun, and they are on the porches preening. Go figure. These birds seem to be very hardy in the cold, nutrition is the key. Terry
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Guest
Update and surprise:
Lowered the house and 2 females, from different cavities flew out. 3 more were in flight above the house flying around and singing. So, there seem to be 5 today, how many in cavities I do not know.
I had put 24 crickets in the 2 cavities last eve (since my pair switch back in forth between 2 nests). There were only 2 crickets left, and one was wedged between the nest tray and wall. So, they seem to be eating.
They didn't fly right back into the house today, but were flying around and singing. 22 degrees! But all the other birds are flying around too. At least it is sunny today.
This seems like good news. Hope they come back to dine before the new crickets freeze. I had warmed them up nicely too! Sue
Lowered the house and 2 females, from different cavities flew out. 3 more were in flight above the house flying around and singing. So, there seem to be 5 today, how many in cavities I do not know.
I had put 24 crickets in the 2 cavities last eve (since my pair switch back in forth between 2 nests). There were only 2 crickets left, and one was wedged between the nest tray and wall. So, they seem to be eating.
They didn't fly right back into the house today, but were flying around and singing. 22 degrees! But all the other birds are flying around too. At least it is sunny today.
This seems like good news. Hope they come back to dine before the new crickets freeze. I had warmed them up nicely too! Sue
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Guest
I just finished throwing 300 crickets to about 50 martins,and barnswallows and bluebirds, it was a swirling mass while the crickets held out ,wind is blowing 35 it just stopped snowing and all 50 are singing and preening on top of the poles. They really didn't need the feeding as our weather until last night has been conducive to feeding, but they like it just the same, and all my neighbors get a kick out of it.
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Guest
My Sister has a colony north of Topeka, Kansas - High on a hill with not relief from the wind or cold. She has been trying for two days flipping meal worms.
This evening just before dark she called very exicited. One had finally take the meal worm and she had continute flipping and he got about 16 all togeather. My little sister was so happy, up to this point she was worried sick.
I told her tomorrow morning she will probably wear her flipping fingers out as that one will teach the other's.
Before she put them tobed she was able to place heat packs in the gourds that they were using and also some crickets.
I think these will make it.
The martin I fed for two days never appeared today. I would walk around ever half hour since day light to now dusk, he never showed up????
Oh well Tomorrow is another day.
I want to thank everyone on the Forum for all their help and support Later John
This evening just before dark she called very exicited. One had finally take the meal worm and she had continute flipping and he got about 16 all togeather. My little sister was so happy, up to this point she was worried sick.
I told her tomorrow morning she will probably wear her flipping fingers out as that one will teach the other's.
Before she put them tobed she was able to place heat packs in the gourds that they were using and also some crickets.
I think these will make it.
The martin I fed for two days never appeared today. I would walk around ever half hour since day light to now dusk, he never showed up????
Oh well Tomorrow is another day.
I want to thank everyone on the Forum for all their help and support Later John