Game Bird Breeding
News And Views
Raising Quail, Pheasants, Partridges,
Peacocks, Ducks & Other Gamebirds!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Editors' note: We receive hundreds of questions each week from website visitors on keeping and breeding game birds, incuding housing, feeding, breeding, incubation, hatching, feeding and brooding methods. Also, how to market, ship or receive eggs, chicks and adult game birds. You'll find great information and pictures on keeping and breeding gamebirds in the upcoming edition of the Gazette to help you get ready for spring breeding season! In the magazine you'll also find eggs, chicks, ducklings and adults from many reputable and reliable breeders. You can subscribe to the magazine and have your first issue sent out to you within 24 hours by visiting our secure and convenient online subscription order page.
Says Gustavo Gomez, "Raising bobwhite, coturnix, button quail, California Valleys, scaled, and other quail either as a hobby or for hunting is very popular here in California. Many of the game birds can be kept in a small backyard which makes them desirable for people like me who live in urban areas. I think the Gazette is a fantastic resource for information and birds for getting started with gamebirds. I found the magazine through the University of California website. I like the fact that most game bird farms in the magazine provide street addresses and phone numbers. I ordered my first bobwhite quail eggs out of the Gazette classifieds and nearly 100% of the eggs hatched! Our family plans to start selling blown eggs for decorative use which is hugely popular right now.
Also want to mention that I love the emphasis on education and opportunities for young people in the magazine."
In the Gazette appeared a super article and pictures by John Kerr of Duck Haven Farm telling all about how they keep, breed, and market gamebirds (including bobwhite quail, chukars, and ringneck pheasants) and ducks. Jenny, one of his daughters, is shown (at right) with newly hatched ringneck pheasant chicks. A beautiful pair of ringneck pheasant is on the cover of the Gazette above. There is information on how to incubate, hatch, and raise all the pheasants and all the different gamebirds in every edition of the magazine.
We receive many inquiries about diets for game birds and waterfowl. There is much about feeding and nutrition in each issue of the Gazette. An extremely popular feed among game bird and waterfowl breeders are the Mazuri Waterfowl Diets by Purina Mills, Inc. It is often mentioned as the diet of choice by many successful breeders writing about their breeding experiences in the Gazette. This feed is of the highest quality and formulated especially for these types of birds. To locate a dealer nearest to you or for more information check out their website at www.mazuri.com or call 1-800-227-8941.
More and more people are raising quail and producing eggs to supplement their incomes. Coturnix are a type of quail that are easy to
keep and breed in small cages and some hens will produce up to 200 or more eggs during their first year. So just about anyone can raise coturnix and produce eggs to sell, even if you don't have much space.
Japanese Coturnix Quail (pictured at right) have been an important source of meat and eggs in Japan and other countries for a long time. Coturnix can be a good sport bird and are also often used in field trials and to train gun dogs. Pickled coturnix eggs are an increasingly popular gourm
et food item. Another market for the eggs is from egg crafters, as the distinctive mottled brown eggs are used for decorative purposes. Coturnix quail are often sold to laboratories and used in research, as they can thrive in small cages and are capable of producing several generations in a single year. You will find many quail and eggs listing in every issue of the Game Bird Gazette. Whether you want to produce just a few coturnix or thousands of quail and or eggs in larger scale production, the Gazette is an invaluable resource!
The Gazette office receives many inquiries on where to obtain leg and wing bands for game bird identification. One of the advertisers in the magazine and an excellent source of leg and wing bands is the National Band and Tag Co. They have been in business since 1902 and are an excellent source of bands as well as blinders and bits for preventing cannibalism in gamebirds and poultry. This is a family run business and is recipient of the Tri-State Family Operated Business of the Year Award from the University of Cincinnati. Check out their ad in the Gazette and go to their web site at www.nationalband.com where you can see all that is available.
Donna Marsden writes, "I just go my first issue of the Gazette and am enjoying it tremendously! Fantastic articles and tips on raising game birds. I wanted to mention how important it is to buy quality stock from reputable game farms. It's also essential to read up and be prepared before purchasing your first eggs, chicks or adult quail, pheasant, or ducks. I would have made a lot of mistakes if I had not found the Game Bird Gazette. Thanks for a such as wonderful and informative magazine and website!"
