perthshire keeper 1,237 Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 i have a 5 yr old female harris i hvae had her about 3 month now she is being moulted out on her perch in her mews witch is 8ft -5ft-5ft when i got her she was not in the best of conditions her tail was badly matted with crap and a couple of broken ends. she has her new fethers comeing thru but they are getting damaged(frayed and genrly untidy) i cant moult her lose and cant get her in a aviary. i am feeding her on the fist now to try and help her stop her tail getting damaged. i have had a female red tail and tawny owl befor and have never had any problems with moulting does any one have any advice for me to save her new tail many thanks neil ps sorry for the spellings Quote Link to post
welshdog73 0 Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 what about a tail guard Quote Link to post
Sighthound 49 Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 Why can't you moult her loose? Quote Link to post
perthshire keeper 1,237 Posted July 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2009 Why can't you moult her loose? i did think of a tail gaurd but wont it stop the old ones dropping? like i have sais i have never had this problem before so any advice is good i cant mould her loose beacous the estate where i work wont let me build a aviary so i have to keep her in her in the weathering Quote Link to post
farlap 19 Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 Why can't you moult her loose? i did think of a tail gaurd but wont it stop the old ones dropping? like i have sais i have never had this problem before so any advice is good i cant mould her loose beacous the estate where i work wont let me build a aviary so i have to keep her in her in the weathering cant you adapt the weathering, put a front on it and make it secure and let her loose in it? anything would be better than current situaton. Quote Link to post
EskdaleHawks 8 Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 Why can't you moult her loose? i did think of a tail gaurd but wont it stop the old ones dropping? like i have sais i have never had this problem before so any advice is good i cant mould her loose beacous the estate where i work wont let me build a aviary so i have to keep her in her in the weathering cant you adapt the weathering, put a front on it and make it secure and let her loose in it? anything would be better than current situaton. What is wrong with moulting out on the bow/block? Where does it say in falconry literature that this method is wrong or that moulting loose in an aviary is right? Quote Link to post
farlap 19 Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 Why can't you moult her loose? i did think of a tail gaurd but wont it stop the old ones dropping? like i have sais i have never had this problem before so any advice is good i cant mould her loose beacous the estate where i work wont let me build a aviary so i have to keep her in her in the weathering cant you adapt the weathering, put a front on it and make it secure and let her loose in it? anything would be better than current situaton. What is wrong with moulting out on the bow/block? Where does it say in falconry literature that this method is wrong or that moulting loose in an aviary is right? i was referring to the "situation" where the tail was getting damaged even before hardening. however that said, i think we owe it to our birds to give them time off the bow. (mines freelofted all year even when hunting but appreciate itsa personnal choice) Quote Link to post
ferret1 6 Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 What flooring have you got down in the weathering mate. I had the same problem with a male harris so i put carpet down around the perch this protected the tail from the shingle i had down on the floor. Quote Link to post
stoaty1 35 Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 Do you know why the tail is been damaged? Is it on the flooring? If so then as already mentioned putting carpet down may help though it will quickly foul with mutes. Astroturf can also shred the tips of the wings and tail so I would not personally use this. Is the leash getting caught up in the tail which may mean using a different perch. Quote Link to post
EskdaleHawks 8 Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 Why can't you moult her loose? i did think of a tail gaurd but wont it stop the old ones dropping? like i have sais i have never had this problem before so any advice is good i cant mould her loose beacous the estate where i work wont let me build a aviary so i have to keep her in her in the weathering cant you adapt the weathering, put a front on it and make it secure and let her loose in it? anything would be better than current situaton. What is wrong with moulting out on the bow/block? Where does it say in falconry literature that this method is wrong or that moulting loose in an aviary is right? i was referring to the "situation" where the tail was getting damaged even before hardening. however that said, i think we owe it to our birds to give them time off the bow. (mines freelofted all year even when hunting but appreciate itsa personnal choice) Very good and fair point! Nice! Thankyou! Do you think that the tail could be in bad condition due to the fact that when the lad got the bird, it's tail was cacked in detritus and the acid in the faeces could have rotted the old feathers causing them to break? Quote Link to post
perthshire keeper 1,237 Posted July 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 many thanks for all your advice i have shingle dowm on the floor and did think that this was not helping the problem so i have put a sheet of coragated cardbord we use for the pheasants in their to keep the tail of the shingle Quote Link to post
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