# Feeding breeders



## newbie001 (Aug 22, 2011)

Hi all, 
I bought a pair of garden fantails. I started to feed them twice a day, and they started eating out of my hand really quickly. After 14 days however, they laid an egg (another egg followed shortly). 

Now heeding some advice given to me by a very helpful member here, I simply placed the feed inside and made it accessible every time, ensuring that both get a chance to eat. Of course this means that they have probably come out of the habit of eating from my hand, and associating my whistling with their feed as I had only done this for 2 weeks before they laid eggs. 

Now, I was also told I should allow them out of the loft after about 3 months. 
Of course I want to habituate them to feeding twice a day, and eating from my hand, before I allow them out. They'll be probably laying eggs soon after these hatch, but I will replace them with plastic eggs. Taking all this into consideration, brings me to my questions: 

1) When can I resume feeding them twice a day, instead of leaving the feed in there all the time? 

2) How long should I do this?


----------



## Print Tippler (May 18, 2011)

1) Now

2) forever if you want.


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Why is it that you want to feed them twice daily? Is it so they will come back in? 
I do leave my feed down all day for them, but if I want them to eat from my hand, I could offer it to them before putting the food down in the morning when they are hungry. I always pick it up at the end of the day. Never leave it down at night. If they are on eggs or babies, then you wouldn't want to let them out until the babies are weaned. Also, if they are feeding babies, then you would want to leave feed accessible to them all day. Other than that, you can change it anytime to two feedings a day, and they will adjust. I'm not sure what you mean by "how long should I do this?" You can feed them either way. That's up to you.


----------



## newbie001 (Aug 22, 2011)

Jay3 said:


> Why is it that you want to feed them twice daily? Is it so they will come back in?
> I do leave my feed down all day for them, but if I want them to eat from my hand, I could offer it to them before putting the food down in the morning when they are hungry. I always pick it up at the end of the day. Never leave it down at night. If they are on eggs or babies, then you wouldn't want to let them out until the babies are weaned. Also, if they are feeding babies, then you would want to leave feed accessible to them all day. Other than that, you can change it anytime to two feedings a day, and they will adjust. I'm not sure what you mean by "how long should I do this?" You can feed them either way. That's up to you.


Yes you're spot on. So OK I'll leave the feed out until the babies are weaned. (they take about 4-5 weeks?). 

Now what I meant was, after I have changed it to two feedings a day, how long should I maintain this long enough for them to get used to it again, before I let them out, so that they will come when I call them?


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Do you shake a can or otherwise signal them when you put the feed down? They have to be trained to that so that you can call them in. Also, they have to be hungry to come in for the feed call when you call them. Sometimes they will come in, and sometimes they won't. I can't give you a time limit, as I don't do this. But if you give half the feed in the morning, then let them out late afternoon, than I think they would be hungry and should come in. Unfortunately it doesn't always work that way. Some leave the feed down all day for their bird, and they let them loft fly, and the birds just come in at the end of the day to their loft. I think spiritwings does this, so maybe you could ask her about it. Racers don't do it that way, but garden fans are not racers, and don't fly as well as homers, or as far, so I don't think letting them go hungry is really necessary with them. I wouldn't want them out unless I was there though, as predators could grab them. People training racers do it with the birds hungry, but they are training them for racing. Don't know that you would want to do that with yours. Maybe you need to start a thread on training garden fans to come back in to their loft when you call them. Find out what others do with letting pet pigeons out in their yard.


----------



## newbie001 (Aug 22, 2011)

Sure will do that!


----------



## Print Tippler (May 18, 2011)

Is there any reports showing birds do better with food all day vs 2 times a day? Anyways mine and a lot of others seem to do great twice a day. I feed seed though. Rather have them eat a good mix other than be picking the ones they want all day. It might not matter either way in regards to health. Just don't say feed all day is better unless you have evidence. As far as letting birds out with feed all day. I do it with a small group all the time and it works. That for when you want to be relaxed about it because they do come in on there own time. Letting birds out is a complex thing. It has to be judged from experience. I toke in about 30 Iraqi tumblers because someone wanted to be done and just wanted them gone but he flew them. I had them for less than a week when I was out of town and the person watching over my birds left the sliding door crack and then opened it after acouple birds got out. Sent out my other 12 birds and I didn't lose a bird. They were all free fed birds also. So he's bird that are free feed and can be let out side but twice a day will give you more control and I don't think feeding them twice a day is cruel. I eat twice a day along with my dogs and cats.