Linda Kerry writes, "We received our first issue of the Gazette and it has already answered a lot of questions we had about how to care for our gamebirds and waterfowl (ducks and geese). Interesting how so many game bird farms breed and sell both ducks and the upland game birds like chukars (on Gazette cover above left), quail and pheasants. The people writing in there are so knowledgeable and they are really friendly, too! We are so glad we found the Gazette and such great people and places to find birds and eggs. We love the pictures in the magazine!"
Says Robin Hansen, "I just received my first Gazette and it's fantastic! The article and pictures on Mo
untain Quail by George Johansen really caught my attention! What a magnificent quail this is... Love the way he describes how he raises his quail in such detail. In fact, I loved all the articles and pictures on quail, pheasants, and partridges... I've never seen a magazine where so many different breeders tell you exactly how they do things and with so many pictures. It's wonderful that people share their knowledge and experiences so freely in the magazine to help others!" In the next Gazette will be much more on Mountain and other types of quail, including the fabulous Mearns Quail (Mearns Quail male shown at right). Most quail and many other kinds of gamebirds are available for sale in every issue of the magazine.
From Debbie Rosen, "I visited the Michigan State University web site and some of the other state university poultry sites looking for info (and reliable sources for birds) on how to get started raising ducks, pheasants, chukars and quail. At the university website, it says the Gazette has all the information required to raise game birds. We subscribed to the magazine and are very happy with it. The magazine is a fantastic source for eggs, chicks, breeder birds, incubators. I've also purchased some of the good books and the vionate vitamin supplement at the Gamebird.com webstore. This has been helpful -- the birds love it! What a wonderful business or hobby… especially for the kids!"
Betsy Thatcher in England writes, "I bought a book on game bird breeding and care and saw where the book's author references and highly recommends your Gazette. I saw in this book that there are dozens of references to the articles and pictures in your Gazette magazine. And my friend, who breeds quail and pheasants, also said your magazine is of great help to him. So I thought to myself, 'I must have your publication for myself!' I want to tell you that I am very, very impressed with my first issue. I can see why there are so many recommendations everywhere for this magazine. I am in turn recommending your Gazette to others here in the United Kingdom. Thank you for a great magazine."
Says Thomas Cole, in part, "I had heard the Gazette is great with articles and pictures from all over the place, but it has far exceeded my expectations. The info on pens (and super pictures) and how to do all the different things--breeding, feeding, incubation, brooding and shipping is amazing. I didn't know exactly how to ship or receive eggs and birds. Or, where I would purchase netting, incubators, books, and other stuff I'll need for my game bird farm. Well, my questions have been answered thanks to the Gazette! The care and feeding tips are really insightful. The Gazette is the best "how to" publication I have ever seen."
Incubating And Hatching Gamebird Eggs & Other Products Offered in the Gazette
One of the world's leading manufacturers of incubators and other products for hatching and rearing gamebirds is Brinsea Products, Inc. Shown at right is the R-com 3 egg incubator whic
h is great for kids especially. Although desi
gned in Korea as an educational toy, the R-com really works so buyers must be prepared for the welfare of newly hatched chicks! Three hens eggs are gently warmed and turned automatically as they incubate and the display even counts down each day to tell you when they are due to hatch. Shown in the picture at left (photo by Frank Pearce) is Brinsea staff member, Pascale Deffieux, showing chicks hatched in a Brinsea Octagon 20 Incubator. This machine is also fitted with the H22 Humidity Management Module. Pascale takes care of Brinsea's export business from Florida. She can talk about incubation to customers in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. Go to the Brinsea Products website for information on the outstanding range of incubators, brooders, and other great products that are available. You can reach Brinsea by phone at 888-667-7009.
Another excellent manufactuer of incubators and other equipment you'll find in the Gazette is GQF Manufacturing Co. of Savannah, Georgia. In addition to incubators and accessories, GQF sells brooders and heaters, breeding pens, feeders, waterers and systems, healthcare items and much more.
