Best cover crop ever

[Mr pigeon]

Hi people with more knowledge than me. As the title suggests I am wondering what the best cover crop you can plant is ? My thinking was it would ideally last two years with food and cover!

We were thinking of maize and a millet blend, which I know will only last a year but trying to include kale? Any thoughts??

 

Cherrs

[Alycidon]

Chickory.

 

Lasts up to 5 years, although it wants a nurse crop of millet or similar in year 1. I have some in its 3rd year, currently over 6 feet high, best cover on the shoot. Should do one more year at least. No real food value though but an excellent holding crop if there are plenty of feeders and drinkers. A one acre plot wants 6 or more 45 gall barrells.

 

Have used it for 6 years now, if you want to seem some pm me. I am in Northants.

 

A

[scolopax]

Best game covers

 

pheasants: Kale

 

Redlegs: Maize (wide strips)

 

Greys: Kale and fodder beet grown in strips

 

in answer to your question re a crop which will last multiple years, and in agreement with the previous post, chickory is very good but has no food value. Kale will do two or even three years, but although great for pheasants and grey partridge is not so good for Redlegs.

[Mr pigeon]

Guys would you put hoppers out or plant a food crop aswell or both? How many feeders per acre or is it per number of birds? Cheers

[al4x]

you need hoppers as well, number depends on a few things, number of birds down location of cover to release wood and time of year.

[scotslad]

Is the advice not a hopper per 15 birds? The more hoppers the less u fill and not a disaster if 1 or 2 block/empty or get knocked over. Even if u plant strips of a feed crop say tricale u will still need hoppers but it should hold/entertian the birds for longer trying to scart about for natural seed.

Is the best cover crop not be soil/location dependent, the above may be the best but no good to u unless it suits ur soil type location and planting timetable, the past 2 seasons has really found out shoots growing crops on slightly marginally or tired ground, a lot off failed or poor crops

[Alycidon]

Guys would you put hoppers out or plant a food crop aswell or both? How many feeders per acre or is it per number of birds? Cheers

 

Put hoppers in as well. how many depends on how many birds are likely to be in occupation. For a one acre plot I aim at 6 x 45 gall barrels + drinkers, some are more some less. We shoot 80-150 bird days over 8 drives so not usually that many in any given drive.

 

A

[webber]

Feeder ratios that we try to work to are:

Poults in release pen = 1 : 20 poults

Birds to wood = 1: 10 birds.

 

Smaller feeders are better than large ones.

If one blocks up, goes empty, falls over, or gets dominated by a cock etc. its not a disaster as there are plenty of other feeders available.

Moving the feeders a yard or two each week prevents the build up of mess around the feeder and reduces the risk of spreading disease etc.

Its more difficult to move the 45 gallon type drums.

 

webber