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Post by Taz on May 16, 2020 10:31:15 GMT
Yay, congratulations GBH, and great vid of skulking Mr Fox
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Post by greatbluehopeful on May 16, 2020 10:32:15 GMT
1st feed at last!! Previous attempts were worryingly unsuccessful.
Sorry for the crunchy noises...that's my phone case.
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Post by YorksherLass on May 16, 2020 10:55:36 GMT
Great piccie & video of the fox, I don't get any foxes & super video of the first feed  so now you can stop worrying about that first chick going hungry. yahoo_clap |
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Post by WildlifePaul on May 16, 2020 10:58:30 GMT
Brilliant GBH, I am so pleased this is all happening for you after the long wait amazing!! |
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Post by greatbluehopeful on May 16, 2020 11:02:22 GMT
Hugging his siblings. "Come on guys, its great out here... lets get hatching already!!! There's adventures to be had!"  |
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Post by greatbluehopeful on May 16, 2020 12:14:12 GMT
The coaxing worked! Now there are two...was just gone 20 mins and missed it!  |
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Post by greatbluehopeful on May 16, 2020 14:01:48 GMT
Thats it folks! All three safely hatched!!! Last one arrived about an hour ago. I was present with phone in hand for the hatching of the third egg, unfortunately, mother decided to obscure my view to gobble down the egg shell I think...oh well.   I'm grateful all three are finally here, looking fat & healthy, and now I'm moving onto the next phase - frenzied feeding!  Welcome to my 1st EVER little clutch of Great Tit chicks.   |
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hardy
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Post by hardy on May 16, 2020 15:08:14 GMT
Congrats GBH, I'm glad all three hatched for you.
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Post by Taz on May 16, 2020 15:54:03 GMT
Congratulations GBH, especially as it's your first ever. so pleased they all hatched. Look forward to your updates x
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Post by WildlifePaul on May 17, 2020 9:54:44 GMT
Glad they all hatched GBH,
I think 3 will be very manageable for them even without live food if your finding it hard to get it.
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Post by greatbluehopeful on May 17, 2020 10:39:54 GMT
Yes, they are doing well...They've gone light pink now, all plump and stretching out their legs this morning - plenty of room to exercise! The natural supply appears to be very good at present....every visit either mother or father has a mealy worm and then are back in within 30 secs with another one. I'm beginning to think someone nearby might have a batch out....wouldn't that be funny!???  (not for the other guy of course) I have not yet got any to subsidise them, as I think they'll be fine sourcing food for three chicks, but I think I'll arrange to get a worm farm up and running for next year. I've been reading up alot about it, and honestly, its not hard at all, and from €4.50 15g box containing about 30 worms, which is generally all we can get here, you would create enough to see you through a season. There is a market out there though for larger bulk supply of worms in Ireland - if someone with entrepreneurial inclinations is looking in....  So, in wildlife news: I decided to put out some food to see if I would attract any wildlife - I read you don't feed nuts - EVER, and thats all I had, so instead I put out a bit of an under-ripe banana. Specimen A: A hedghog Specimen B: A Fox Result of experiment - they do not like banana !! ha,ha!! The rooks gobbled them up in seconds one daylight hit. This evening I will try dog biscuits if I remember to buy them. |
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Post by YorksherLass on May 17, 2020 10:48:04 GMT
Congratulations GBH from me too!  I'm really pleased that you've got a GT nest for the first time & yes, the parents should manage to feed 3 alright. The frenzied feeding is still going on with my GT's - don't know when they'll fledge, as I have to wait a few days after not seeing them to have a look in the nest.  |
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Post by greatbluehopeful on May 17, 2020 10:54:01 GMT
Thanks Diane!!! Good luck with your GT's....
This nest is extra special as it not just a 1st GT nest for me ...its my very first bird nest EVER ...and to have hatch-lings is just a dream come true.
I believe they fledge after 16-21 days, so for my little brood, I make that around 1st June???? I feel with all that room they will have more chance to flex their legs/wings and get strong....perhaps they might fledge on the earlier end of the time frame because of this?.
