So, barn owls ....



cornish mackem said:
Rehome them to people who know what they are doing? That’s no expert either but just a reasonable expectation
Click to expand...

If you read the thread he’s not exactly keeping them in semi detached in Spennymoor. They’ve raised large numbers of other animals and birds, have created a massive living space which has allowed them to successfully breed.... Doinng a canny job IMO.

Reiver said:
Anyone who's interested is always welcome to pop in if they're passing, there's always a warm welcome.

The Sheikh has a saying, "My house is your house," and we carry that invitation on to our guests.

There's a dozen bedrooms so all are welcome if they're capable of appreciating what we're doing.

We're not experts but our hearts are in the right place and we'll always listen to advice.

The gardeners, housekeepers and other staff are all in this together so the animals and birds have the best f care.

Post code is GU10 2ED btw.
Click to expand...
. Sounds like a great life you’ve got down there, let’s hope the gaffer doesn’t end up locked up in the Ritz in Doha or selling up to John Terry!
 
Last edited:
Reiver said:
Do you have any idea how impossible that is .... I'd bet you don't have a clue tbh.

Because of wankers, like the people who had these two, there are hundreds of unwanted barn owls and the rescue centres can't cope with any more.

So what usually happens is that they're passed around until they're eventually turfed out into the wild where they usually starve to death.

Any imbecile can buy owls, off the internet, but they don't want mature owls like ours.

They can live for 15 plus years which is a lot of food & care but they can never be released or even trained.

Our owls are housed in a purpose built shed with a huge flight, fed a balanced diet and looked after by people who really care for their welfare.

The rescue centre use us as a release centre for all kinds of creatures and we care for them before and after they're put back into the wild.

We have ducks, geese and chickens of our own so are used to caring for birds and have 20 acres of Surrey countryside for them to enjoy.

If you'd bothered to read the thread you'd know that we're advised by the best experts available.

But, no, you just jump in and decide to have a pop despite obviously not having a clue .... tbh I don't give two hoots for your opinion :cool:
Click to expand...
I know of dog rehoming charities that have stopped people rehoming because the people wanting to rehome work an hour too much. Gardens not being big enough or no experience of a breed that needs work.
It’s criminal that people are allowed to buy chicks, puppies and the like with no experience or facilities which end up with animals in these rescue centres. A guy I worked with did exactly this with 2 barn owls. He and his daughter bought one with no experience or time to invest and 12 month later, 2 owls needed homes. Good on you for getting it right but my opinion is still a valid one..... I’m surprised a charity rehomed to a home with no experience looking after owls
 
cornish mackem said:
I know of dog rehoming charities that have stopped people rehoming because the people wanting to rehome work an hour too much. Gardens not being big enough or no experience of a breed that needs work.
It’s criminal that people are allowed to buy chicks, puppies and the like with no experience or facilities which end up with animals in these rescue centres. A guy I worked with did exactly this with 2 barn owls. He and his daughter bought one with no experience or time to invest and 12 month later, 2 owls needed homes. Good on you for getting it right but my opinion is still a valid one..... I’m surprised a charity rehomed to a home with no experience looking after owls
Click to expand...

As I've said it's not as if we're strangers to them and our facilities are better than theirs.

Their only alternative is to keep them which is a drain on their resources and space taken up they can't afford.

As they're only a few miles away they can pop round any time if we need them.

I appreciate your general point but it simply doesn't apply in this case.

Sorry if I appear a little touchy, this all involves a lot of work .... none of which we really have to do.
 
Reiver said:
As I've said it's not as if we're strangers to them and our facilities are better than theirs.

Their only alternative is to keep them which is a drain on their resources and space taken up they can't afford.

As they're only a few miles away they can pop round any time if we need them.

I appreciate your general point but it simply doesn't apply in this case.

Sorry if I appear a little touchy, this all involves a lot of work .... none of which we really have to do.
Click to expand...
That’s the choices we make when we have animals.
I’ve just driven in the worst conditions I think I’ve ever driven in to feed and check on my pigs. They depend on me to do that and it was brutal up there today but that’s my part of the deal.
I had no choice.
 
cornish mackem said:
That’s the choices we make when we have animals.
I’ve just driven in the worst conditions I think I’ve ever driven in to feed and check on my pigs. They depend on me to do that and it was brutal up there today but that’s my part of the deal.
I had no choice.
Click to expand...

We've just talked ourselves out of taking on a pair of Old English black pigs with 4 weaners .... someone in the local animal feed shop was giving them away.

But the boss, and his family, are Muslims so I don't want to ask the question. He's great with everything so we don't want to put him on the spot.

We're looking for someone who wants to graze sheep, alpaca, whatever to graze the meadow.

It's huge and takes some mowing so would save us loads of work and give someone free grazing :cool:
 
Reiver said:
We've just talked ourselves out of taking on a pair of Old English black pigs with 4 weaners .... someone in the local animal feed shop was giving them away.

But the boss, and his family, are Muslims so I don't want to ask the question. He's great with everything so we don't want to put him on the spot.

We're looking for someone who wants to graze sheep, alpaca, whatever to graze the meadow.

It's huge and takes some mowing so would save us loads of work and give someone free grazing :cool:
Click to expand...
The damage that pigs do is brutal to the ground. Pigs are ace. Far better than people imo and vastly more personality than most people too.
Sheep try hard to die mind. There’s an advert near me for a group of alpacas going cheap.
 
Well done mate, obviously you will learn as you go along, although it sounds like a hell of a lot of hard work, it sounds like your getting a lot of satisfaction doing it. But your doing a grand job keep it up.
 
luvulongtime said:
saw a beauty in roker park a couple of weeks ago on the morning i was in the ravine just before the pods it was looking down cool as a cucumber and couldn't give a monkeys
Click to expand...
Quite often if I look out the window during the night I see foxes, sometimes in my garden. They are probably relieved my big old rescue cat is now deceased as he used to face off against them and go nuts. The foxes just used to look at him, almost bemused. Two of them often run along by the side of the dene and weave in and out - it looks great.
 
sexymuffin said:
Superb thread well done @Reiver
Click to expand...

OK boys & girls, it's happening!

I didn't look when I came in from the match so I checked this morning and .... we have our first baby owl.

I tried to take a photo but she went for me and drew blood with her talons, fair enough :lol:

I'll make sure I get a shot later and post it up.

It's all quite exciting and scary at the same time ..... it's gone from 5 eggs sitting there to a new life we're responsible for.
 
Reiver said:
OK boys & girls, it's happening!

I didn't look when I came in from the match so I checked this morning and .... we have our first baby owl.

I tried to take a photo but she went for me and drew blood with her talons, fair enough :lol:

I'll make sure I get a shot later and post it up.

It's all quite exciting and scary at the same time ..... it's gone from 5 eggs sitting there to a new life we're responsible for.
Click to expand...
Class
 
Sounds great what you are doing


Where we live we walk home down a road from the old town on the hill
In January we heard and then saw (in the moonlight) an owl hooting and flying from tree to tree ahead of us
About 100 yards further on it was waiting for us on a branch about 10 yards from the road - it just stared at us - about 2 foot tall

It was class to see an owl up so close in the 'real world'
 

Back
Top