# Average weight of garden fantails



## newbie001 (Aug 22, 2011)

Hi All, 

I'm trying to accurately work out the amount I should be feeding my pair of fantails every day. 

As mentioned on another thread:



Feefo said:


> If you look in page 33 of Colin Walker's book, he says that the average weight of a racing pigeon is 400 gms and that on average they drink 45 mls of water a day...this would make the average water consumption of a 225 gm pigeon 25 mls.
> 
> He also says that on average a pigeon eats one tenth of their body weight in grain daily. Considering that your pigeon , if it is an adult, is dangerously underweight that extra little bit should help, but I would consider giving him fattening foods such as maize, sunflower hearts etc if you can.


Hence my questions: 
1) What is the average weight of a garden fantail? 

2) And this might sound silly, but how do you actually weigh a bird? 

3) Those of you who have fantails, how much do you feed them everyday and what is the amount of water they consume per day? 

Thanks


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

I don't know how much they should weigh but I know how to weigh birds. Get a box you'll be putting them in. Weigh the box first, then subtract that amount from the weight of the birds IN the box.  A tablespoon or so per bird twice a day should be fine.


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## newbie001 (Aug 22, 2011)

Also, the owner I bought them from used to provide food for them throughout the day. He just left it in the loft and they eat as and when they wanted. I want to change this and want to feed them in the morning and evening. 

I've noticed when I give them their food, they eat some for a short while but then some pellets are left behind. Is this because:

1) I'm giving them too much to eat? I gave them an ounce each. If so, I shall reduce the amount. (Hence I'm asking about the weight) 
2) They assume the food will be there throughout the day? If this is so, then hopefully after a week, they should be realising that they need to eat when the food is provided. The downside to this is, and this is bothering me  they may still be hungry when I'm taking the food tray away, but I guess this will only be short term?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

because fantails are not race birds and need to be controlled by feed, they can have free feed choice. I fill the feeder and just fill again when it is getting low. esp if they are breeding adults.


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## newbie001 (Aug 22, 2011)

MaryOfExeter said:


> I don't know how much they should weigh but I know how to weigh birds. Get a box you'll be putting them in. Weigh the box first, then subtract that amount from the weight of the birds IN the box.  A tablespoon or so per bird twice a day should be fine.


of course! I've been sitting here wondering how I'm going to keep the birds still on the scale! LOL thanks


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## newbie001 (Aug 22, 2011)

spirit wings said:


> because fantails are not race birds and need to be controlled by feed, they can have free feed choice. I fill the feeder and just fill again when it is getting low. esp if they are breeding adults.


But then how do I get them to bond with me? I read somewhere food is a strong incentive for birds to get to know you, when they know it's you who provides the food (usually accompanied with a cue like whistling or rattling). They thus wait on you.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Yes controlling the feed will definitely help you tame them. That way you can sit in the loft and have them eat from your hands or close to you when they are hungry. Measure the amount they leave behind and subtract that from how much you are already feeding them. That should do it! Or you can do it the easy way and give them all the want to eat for 10 minutes, then take the food away until the next feeding where you do the same thing. They won't be starving but they won't be grazing all day.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

newbie001 said:


> But then how do I get them to bond with me? I read somewhere food is a strong incentive for birds to get to know you, when they know it's you who provides the food (usually accompanied with a cue like whistling or rattling). They thus wait on you.


They may not bond with you like they do another pigeon if they have a mate but if they know you have special treats like chopped unsalted peanuts then they may be eating it out of your hands when they figure out you are the provider of it.. it works with food too..but I don't want my birds to be so hungry they have to let their guard down to get close to me just to eat. but that is just me.


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## newbie001 (Aug 22, 2011)

spirit wings said:


> They may not bond with you like they do another pigeon if they have a mate but if they know you have special treats like chopped unsalted peanuts then they may be eating it out of your hands when they figure out you are the provider of it.. it works with food too..but I don't want my birds to be so hungry they have to let their guard down to get close to me just to eat. but that is just me.


I completely understand how you feel, but I might do this only for a short period and then once their used to me, I might change things a little. I don't know, but I think doing it this way will get them to register me as a friend quicker than sussing whether I am a foe or not. 

