Supplemental Feeding

ltwalsh · Tue Apr 19, 2011 2:26 pm

Weather here is really bad. Wind, rain, and cold. I have 4 pair who have settled in, but I am sure based on the weather have not eaten much in the past four days. Yesterday the wind and rain let up a little, and I saw them flying very low along the surface of the lake. Looked like a lot of drinking but not sure there was any food. Today it's 36 and blowing rain and my bet is they are huddled together in the house just trying to stay warm.

I tried tossing them eggs and crickets these past few days and they had no idea what I was doing.

If I lower the house and put some eggs and crickets in the house, would they eat them when they come back?

Just trying to figure out how to help my little buddies until this weather breaks.

Also, right now I have live crickets which I would kill before putting them in the house. Will they eat dead ones?

Larry

~Ray~Gingerich · Tue Apr 19, 2011 2:32 pm

I freeze mine when they arrive then double bag in freezer bags. When I feed I just take a handful out and place them in warm water for a minute.The martins take them just like live ones.

ltwalsh · Tue Apr 19, 2011 2:38 pm

~Ray~04 wrote:I freeze mine when they arrive then double bag in freezer bags. When I feed I just take a handful out and place them in warm water for a minute.The martins take them just like live ones.

Do you just put them on the house? How do you feed them?

tonyg · Tue Apr 19, 2011 2:49 pm

Larry, this was the first year I had ever flipped crickets. After about 20 flips one of the martins flew off the perch and grabbed it. After that everybody followed suit. I have never put any in their cavities but I have read on here that some people have success with it. I think if they are really hungry they will catch your offerings or possibly eat out of their compartments. Good luck, and if nothing else, at least you tried.

ltwalsh · Tue Apr 19, 2011 2:56 pm

TonyG wrote:Larry, this was the first year I had ever flipped crickets. After about 20 flips one of the martins flew off the perch and grabbed it. After that everybody followed suit. I have never put any in their cavities but I have read on here that some people have success with it. I think if they are really hungry they will catch your offerings or possibly eat out of their compartments. Good luck, and if nothing else, at least you tried.

Thanks for the input. Right now I think it's too windy to toss them anything. I am going to put some in the house later. I think it's so cold now that there are as many as 4 birds in each house. Seems they are staying warmer when they are all together.

birdbrat · Tue Apr 19, 2011 3:06 pm

I flip my crickets. I found the best way is to arch the cricket about 10 feet in front of the perched bird. A plastic spoon works best for me. At first it seems like they will never get the hang of it, but as soon as one bird takes one the others join in. Warning: once you start you'll be just as hooked as the birds are. What fun!!!! I now flip 3 and 4 crickets at a time and very few hit the ground!

Scully · Tue Apr 19, 2011 3:12 pm

I tried feeding for the first time this year.

Me and some students flipped several crickets at four martins with no response from them, we did lose lots of crickets in the grass.

After that we tried handfuls of crickets in the gourds they were using.

Near as I could tell, EVERY cricket was eaten, a few by a starling reaching in through the SREH. Although the crickets were live when we went out, the cold quickly imobilized or killed them, made no difference.

The only downsides to putting them in the gourds as far as I can tell are...

1) You have to pick the right gourds (not as easy as it seems when they are all bundling into one or two

)

2) No guarantees that the first martins in wont eat em all.

The plus is none are wasted.

Mike Scully

KathyF · Tue Apr 19, 2011 4:33 pm

Put them in the entrance where the martin has to walk through them .... I watched a female crawl through a conley II entrance, then stick her head back out & grab the crickets I had left on the porch in front of her door.

When flipping, flip the crickets 2-3 ft. in FRONT of the martin - not *AT* the martin and get them a few feet above the martin so they have time to get interested in the flying things with legs.

Sharon Wangen, MN · Wed Apr 20, 2011 9:32 pm

keep flinging them with a plastic spoon, straight up high over there heads. I tried it today for the first time and just kept flinging them one at a time for an hour and then they figured it out. It was very cool.

ltwalsh · Thu Apr 21, 2011 7:08 am

Sharon Wangen, MN wrote:keep flinging them with a plastic spoon, straight up high over there heads. I tried it today for the first time and just kept flinging them one at a time for an hour and then they figured it out. It was very cool.

Sharon are you flipping dead crickets of live ones?

KathyF · Thu Apr 21, 2011 7:39 am

Flip dead crickets, otherwise they crawl out of your bowl and it's hard to keep them on the spoon (I know this from experience

).

Put them in the freezer for about 45 mins. or so. (found out 30 mins isn't long enough!).

ltwalsh · Thu Apr 21, 2011 8:27 am

KathyF wrote:Flip dead crickets, otherwise they crawl out of your bowl and it's hard to keep them on the spoon (I know this from experience ).

Put them in the freezer for about 45 mins. or so. (found out 30 mins isn't long enough!).

That is funny Kathy! Now where do I buy them in bulk?

Sharon Wangen, MN · Thu Apr 21, 2011 8:50 am

I froze mine for about 30 min so they were very groggy. the martins liked the martins liked the bigger ones the best. Next time I will need to thaw them and let them warm up

KathyF · Thu Apr 21, 2011 9:19 am

Reptilefood.com. If you order them before 3 PM EST today, they'll arrive tomorrow. TIP: Whether you order 1000 or 2000, the shipping is the same.

I got the 3/4" crickets, btw.

ltwalsh · Thu Apr 21, 2011 12:28 pm

KathyF wrote:Reptilefood.com. If you order them before 3 PM EST today, they'll arrive tomorrow. TIP: Whether you order 1000 or 2000, the shipping is the same. I got the 3/4" crickets, btw.

Order placed Kathy!! 2,000 crickets on the way. Now I need them to "catch" (pun intended) on before Sunday. GK's are going to be here and if we can be feeding the Marin's, it will be great.

Thanks for all your help.

Dave Duit · Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:51 am

Hi,
I use Bassetts Cricket Ranch, Inc. for crickets. The crickets total cost for 1,000 one inch delivered from California to Iowa was $29.00. They arrive all alive, but I freeze them, thaw them out then insert them in the entrances. This works the best for me. I feel they expend less energy in eating the crickets if placed in the entrance as opposed to flipping. Good luck. : )

Laverne · Fri Apr 22, 2011 2:36 pm

They have all given you excellent advice.

One thing I wanted to add: If you close all but 3 or 4 cavities, then you can add handwarmers beneath the nest material and it will help the birds conserve even more energy.

bbillyc · Fri Apr 22, 2011 3:23 pm

I place crickets (thawed) on the porch and in the gourd or housing unit. When they walk over them they recognize what they are and begin to eat them. I've never tossed and everyday I check the porches and gourds and all the crickets and mealworms are eaten.