Wild chicks

[BenBhoy 4,706]

Anyone seeing many in number yet? Seen first clutch of pheasant yesterday on our farm. At least two pair's of grey partridge paired up, fingers crossed. 

[jok 3,322]

Seen a lot more wild chicks in Nottingham than that Ben lol. Remember when the ration was  six to one. Happy days. Jok.

[BenBhoy 4,706]

Aye, and I bloody married one! Growing up in north Wales, Notts women were a revelation!! 

[Stavross 16,077]

Seen half a dozen around the back of the farm on the shoot last night and could hear a few in the cover as I walked down the rides, I’m sure I seen a couple of partridge when I was going down the track towards the farm which is unusual for up there 

[shovel leaner 7,650]

I’ve seen one brood of pheasant chicks , and then every day there were less and less . A combination of poor parenting and predation from those lovely black things Mr Packem is so fond of has seen them disappear. Modern rearing in sheds means that the parents haven’t been imprinted with the necessary parenting skills needed to raise a successful brood . I reckon french partridge are worse parents than pheasant too watched their broods get abandoned to their fate too often as well . For a wild bird shoot , I think your initial stock would be best reared under broody hens . 

[Rabid 1,936]

13 hours ago, shovel leaner said:

I’ve seen one brood of pheasant chicks , and then every day there were less and less . A combination of poor parenting and predation from those lovely black things Mr Packem is so fond of has seen them disappear. Modern rearing in sheds means that the parents haven’t been imprinted with the necessary parenting skills needed to raise a successful brood . I reckon french partridge are worse parents than pheasant too watched their broods get abandoned to their fate too often as well . For a wild bird shoot , I think your initial stock would be best reared under broody hens . 

Last year we managed about 60 under Broodie’s, they all went wild, and have seen two of the hens with a brood each, I agree they seem a lot better under the hen.