feeding wild game birds

[ellir0305 9]

on my main permission, a large farm with a good mix of both arable and grazing land with woodland at both end of the farm there is a fairly large population of wild breeding pheasants and red partridge.

 

my real question here is; is it worth feeding this population in an effort to make the conditions more favourable and encourage breeding as a result and to attract more birds from a wider area.

 

if it is, is the best way to do this scatter feeding or providing plastic tub feeders with spiral or pan type nozzles from which they can self feed.

 

or wouldthe best thing to do make conditions easier by removing pest and predators.

 

i understand the best way may be a conbination of the above mentioned techniques but i am new to this game so your help would be much appreciated.

 

i do not wish to shoot masses however just take a few brace a season for the pot

thank you very much

 

regards, rob

[salukiwhippet 6]

Bit of both mate, game needs 3 things:

 

Habitat - You might not be able to influence that too much as it ain't your own ground. Since they're breeding anyway it sounds like it's not too far wrong.

 

Feed - To have healthy birds come breeding time, and keep them about during the season.

 

Protection from predators - partly a function of habitat, but also acheived by predator control of appropriate species at the right time of year.

 

James

[Steve McHardy 2]

Bit of both mate, game needs 3 things:

 

Habitat - You might not be able to influence that too much as it ain't your own ground. Since they're breeding anyway it sounds like it's not too far wrong.

 

Feed - To have healthy birds come breeding time, and keep them about during the season.

 

Protection from predators - partly a function of habitat, but also acheived by predator control of appropriate species at the right time of year.

 

James

 

totlly agree with the above if you have a decent natural breeding stock on the land give them every chance at breeding by getting into the vermin especialy the corvid family to give them best chance at nesting time. a bit of additional feeding will help them rear their chicks and keep them on your ground.

atb

steve

[ellir0305 9]

thanks lads, i will give the corvids some stick then to reduce the numbers and especially at nesting time, try and blast a few of the charlies and all.

 

with the feeding shold i use the hopper type self feeders and what kind of dpensity should these be placed at?