Kes Posted July 23, 2013 Report Share Posted July 23, 2013 (edited) We are finding the weather has helped enormously this year although maintaining water supply needs a couple of visits a day. Very few birds have left the pen after 4 weeks. We are trying a black neck variety and I'm wondering if we may have to shoot them on the ground they are so laid back and happy ! What are yours like ? We have no disease - touch wood - trust you are all as lucky. Cheers Edited July 23, 2013 by Kes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted July 23, 2013 Report Share Posted July 23, 2013 Opened our pop-holes about two weeks ago and pen is now completely empty of pheasants,and most of the Partridge have now gone also.Last years cocks were enticing the hens out and they came and went as they pleased so we opened the pop-holes to make it easier for them.Some venture back in from time to time but mostly they have disappeared;funny how they all start to turn up again prior to the season ......fingers crossed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted July 23, 2013 Report Share Posted July 23, 2013 our birds are looking very good, happy bright but laid back, no major problems to speak of but we have a piped untreated water supply which needs a bit of attension with virkon s from time to time we don't close pop holes just dog in every night, and looking around the pens tonight they're all there eating loads of food! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted July 23, 2013 Report Share Posted July 23, 2013 could do with rain for the cover crops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted July 24, 2013 Report Share Posted July 24, 2013 Ours were doing really well till buzzard issues but other than that they were roosting well the first day in. Push any that are out back in each night and keeping them in as long as we can, as harvest is still a while off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikkel Posted July 24, 2013 Report Share Posted July 24, 2013 Our poults was very happy on release day but already the day after they were very shy. They will only use the feeders and do not search the ground which i also feed on. Yesterday they seemed to be a bit more happy but today the pen had been attacked by a buzzard or something leaving the poults scared a have not eaten all of the feed. I only found one dead poult that also was pecked for feathers. I am using SCA grower pellets and usually the poults loves it. Any advice you guys have would be warmed welcomed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosmos05 Posted July 25, 2013 Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 Hang CDs from trees may just scare the buzzards off seams to work for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taffyshooter Posted July 25, 2013 Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 Pen birds are doing fine - we've gone with Manchurian X's this year and they seem to cope well with the heat. Good few wild broods knockin about too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikkel Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Hi all I rationed the feed giving half of what they should have and that got them out on the feed ride and they seemed eager to eat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIDES EDGE Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 My ducks are fine ,eating food like only ducks can and are just starting to fly ,but then ducks always do well. Pheasants are very good this year unlike last year when they had just about every disease going due to the wet weather, the pen is on mains water into a header tank which is just as well they drank 600 litres in two days during the very hot spell. The maize is just staring to take off and grow properly but the blocks of Utopia on the ends of the maize have strugled due to the lack of rain and now we have had it I suspect it will grow ,unfortunatley the poults are now out and heading towards the nearest block and will eat every last bit ( just like they did on the farmers rape two years ago ). Partridge due in any time now but as the pens are on maize I am not chasing for delivery as every day will help with the growth inside , harvest is going to be late so catching up with the foxes is hard just have to try and get them on the headlands . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
part timer Posted August 1, 2013 Report Share Posted August 1, 2013 Pheasants are doing well considering they have only had one dry night. Eating lots of food but wasted a lot from the spirals we had in the hoppers now changed and having to work a bit harder. The only good thing about the rain is it keeps the buzzards off the pheasants. Then the sun comes out and they are nervous wrecks again. Ducks coming this weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikkel Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 Pheasants are doing well considering they have only had one dry night. Eating lots of food but wasted a lot from the spirals we had in the hoppers now changed and having to work a bit harder. The only good thing about the rain is it keeps the buzzards off the pheasants. Then the sun comes out and they are nervous wrecks again. Ducks coming this weekend Isn't that late to put down ducks? Of cause it depends on when you want to shoot them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
part timer Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 Dont shoot the ducks until November Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ostrea Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 (edited) Birds arrived yesterday everything fine this morning. checked the first pen this afternoon everything fine birds happy, second pen seemed quiet as I approached went in and as I was walking through the pen Buzzard took off and one eaten poult the second half eaten rest of the birds huddled together in one corner. Brds are 7 weeks old and wings clipped. We have CDs hanging everywhere going to put some netting up Tom and kiddies windmills any other suggestions? Edited August 2, 2013 by ostrea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotShot! Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 first night nerves for me tonight.................... :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordripon Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 first night nerves for me tonight.................... :blink: nerves are natures way of making you sharp, when you need to be! it will be fine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilberts1989 Posted August 3, 2013 Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 (edited) We have 4 buzzards and the seem to not bother with the pens at all. To be fair every time I see one of the buzzards, it's being attacked by 2 or more crows Edited August 3, 2013 by Gilberts1989 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tia Posted August 6, 2013 Report Share Posted August 6, 2013 Just back from checking mine,went out about 8 30 with dogs and spotted fox heading towards my pen!! First night I never took rifle. Got radios playing all night around pen so hopefully this will keep it away. Be out first light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave C Posted August 9, 2013 Report Share Posted August 9, 2013 Ours have been in the pens 1 week now, all is calm, hope it stays that way B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIDES EDGE Posted August 13, 2013 Report Share Posted August 13, 2013 Up date on my earlier post. Partridge arrived Saturday and so far are all ok. Does any one know why they peck at the wooden boards at the bottom of the pen sections I have thought abut this for years and still havent come up with an answer. Pheasants and ducks continue to do well ,maize is growing but the utopia is still very poor and looks like it will not be much use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted August 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2013 Update on ours, must be about six weeks since we received our pheasants and they started to leave the pen about 2 weeks ago. Still plenty in the pen but maybe 50%. Wheat out in the feeders on drives and they must be wandering a bit as our neighbour has set up his feeders to attract them to his land adjacent. Some people are just not sportsmen - he puts none down. So far no major problems - birds are big and healthy - we had a gapes scare but treated immediately and saw no more. The weather here has been just about perfect not much rain early a bit later to help the cover crops (which I thought were lost at one stage), plenty of sun and birds which like home. Lets hope the good things translate into a good shooting season. Good luck to all keepers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr baddoo Posted August 13, 2013 Report Share Posted August 13, 2013 Every shoot has neighbours like you, have a quiet word with him, failing that kick his head in! Should do the trick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted August 13, 2013 Report Share Posted August 13, 2013 thats up there with the best moronic posts on PW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pole Star Posted August 13, 2013 Report Share Posted August 13, 2013 Every shoot has neighbours like you, have a quiet word with him, failing that kick his head in! Should do the trick! Do you actually have a shotgun cert ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pole Star Posted August 13, 2013 Report Share Posted August 13, 2013 The wild pheasants up here in Orkney have had a good season & I have seen clutches all over despite what some on here moan about winged predators ! , just seen 5 wild poults from where I sit at my pc & we have all sorts of birds of prey . But the farmer next door told me of a case when a shooting friend of his slowed down in his car to let a hen & her poults cross the country road when a car came from behind & just ran over the lot , blind idiot drivers are a bigger threat to pheasant stocks than birds of prey . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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