So, barn owls ....

[Wendall Gee]

..... does anyone have experience of keeping them?

We've just taken all the glass out of an old 30x20 metre greenhouse and were left with a wonderful steel frames structure that was too good to destroy. We decided to turn it into an aviary and see what turned up ....... so we were at the wildlife rescue centre, yesterday, picking up 21 rescued mallard ducklings. When we mentioned the aviary he took us to see a pair of rescued barn owls

Some lunatic, in Southampton, had bought them as a birthday present for his girlfriend and they were living in their house .... as they were bred in captivity he daren't release them as they won't be able to fend for themselves. So we've put a shed in the 'aviary' plus a couple of nestboxes and various perches etc.
We've also dragged a dead tree, from the forest and set that up in there and put a beautiful but knackered old stone fountain for water.

After that we're clueless as to how to look after them .... help?

Wrong forum, however having been on a Owl Experience day at Lady Hill Farm at Simonburn in Hexham, I would strongly advise you turn them over to experts. From what I can remember Barn Owls will only fly for food, they have to be kept at a certain weight, and have to be kept at a certain temperature when their feathers moult.

 

[Reiver]

21 ducklings you say?

2 different nests.

The first was when the mother was attacked by a dog, the second was when the mother mistakenly built the nest in a walled garden and couldn't get them out.

She abandoned them and they were starving to death.

 

[Nipple Salad]

Wrong forum, however having been on a Owl Experience day at Lady Hill Farm at Simonburn in Hexham, I would strongly advise you turn them over to experts. From what I can remember Barn Owls will only fly for food, they have to be kept at a certain weight, and have to be kept at a certain temperature when their feathers moult.

Aye, I thought Barn Owls were a protected species, you can't keep em unless they're disabled or sick

They sound a right chew on anarl

 

[Reiver]

Wrong forum, however having been on a Owl Experience day at Lady Hill Farm at Simonburn in Hexham, I would strongly advise you turn them over to experts. From what I can remember Barn Owls will only fly for food, they have to be kept at a certain weight, and have to be kept at a certain temperature when their feathers moult.

Cheers mate, good advice.

The trouble is that we've contacted various groups who haven't been that helpful ..... http://www.barnowltrust.org.uk etc.

We always have various rescued critters here and the gardeners etc, are all good blokes who are happy to come in at weekends etc, to help.

We've just taken on a couple of polecat kittens who are as cute as cute can be ...... the difficulty is stopping yersel picking them up all the time.

We don't want them to become 'human friendly' as they should really be released when they can fend for themselves.

 

[vidal baboon]

Most common owl in the UK, is not the Barn or Tawny
It's the Teet

 

[PhilSAFC]

So you've taken them on without having a clue what's involved?

 

[Arthur80]

So you've taken them on without having a clue what's involved?

I'm sure rescue centres are handing out owls all over the place to people who don't have any experience in looking after them.

 

[PhilSAFC]

I'm sure rescue centres are handing out owls all over the place to people who don't have any experience in looking after them.

Sounds like they are

 

[Son of Stan]

This group might be a bit more helpful, possibly?

https://www.barnowl.co.uk/
Good luck with everything. Can't believe the ignorance of some people getting birds and then keeping them in a cat carrier - one of the rescues mentioned.

 

[Reiver]

I'm sure rescue centres are handing out owls all over the place to people who don't have any experience in looking after them.

Mrs Reiver raised a kestrel chick that was abandoned as a bald little scrap ..... we rescued a Scops owl, brought it on and released it into the wild.

We're not clueless, just being humble ..... I expected the sensible people, on here, to realise that.

The bellends, on the other hand, will f***ing pounce on anything they think they can score points with.

There's some pathetic pieces of shit on this board tbh.

 

[PhilSAFC]

Mrs Reiver raised a kestrel chick that was abandoned as a bald little scrap, we rescued a Scops owl, brought it on and released it into the wild.

We're not clueless, just being humble.

Can they hunt for themselves

 

[Reiver]

Sounds like they are

Contributer ffs .... like me, like me please

 

[Arthur80]

Mrs Reiver raised a kestrel chick that was abandoned as a bald little scrap ..... we rescued a Scops owl, brought it on and released it into the wild.

We're not clueless, just being humble ..... I expected the sensible people, on here, to realise that.

The bellends, on the other hand, will f***ing pounce on anything they think they can score points with.

There's some pathetic pieces of shit on this board tbh.

Different if you've got experience in looking after them but completely irresponsible of a rescue centre to home them somewhere they might not get the care they need.

 

[Reiver]

Different if you've got experience in looking after them but completely irresponsible of a rescue centre to home them somewhere they might not get the care they need.

TBH mate, we deal with them regularly because they use us a a 'release centre' due to our lake, 20 acres of forest, stream etc.

Graham who runs http://www.hydestileresidentanimals.co.uk/ is a great bloke and always come over to check out what we're doing.

The mallard chicks arrive on Monday and we've all been working today to prepare a compound, shelter, pond, etc.

The barn owls will find a paradise here as all new arrivals do ...... we just wanted a bit of friendly advice, nowt more

 

[Icarebecauseyoudo]

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[PhilSAFC]

I have to be honest here, your opinion is absolutely worthless ..... just go away and enjoy your Friday night.

Surely you have something better to do

You literally have no response and are now posting laughing smilies at your own posts. Absolutely desperate behaviour from a very lonely man. I pity you.

 

[sedling]

Good luck, you're trying to do the right thing..

 

[Icarebecauseyoudo]

You literally have no response and are now posting laughing smilies at your own posts. Absolutely desperate behaviour from a very lonely man. I pity you.

Give up man Phil It's been a lot of fun, but haway

 

[PhilSAFC]

Good luck, you're trying to do the right thing..

Or just being incredibly irresponsible. He is asking on a football forum for advice on looking after them ffs.

Give up man Phil It's been a lot of fun, but haway

fine

 

[Reiver]

You literally have no response and are now posting laughing smilies at your own posts. Absolutely desperate behaviour from a very lonely man. I pity you.

I gave you the only response you deserved when I told you to fuck off ..... now, fuck off and pity someone who is on a thread on which they have absoutely nothing to contribute