Would these peanuts do? http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=265959387


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

newbie001 said:


> I completely understand how you feel, but I might do this only for a short period and then once their used to me, I might change things a little. I don't know, but I think doing it this way will get them to register me as a friend quicker than sussing whether I am a foe or not.
> 
> Would these peanuts do? http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=265959387


yes those will be fine to feed..but just as a treat...they are high in fat. but the birds once they eat one or two and know what they are they go bonkers over them.. if you go the treat route..you would want to do it everyday at the same time and call them to the peanuts..try them first before feeding..once they eat some..they will love them even if they have regular food down free choice. but use the rationing of feed to get them started to try them.. you may want to chopped them a bit at first too. they will be landing on you to get them one day. it takes time also for birds to see you as their keeper and get used to the day to day routine that you provide.


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## newbie001 (Aug 22, 2011)

spirit wings said:


> yes those will be fine to feed..but just as a treat...they are high in fat. but the birds once they eat one or two and know what they are they go bonkers over them.. if you go the treat route..you would want to do it everyday at the same time and call them to the peanuts..try them first before feeding..once they eat some..they will love them even if they have regular food down free choice. but use the rationing of feed to get them started to try them.. you may want to chopped them a bit at first too. they will be landing on you to get them one day. it takes time also for birds to see you as their keeper and get used to the day to day routine that you provide.


The previous owner was feeding them just pellets of which I bought some as I didn't want to change their diet suddenly. 

So I shouldn't be feeding them peanuts before I get hold of some pigeon grit right? 

Thanks for everyone's help btw! every helpful as always


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

newbie001 said:


> The previous owner was feeding them just pellets of which I bought some as I didn't want to change their diet suddenly.
> 
> So I shouldn't be feeding them peanuts before I get hold of some pigeon grit right?
> 
> Thanks for everyone's help btw! every helpful as always


with a pellet feed you do not usually need grit, hard seeds or grains like corn in a grain/seed only diet would need grit.. with peanuts as just treats I would not think they need it . but read your bag of pellets and see what they recommend.


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## Print Tippler (May 18, 2011)

If you truly want tame birds you will have to raise them yourself. The bond is much different.


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## newbie001 (Aug 22, 2011)

Print Tippler said:


> If you truly want tame birds you will have to raise them yourself. The bond is much different.


True but unfortunately I simply don't have the time to do that.


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## Print Tippler (May 18, 2011)

I understand. Well the more time you spend sitting around with them the more tame they get. There is a big correlation between time spend with birds and tameness. Whatever advise given would depend on the seriousness of what your trying to achieve. What are you looking to get out of them and where are they right now in regards to tameness. Feeding them out of the hand is the direction I would be going.


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## newbie001 (Aug 22, 2011)

Print Tippler said:


> I understand. Well the more time you spend sitting around with them the more tame they get. There is a big correlation between time spend with birds and tameness. Whatever advise given would depend on the seriousness of what your trying to achieve. What are you looking to get out of them and where are they right now in regards to tameness. Feeding them out of the hand is the direction I would be going.


Thanks for the help. I'm trying to stay around them as much as I can, but I guess because their still new, they're not used to me. Every time I hold one of them, they do a big poop and I'm taking that as them being scared. There will come a time when they won't poop every time I hold them right?


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## Print Tippler (May 18, 2011)

Yeah that can be normal.


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## newbie001 (Aug 22, 2011)

Print Tippler said:


> Yeah that can be normal.


But is this pooping just temporary?


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## Print Tippler (May 18, 2011)

Should be temporary. I never really had the problem with adult birds. It may come up when picking up a breeder but it not very common occurrence. Birds under one month old though you should expect it. When I take the bird out I understand that and wait a couple seconds for it to go and then precede


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## newbie001 (Aug 22, 2011)

Print Tippler said:


> Should be temporary. I never really had the problem with adult birds. It may come up when picking up a breeder but it not very common occurrence. Birds under one month old though you should expect it. When I take the bird out I understand that and wait a couple seconds for it to go and then precede


She did lay eggs very recently


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## Print Tippler (May 18, 2011)

Yeah that would explain it. They can hold the poop in all night until they are off the nest. Then they unload it all which can be quite substantial and nasty since it doesn't form into a small ball like individual poops. They don't like to poop in the nest even little 5 days old squabs back out of the nest hang there vent over and release to avoid it building up on them.


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