What's The Rules

[danw 1,748]

Fair enough sorry. I am lucky enough to have two shoots on my land and I know putting the numbers people have been talking about is a recipe for disaster for the game and the environment.

what would you consider an appropriate stocking density?

[farmerrow 5]

Every shoot is different but if you work out the density that keeper is talking about it is one bird every 3.5 metres so you would not see the ground it would just be a sea of birds. I think someone is not being very truthful . There would so much disease in that suituation that it would not last very long at that stocking rate. Bit like the broadchalke valley here in wiltshire so many partridge and pheasants are put down that if one person gets a touch of hexamita it sweeps through everyone's shoots. Most of these problems ( bulgy eye,hexamita, coccidiosis even gapeworm) are so contagious that you need space for these birds to not have problems. Putting a high stocking rate down you will get disease problems especially with hexamita because the birds always carry it but it is brought on by stress and trust me a stocking rate like that would cause enormous stress as well as having to eat and drink in such filthy conditions. Just look at what has happened to the grouse where they have got the numbers so high by good keepering of wild birds that bulgy eye has swept through large amounts of them.

[danw 1,748]

Interesting reply we all know perthshirekeeper or should that be perthshire'sEXkeeper is full of shite so his exaggerated claims tend to be ignored.

Didn't really answer my question though what stocking density would you consider acceptable? as an example I used to put down 50 per Ha whilst the shoot was run commercially in that time though we suffered the usual challenges of gapes,hexamita and coccidiosis I have never yet seen a challenge of mycoplasmosis

[farmerrow 5]

Lot of estates around here have to vaccinate against mycoplasma as there has been such a problem due to over stocking. Stocking rates I think you try and give them as much room as possible and try and not get to greedy. The key to running a good shoot is to consistently have good seasons so you need to avoid disease. I think your stocking rate is very high but if you get on a shoot a reasonable number early on you would soon reduce the pressure and you would be alright but certainly I would want less on the ground than that. One bird per 200m2 is pretty tight.

[RubyTex 1,957]

Interesting reply we all know perthshirekeeper or should that be perthshire'sEXkeeper is full of shite so his exaggerated claims tend to be ignored.

Didn't really answer my question though what stocking density would you consider acceptable? as an example I used to put down 50 per Ha whilst the shoot was run commercially in that time though we suffered the usual challenges of gapes,hexamita and coccidiosis I have never yet seen a challenge of mycoplasmosis

 

I reckon i could learn a lot from you...need an underkeeper mate?

[danw 1,748]

Lot of estates around here have to vaccinate against mycoplasma as there has been such a problem due to over stocking. Stocking rates I think you try and give them as much room as possible and try and not get to greedy. The key to running a good shoot is to consistently have good seasons so you need to avoid disease. I think your stocking rate is very high but if you get on a shoot a reasonable number early on you would soon reduce the pressure and you would be alright but certainly I would want less on the ground than that. One bird per 200m2 is pretty tight.

Thankfully my commercial days are over here so from 60k+ it's now 16k and private, a shift in my employers priorities and ideals prompted the change,quality of the sport is now the goal rather than quantity

[danw 1,748]

 

Interesting reply we all know perthshirekeeper or should that be perthshire'sEXkeeper is full of shite so his exaggerated claims tend to be ignored.

Didn't really answer my question though what stocking density would you consider acceptable? as an example I used to put down 50 per Ha whilst the shoot was run commercially in that time though we suffered the usual challenges of gapes,hexamita and coccidiosis I have never yet seen a challenge of mycoplasmosis

 

I reckon i could learn a lot from you...need an underkeeper mate?

 

Afraid not mate I haven't got any now,all I can do is offer you some temporary summer work when the season starts the wages are shite though mate and I'm a grumpy old c**t or if you want you could pop down have a look round for a few days shoot some stuff that kind of thing

[farmerrow 5]

Glad to hear that. I would love to be able to afford to just do just guest days but I have to sell to afford to keep the shoots going. But nice to hear there are people with the same ideals. You must find it more pleasurable from being a commercial( not being rude) chicken farmer to a being able to have enough time to keeper properly. It should always be about sport .

[Lab 10,979]

It's very difficult when discussing how much birds can be released on size of area alone. Let's face it 10000 birds on 1000 acres of woodland, gorse and game cover are going to stay around a lot longer than 10000 birds on 1000 acres of heather and a few woods.

Birds should be released according to lots of different factors but space being very high up on the list as most important. Lots of feeding stations, feed rides, places to drink are also very important.

If it's a new shoot I'd start small and as the years go on you soon work out where birds will be suited best in greater numbers.

It's never been easy and that's why few want to do it... Lol

[danw 1,748]

Glad to hear that. I would love to be able to afford to just do just guest days but I have to sell to afford to keep the shoots going. But nice to hear there are people with the same ideals. You must find it more pleasurable from being a commercial( not being rude) chicken farmer to a being able to have enough time to keeper properly. It should always be about sport .

Funny thing but its harder work now than it was back then lol,I enjoy the new challenge but really miss all those tips

[Lab 10,979]

Glad to hear that. I would love to be able to afford to just do just guest days but I have to sell to afford to keep the shoots going. But nice to hear there are people with the same ideals. You must find it more pleasurable from being a commercial( not being rude) chicken farmer to a being able to have enough time to keeper properly. It should always be about sport .

I find it weird a 'keeper' uses the term 'chicken farmer' towards another keeper. How long have you been doing it and what numbers of birds? Sorry if I've misuse you saying it already.

[farmerrow 5]

I am not a keeper I am privileged to own an estate on which a couple of shoots are run

[farmerrow 5]

No rudeness was meant but when putting down tens of thousands of birds of which I gave plenty of experience you spend a lot of time not doing what an old traditional keeper would do ie you spend a lot of time rearing and feeding rather than things like habitat improvement and vermin control.i am afraid it is the economics of today a few keepers doing what a lot of keepers would have been doing and being stretched to there limits and beyond. It can be a very hard life.

[Lab 10,979]

No rudeness was meant but when putting down tens of thousands of birds of which I gave plenty of experience you spend a lot of time not doing what an old traditional keeper would do ie you spend a lot of time rearing and feeding rather than things like habitat improvement and vermin control.i am afraid it is the economics of today a few keepers doing what a lot of keepers would have been doing and being stretched to there limits and beyond. It can be a very hard life.

I didn't see it as rude mate I just had a funny feeling you were not a keeper....?

[RubyTex 1,957]

 

 

Interesting reply we all know perthshirekeeper or should that be perthshire'sEXkeeper is full of shite so his exaggerated claims tend to be ignored.

Didn't really answer my question though what stocking density would you consider acceptable? as an example I used to put down 50 per Ha whilst the shoot was run commercially in that time though we suffered the usual challenges of gapes,hexamita and coccidiosis I have never yet seen a challenge of mycoplasmosis

 

I reckon i could learn a lot from you...need an underkeeper mate?

 

Afraid not mate I haven't got any now,all I can do is offer you some temporary summer work when the season starts the wages are shite though mate and I'm a grumpy old c**t or if you want you could pop down have a look round for a few days shoot some stuff that kind of thing

 

 

Since when has there ever been good money in this game? i'm up for either mate whichever suits you best.

 

I'll PM you about it after this season has finished and you've had a few weeks to chill