You will find helpful information on pens and aviaries in every issue of the Gazette. Netting is very popular among game bird breeders in covering all or portions of pens and enclosures for all types of game birds and waterfowl. The advantages of netting include its flexibility which helps to prevent injuries. One of the oldest and best sources of high quality netting is the J. A. Cissel & Co. of Lakewood, New Jersey. You can go directly to their website at www.jacissel.net. E:mail: info@jacissel.net. Or, you can call them toll free at 800-631-2234. You can also buy catching nets other products for your game farm from them.
Another excellent company advertising in the magazine is Endurance Net www.endurancenetinc.com which of
fers knitted nets, knotted nets, privacy screen
, shade screen, and other outstanding accessories and products.Their e-mail is endurancenet@aol.com or phone them toll free at 800-808-6387.
One of the best and most reliable sources for game bird and poultry equipment and products (including parts and supplies) is Gillis Agricultural Systems of Willmar, Minnesota. Among the excellent products they offer are feeding systems, drinker systems, hanging feeders and waterers, pens, game bird netting, nests, incubators, brooders, heaters, peepers, catching nets, leg bands, etc. Contact Gillis Agricultural Systems by phone toll free at 800-992-8986 and visit their website at www.gillisag.com to see all of the products offered. They have a free catalog that is available upon request.
Fedex and UPS are under contract with the U. S. postal service to transport live birds for the post office as mail. This is very important to our industry. Requiring postal service contractors to carry lives for the post office is something the Gazette has advocated for years, and we must work to ensure that the service continues and is improved. Included among the species and breeds allowed to be mailed by the post office (see domestic mail manual) include quail, pheasants, partridges, doves, pigeons, turkeys, guinea fowl, ducks, geese, swans, etc. Many game bird breeders around the country are reporting a big improvement in mailing their birds through the post office. Go to our bird shipping pages for more information.
The Gazette office receives many inquiries on where to obtain leg and wing bands for game bird identification. One of the advertisers in the magazine and an excellent source of leg and wing bands is the National Band and Tag Co. They have been in business since 1902 and are an excellent source of bands as well as blinders and bits for preventing cannibalism in gamebirds and poultry. This is a family run business and is recipient of the Tri-State Family Operated Business of the Year Award from the University of
Cincinnati. Check out their ad in the Gazette and go to their web site at www.nationalband.com where you can see all that is available.
Another outstanding source for quality meshes for pens and cages is Louis E. Page, Inc. Products available include hexagonal netting, welded wire mesh, top netting, earth anchors, hog rings, pliers and more... They have been serving the industry since 1893! You can call them toll free at 800-225-0508. Or visit wirefenconline.com
When producing ringneck pheasants and other gamebirds, feather picking must be prevented. Proper game bird farm management and nutrition is essential in preventing this problem. An anti-pick device used by many producers is manufactured by Feathered Flyer Co., 353 Quarterhorse Lane, Paso Robles, CA 93446. Phone 805-238-0758. E-mail: joerodz2@att.net. Susan and Joe Errotabere, owners of Feathered Flyer Co., tell us that the shields provide dual protection for game birds with both a sight and physical barrier that protects birds from picking. The device enables ringneck pheasant producers to increase pen density while maintaining quality appearance and tails, along with superior flight characteristics. The picking device is made of durable plastic which lasts up to five years. See their advertisement in the Gazette.
Many breeders of certain types of game birds and ducks provide their birds with live food such as mealworms. Some breeders feed a handful or two of mealworms to their birds throughout the year to help ensure nutritional adequacy. Some producers believe that mealworms or other live food helps to stimulate breeding activities. Live food (most often mealworms because they are easy to feed) are also used by many breeders for starting their chicks of some of the species of quail, partridges, pheasants, guinea fowl, tinamous, grouse, doves, ducks, and other gamebirds. Techniques and considerations in providing live food is a subject you will find in the next issue of the Gazette. One of the best known companies producing mealworms with an advertisement in the magazine is Rainbow Mealworms of Compton, California. Their web site is www.rainbowmealworms.net phone 310-635-1494.
Go to Quail Pheasant And Duck Breeding News Page 2
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Quail, bobwhite quail, coturnix quail, ringneck pheasant
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