Suggestions for room conversion

vetbridge · Post by **vetbridge** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 6:34 pm

He is thrilled! Just wait till he has a hen to *** around with.

Ken - What are the laws like in Europe regarding native species? Here in the US you cannot legally keep any bird that is native.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 10:10 pm

hi vetbridge
we can keep any british bird as long as it is captive bred and is close rung with a numbered metal ring which has to be put on in the nest..there are no metal split rings or plastic only as identification they must have closed metal ring also

here is the main website for captive british birds..if you scroll down on the ring chart page it will show you the names of all the birds that can be kept

ken
http://www.britishbirdcouncil.com/

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 11:18 am

The birds look so happy! Are you going to let them breed in there too? How many quail eggs have you had for breakfast ;) I know if they were laying like that for me John would be eating them lol.

vetbridge · Post by **vetbridge** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 12:24 pm

Thanks, Ken. As in many other areas, it looks like you guys are a few steps ahead of us.

Thalia: I've blown out a few eggs for friends, but I set up a nest area and will see if they will incubate.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:13 pm

i suppose its good that we have alot of our own to choose from as well as all the foreigns...but we have an import ban on foreigns at the moment so i suppose one cancels out the other

ken

vetbridge · Post by **vetbridge** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 1:50 pm

Well, my birdroom is complete. I built a planter for one corner, put in a small fountain, and got a pair of bananaquits. They are very cool birds. They eat nectar, fruit and fruit juice, rice pudding, and various other stuff.

A few pictures. Here they are eating. I have shelves on every wall that are used as feeding stations:

A bananaquit takes flight:

Hello there!

Finchlet · Post by **Finchlet** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 1:52 pm

They are adorable!!! SO CUTE!!!

vetbridge · Post by **vetbridge** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 2:17 pm

Finchlet wrote:They are adorable!!! SO CUTE!!!

They are even more cute in person ;)

Here is a bananaquit with a goldfinch:

A group shot:

And a shot of the shafties, normal male and fawn hen. Currently on eggs:

Finchlet · Post by **Finchlet** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 2:26 pm

Oh wow! I think I could sit in your bird room all day and just watch them. Do they come to see you when you go in there? I've been trying to get my birds to land on my hand to eat. So far they will land on a dish in my hand, but if my hand is visible they won't fall for it.

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 3:12 pm

wow they look wonderful! it's awesome that you have the ability to give them so much space.

vetbridge · Post by **vetbridge** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 12:11 pm

Finchlet wrote:Oh wow! I think I could sit in your bird room all day and just watch them. Do they come to see you when you go in there?

I sit in the room for a bit every evening. I got rid of satellite/cable TV service 6 years ago, so it takes the place of television.

The button quail have gotten very tame. When I walk in they come over to see if I've brought them anything. They will take mealworms from my hand. The other birds are less tame, but far more tame than when they first were released into the room.

When I clip dandelion greens to the branches, the goldfinches start tearing off pieces before I am done hanging them. The fawn shaft tail hen gets angry when I stand or sit too close to her nest. She will dive bomb right at my face until I move.

bluefinch · Post by **bluefinch** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 3:12 pm

Nice bird’s vetbridge. Your flock seems to have grown quite a bit.

Post by **Sally** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:06 am

Great setup! Park Seed has seed for a plant called Purple Majesty Millet--very pretty and provides seeds for birds outside. Wonder if you could plant a few pots with the seed, leave them outside in the sun till they got millet sprays on them, and then move them into your bird room. I think it gets pretty tall. Would also give them a grass to perch on for a while. I think I might try growing some just to provide fresh millet to my caged birds.

vetbridge · Post by **vetbridge** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 9:28 am

Sally wrote:Great setup! Park Seed has seed for a plant called Purple Majesty Millet

Hmmm...a local garden center had a purple millet last year. I will have to see if they get it in again this year. Thanks for the memory jog!

Here is more info about the plant:
http://hortparadise.unl.edu/Newsrelease/News/Millet.htm

"Tall, dark and handsome" describes this purple-leaved millet. Young plants are green-leaved, but as they mature exposure to direct sunlight stimulates development of purple leaf color. Mature leaves are long and slender, with a red midrib. Capable of growing 3 to 5 feet tall, the plants are embellished with 8- to 12-inch flower spikes. The immature spikes can be cut and used in floral arrangements, or left on the plant to attract birds that feed on the seeds. 'Purple Majesty' is very easy to grow and is very tolerant of heat and low moisture.

Finchlet · Post by **Finchlet** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 8:38 pm

Has anyone ever tried planting the seed from the millet sprays? That millet plant you posted in the link looks pretty cool! Last spring I planted a huge bag of wildflower mix. The sparrows dug up all the seeds and ate them!

I bet they would love it if I grew millet.

FINCHforum

Suggestions for room conversion

Bananaquits!