Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
in nature. Don't make pets out of your game birds and then turn them loose; they'll
be incapable of surviving more than a few days.
Shelter
Once you've built your flight pen, decide what sort of bird shelter you'll place into it.
In many cases a simple doghouse or similar structure is more than enough. The biggest
problems raisers experience during this stage of game bird life result from lack of space
for the flock. Pheasants require the same spacing as do chickens, although they are more
comfortable when the space is doubled or tripled. Quail require about the same space as
a bantam to be comfortable. See the chart opposite for guidelines on spacing, and check
Don't forget to install a tall door to allow you to enter and perform regular mainten-
ance. It's also a good idea to plant a few small shrubs in the flight pen, both for aes-
thetics and for the enjoyment of the future inhabitants. Choose low-growing shrubs such
as berry bushes, dwarf honeysuckle, native roses, and other shrubs native to your area.
These bushes can provide food and shade for the game birds.
Remember, maintaining a proper diet and not cutting corners on the feed and provid-
ing ample room for your birds are crucial practices at this stage. If crowding becomes
an issue, the flock will take up feather picking, cannibalism, and torturing birds at the
bottom of the pecking order until death. Once this aggressive behavior starts and one
bird is killed, another bird assumes the role of the underdog and is killed, and so on.
Game Bird Types
There are many types of game birds to raise and enjoy in the backyard or on the farm.
For a look at some of these wilder birds, it's easiest to divide them into a quail-like
group, a pheasant group, and a waterfowl group.
Quail and Similar Game Birds
Quail are native to certain parts of the United States, and some of the varieties included
here will be recognizable to you as wild birds in your area. These game birds are small
and attractive, with delightful personalities.
