Carrie Long is a good friend and the power behind Texas Fawns and Friends. The “and Friends” has included birds for more than a decade. Over the years I have encountered birds that were not human oriented, and felt compelled to make arrangements for the permanent care of these birds. It began with an older, retired breeder pair of Blue and Gold macaws. They had never been handled and made it very clear that as senior citizens they had no desire to be touch. When I reached out to Carrie, she was thrilled to have two such big beautiful birds.
I have always preferred to keep my birds outside as long as the weather allowed. Together we designed a 10′ by 20′ by 10′ high flight pen with a metal roof. We used “horse panels” welded to a metal frame, with a walk through door and feeder doors. This is a big beautiful areas, with mustang grape vine branches woven through out. So much better that the best cage.
The birds have thrived! I checked them yesterday. They are in perfect feather, their nails and beaks are worn down for climbing on branches and chewing on the wood. They haven’t had to have nails or beaks trimmed in 10 plus years so it obviously works. They are all healthy, with great appetites and in a natural setting beside a horse pasture, pond with noisy mallards and chickens free ranging. The “care taker” dogs roam freely, so they have an active environment.
Over the years several grouchy amazons were added, more flight pens were built and the variety of birds became more creative.
Last Fall a scruffy Military macaw was placed at the ranch. Molly is sweet and placement elsewhere just didn’t seem to happen. She is doing so well now and we have just added a bird that may be her life long companion, if all goes well.
This is Rusty, a green wing macaw and hopefully new companion to Molly.