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Post by Taz on May 17, 2020 12:00:32 GMT
Loving the fact that your chicks are getting a takeaway meal(worms). Cheep cheep for you, oh the puns are endless, couldn't resist sorry 😁
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hardy
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Post by hardy on May 17, 2020 13:47:11 GMT
Yes, they are doing well...They've gone light pink now, all plump and stretching out their legs this morning - plenty of room to exercise! The natural supply appears to be very good at present....every visit either mother or father has a mealy worm and then are back in within 30 secs with another one. I'm beginning to think someone nearby might have a batch out....wouldn't that be funny!??? (not for the other guy of course) I have not yet got any to subsidise them, as I think they'll be fine sourcing food for three chicks, but I think I'll arrange to get a worm farm up and running for next year. I've been reading up alot about it, and honestly, its not hard at all, and from €4.50 15g box containing about 30 worms, which is generally all we can get here, you would create enough to see you through a season. There is a market out there though for larger bulk supply of worms in Ireland - if someone with entrepreneurial inclinations is looking in.... So, in wildlife news: I decided to put out some food to see if I would attract any wildlife - I read you don't feed nuts - EVER, and thats all I had, so instead I put out a bit of an under-ripe banana. Specimen A: A hedghog Specimen B: A Fox Result of experiment - they do not like banana !! ha,ha!! The rooks gobbled them up in seconds one daylight hit. This evening I will try dog biscuits if I remember to buy them. |
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hardy
Senior Member
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Post by hardy on May 17, 2020 13:50:43 GMT
GBH, I got mealies from Pet Bliss and there's a lot more than 30 in a box for €4.50. Well over a hundred I'd say. I've being putting them out since Friday and still a few left in 1st box.
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Post by suep on May 17, 2020 16:13:33 GMT
So pleased to see your chicks have hatched and doing well, so pleased for you GBH
Sue
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Post by hfriel on May 17, 2020 18:30:15 GMT
Well done on your 3 beauties GBH......  I’m getting a kg with millions of worms standard size for 25 Euros, which feeds my 7 chicks, another family of BTs and GTs for a week, Still can’t find out who their supplier is  If you start up a worm suppling business next year, I’ll be your first customer |
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Post by sammi on May 17, 2020 19:42:25 GMT
So pleased for you GBH after all your waiting. Love your wildlife experiment footage too especially the fox 🤣
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Post by greatbluehopeful on May 18, 2020 6:02:08 GMT
Hi all, popping in real quick before smelly work.
Thanks for the info re the worms...I had spoken to PetBliss directly and the girl said there was no more than 30 in the tub, so that kind of put me off...sure that would only last a day!!! ....but great to know there is actually more than what she said - I may invest so.
Helen I saw on the other thread you mention got yours from the place in Kinsealy - I know the place but can't travel that way for a while for obvious reasons.....I think they'll be ok for the time being. Yes, next year, I'll get something up and running I think.
Wildlife camera - I moved the camera down to the ground:
Here is a video of my dog biscuit experiment....the Hedgehog liked them...and another Hedgehog later in the night. No sign of the fox though, even though he had been in for 5 nights in a row....perhaps I just missed him on the footage, but he deffo didn't eat the dog bikkies.
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Post by Taz on May 18, 2020 9:07:20 GMT
Love this video GBH, our hedgehog likes Spike food, as does the fox if ever he manges to get in the garden  . Sadly because of the shutdown in local food places the rats are now coming into the gardens, so had to stop feed the hog for now. Still put water out though.
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Post by WildlifePaul on May 18, 2020 11:02:46 GMT
Make sure you put a bowl of water right next to the biscuits GBH, Hedgehogs will need the water after eating dry food, Mine drink alot of water during the night. So if you carry on feeding just make sure a bowl of water is next to the biscuits for them. Lovely footage  |
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Post by greatbluehopeful on May 18, 2020 12:10:52 GMT
Noted! Will do!! Never thought of it...  |
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Post by karenupnorth on May 18, 2020 14:02:47 GMT
 My hubby bought me this for the fox in the school field behind our fence, the hoggs munch away on them despite them being quite large! |
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Post by greatbluehopeful on May 18, 2020 14:30:13 GMT
Thanks!!! I'll look out for that...maybe Amazon??
Two lovely things happened today.
...1st of all, back into full work today, arrived in and discovered a Coal Tit nest under the 'lean too' where we keep our timber...heard them cheeping from a mile away (or am I just so tuned into it now??)...parents in and out constantly so must be a big brood.
Then I came home and seven newly fledged baby sparrows were sitting on my deck all plump and slow.
Mammy and Daddy were nearby but the little ones allowed me feed them with some crumbled up fat ball. So cute!!!
I'm worried about them being predated but what can you do??? They'd better cop on quick...
So lovely though. Nice pick me up after quite a labour intensive day.
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so now you can stop worrying about that first chick going hungry. yahoo_clap 
(not for the other guy of course)
I'm really pleased that you've got a GT nest for the first time & yes, the parents should manage to feed 3 alright. The frenzied feeding is still going on with my GT's - don't know when they'll fledge, as I have to wait a few days after not seeing them to have a look in the nest. 
.
