Hey y'all newbie here and I had a question concerning Raptor requirements in "extreme" weather. My neck of the woods in NE Georgia routinely hits 95-100f and 80-90% humidity in the Summer and can reach 20s in the winter with occasional snow and cold wind. Obviously Raptors aren't your wife's Lapdog that needs to be pampered but at those temps do you need to consider heating and air? Any preferred designs?
If you are talking about a RT then in the summer make sure to protect your bird from the sun and have good air movement in the mews and in the winter protect the bird from the winds and you should be fine. Kestrels are a little more delicate and should be kept indoors.
Your stat falconry club has a mews design posted that is called a jump box. Works pretty good for areas that do not get much snow. I made one and like it for the most part. I also have a traditional mews that can be completely enclosed, but I believe you could get away with the jump box in California, AZ, NM, and the gulf states year round. Talk to other falconer so around you. Get them to show you what they use.
Red tailed hawks are fine outside year round in the dirty south. A jump box in an enclosed weathering area, would suffice for RTH in GA. A hybrid mews/ weathering yard would be my preferred means of housing in GA. 3 walls, half roof and barred front wall.
Last Edit: Oct 14, 2015 19:59:13 GMT -5 by echotadog
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Post by talonsgrip22 on Nov 20, 2015 9:58:59 GMT -5
It all depends on six factors:
1. What the feds will allow 2. What your state will allow 3. What your sponsor will allow 4. The species being kept 5. Available space to build 6. Your budget
You probably allready know to put the mew in partial shade, if you can. That's a big help.
Heat rises. Perches both close to the floor for hot weather and up higher for cold weather are nice.
A double roof system is nice, especially if you don't have shade. The second roof is for shade only and is raised up about a foot or so from the first roof. Canvas or shade cloth works well. Be sure the second roof drains well, can take your annual snow load, and will stand up to wind.
Put shutters on your windows or tack up board over some of them in freezing temps. Try to make a roosting area relatively free of drafts.
A heater is nice for most raptors and a must for some being left outdoors. A Harris or Lanner falcon can get frostbite and even lose a wing (wing odema). Be careful with heat lamps/ elements that can burn your bird. Put gurds on themplace it in a location where the bird won't try to mess with it, and secure that heater down. You don't want a fire in there. I suggest an Original Goldenrod Dehydrator tube heater (not the Cinese-made Lockdown or Gunsaver models) to be installed under a shelf or rod perch with a guard. The get about 150F and will target heat the bird's feet and body to a point above freezing. Amazon.com had the best price when I bought my 24" one.
I have a Harris in central Arizona and bring her in when the temps get below 20F. An ounce of prevention...
I hope this helps. Good luck.
Last Edit: Nov 20, 2015 10:00:20 GMT -5 by talonsgrip22