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Print Tippler said:


> Is there any reports showing birds do better with food all day vs 2 times a day? Anyways mine and a lot of others seem to do great twice a day. I feed seed though. Rather have them eat a good mix other than be picking the ones they want all day. It might not matter either way in regards to health.* Just don't say feed all day is better unless you have evidence. *As far as letting birds out with feed all day. I do it with a small group all the time and it works. That for when you want to be relaxed about it because they do come in on there own time. Letting birds out is a complex thing. It has to be judged from experience. I toke in about 30 Iraqi tumblers because someone wanted to be done and just wanted them gone but he flew them. I had them for less than a week when I was out of town and the person watching over my birds left the sliding door crack and then opened it after acouple birds got out. Sent out my other 12 birds and I didn't lose a bird. They were all free fed birds also. So he's bird that are free feed and can be let out side but twice a day will give you more control* and I don't think feeding them twice a day is cruel.* I eat twice a day along with my dogs and cats.



Where is that coming from? Who are you arguing with? I didn't say that one was better than the other now did I? And I know I didn't say it was cruel. Think it's the way you are reading it.


----------



## newbie001 (Aug 22, 2011)

Print Tippler said:


> Is there any reports showing birds do better with food all day vs 2 times a day? Anyways mine and a lot of others seem to do great twice a day. I feed seed though. Rather have them eat a good mix other than be picking the ones they want all day. It might not matter either way in regards to health. Just don't say feed all day is better unless you have evidence. As far as letting birds out with feed all day. I do it with a small group all the time and it works. That for when you want to be relaxed about it because they do come in on there own time. Letting birds out is a complex thing. It has to be judged from experience. I toke in about 30 Iraqi tumblers because someone wanted to be done and just wanted them gone but he flew them. I had them for less than a week when I was out of town and the person watching over my birds left the sliding door crack and then opened it after acouple birds got out. Sent out my other 12 birds and I didn't lose a bird. They were all free fed birds also. So he's bird that are free feed and can be let out side but twice a day will give you more control and I don't think feeding them twice a day is cruel. I eat twice a day along with my dogs and cats.


I hear what you're saying. I think the point wasn't that feeding twice a day is in any way cruel but that when a pair are incubating eggs, feeding them only twice a day may mean that one of them losses out on a meal since they won't leave the nest to come and eat (at least mines don't). That is when they are incubating. So making food accessible all the time may be more practical for them, as both will feed hence better. 

As for why should make feed accessible at all times when they are feeding their babies, I guess Jay3 can help me out here? 

Also, you mention you let the new birds out with old ones, I think that helps to bring in the new ones. I however, have only this pair and their soon to be young birds. I guess why I'm asking on here is exactly to benefit from everyone's experience on here


----------



## newbie001 (Aug 22, 2011)

lol sorry for the typos!


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

newbie001 said:


> I hear what you're saying. I think the point wasn't that feeding twice a day is in any way cruel but that when a pair are incubating eggs, feeding them only twice a day may mean that one of them losses out on a meal since they won't leave the nest to come and eat (at least mines don't). That is when they are incubating. So making food accessible all the time may be more practical for them, as both will feed hence better.
> *
> As for why should make feed accessible at all times when they are feeding their babies, I guess Jay3 can help me out here?
> *
> Also, you mention you let the new birds out with old ones, I think that helps to bring in the new ones. I however, have only this pair and their soon to be young birds. I guess why I'm asking on here is exactly to benefit from everyone's experience on here



They need the feed available to feed the babies and themselves. Most people keep feed available all day for their breeders.


----------



## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Yes a feed that is at least 16% protein or higher is better, and left out for them all day.. you can take it up at night if you think it may attract mice.


----------

