I haven't been here blogging much, mostly because between work, the farm, and feeding Mr. (or Ms.) Fantastic at least every hour, free to blog time is a little nonexistent...
The time has come to start weaning and getting him used to foraging for food all on his own. His sprained wing has healed up nicely and he is so ready to have some freedom to fly. This evening, I put him back out in the newly renovated coop along with some seeds, nuts, and berries, while also cutting back on his hourly feedings so he can learn to eat freely. After he is fully weaned, he will continue to stay out in the coop and after a good bit of eating and drinking on his own, I will open the door so he can come and go as he pleases, knowing that if he gets hungry, he knows where to find food.
Ohhhh what a bitter sweet time I have ahead of myself. To have a look at his journey so far, please have a look at the video below that shows his/ her growth over the last month....
*also please don't ever remove wildlife from the wild without consulting with a licensed rehabber. Fantastic has been monitored this whole time by a licensed rehabber.*
I will update when we hit milestones and also when he is released in a few weeks. I have really enjoyed this experience and have always admired wildlife rehabbers, but now understand a little bit more about the dedication involved. This is definitely not a hobby... This little thing needed feedings every 30 minutes the first few weeks, and the last 1.5 weeks, he has been getting fed every hour (aside from nighttime when birds would naturally perch and sleep). Fantastic has been going to work with me daily this whole time as well, and has been such a welcoming presence in these strange times...
annnnnd here are all the pics along the way:
so... there ya have it all! All the fabulousness of Mr. Fantastic!!! Tomorrow is Friday, and I am looking forward to watching him grow and 'bird' from afar while he is safe in the coop!
xoxo
-s
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