Dr. Rob Howard says: "There are a variety of acceptable diets for growing game birds and ducks. I think it's great that so many of those writing in the Gazette each issue tell about the diets they are using for their birds (very helpful for beginners especially). Obviously, buying a game bird or turkey starter crumble feed is the simplest way to feed quail, pheasants, and partridges after they hatch. It can often be found at feed and farm supply stores or coops. There are several good national brands available specifically for gamebirds and ducks, including Purina and Mazuri, which are very popular. The starter feed should contain about 26-28 percent protein and be provided for about the first six weeks. We change the diet to a grower feed containing about 20 percent protein from about 7 to 14 weeks of age. After that, the protein requirement is even less and can be around 15 percent. After the young are 4 weeks old, part of the diet can be in the form of grain if grit is made available."

Says Laurie Taylor, in part, "I got my first issue of the Gazette and am enjoying all the pictures and good info and tips. Found a hatching egg supplier (coturnix quail and chukars) listed in the magazine who is located right near me. I was pleased to find you can order eggs and chicks of types all thru the year. Good thing I joined the magazine! Thanks for a wonderful publication."

Nancy Goodman writes, "I'm fairly new to raising gamebirds and have found your Gazette a priceless resource for birds, supplies, equipment, and reliable information on breeding methods. I like the detailed explanations the writers to your magazine provide in print. I heard it was great but it has exceeding my expectations. I've ordered a lot of birds out of the classifieds which have all been delivered to me by the post office in good health and condition. I have found the breeder listings in Gazette to be more reliable than those I found on my own searching the web. The Mountain quail is my current breeding project. They are so handsome...love those two crest feathers. Some day I'd also like to get into Mearn quail. They're something else!" In the Gazette is a detailed article and pictures on Mountain Quail by Tom Kehler.

On keeping peafowl, Rosalie Adams said in part, "Peafowl are easy to keep and breed. The India Blue and its mutations are best if you are located in a colder climate. The Green Peafowl are more tropical and need to go inside during cold weather. Many people have lettheir India Blues roam about freely but we keep ours in pens. We really enjoyed the articles on the peafowl chicks in the last couple Gazette issues."

The peafowl are fed the same as my other pheasants, the adults get Mazuri Pheasant Maintenance food along with mixed grains and greens. The Mazuri is a very high quality feed put out by Purina Mills and can be a complete diet in itself. Peafowl are actually pheasants and can be fed the normal pheasant diet.

Clutch sizes in my Blue Peafowl range from about 4 - 9 buff to pale creamy white eggs which take about 27-29 days to hatch. The Green Peafowl lays 4-6 eggs in a clutch with an incubation period of 28 days. They eggs are somewhat larger in size tha those of the more common India Blue Peafowl. Peafowl are pheasants so you can have them shipped to you through the post office." There is terrific information on peafowl coming out in the very next edition of the Gazette!

John Wallace says: "Peafowl molt in the late summer, and second year males will develop the full extent of their color except for the tail which will be short and will not have the "eyes" yet. The tail becomes longer in each succeeding molt for the first five or six years of the cock's life.The Blue Peacock is mature at two years of age, and the hens are also mature and often begin laying the second year, but the Pied and the Black-shouldered hens (color phases or mutation of the Blue Peafowl) often lay fertile eggs in the first year. Peahens usually lay from 5 to 8 eggs to a clutch, and if these eggs are removed, they will often lay again. Several clutches can be had if the hens are not allowed to sit."

Shown at left is Karl Milner of Lakenvelder Farm, Gillette, Wyoming, holding two of his fine India Blue Peafowl. There is an excellent article and great pictures by Karl in the the Gazette on how to breed pheasants and quail right through the fall and winter months! Also a fabulous article and pictures on button quail (see picture of one of Karl's gorgeous pair of button quail at right). To view all that is available from Lakenvelder Farm go to their web site at www.lakenvelderfarm.com.

We receive many questions about how to properly catch and handle ducks and other birds (example of golden-eye duck being correctly held at right), how to clip or pinion waterfowl and gamebirds, and how to keep them in the best feather condition. Answers to questions like these appear in the printed magazine.

Adult gamebirds such as quail, pheasants, partridges, ducks, geese and swans can be conveniently mailed through the U. S. postal service express mail using an approved shipping container. Horizon Micro-Environments has an outstanding line of approved shipping containers. You will also find postal service mailing information for birds at their website.

Quail Pheasant And Duck Breeding News 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

More Helpful Links:

Gamebird.com Shopping Center

Coturnix quail

Bobwhite quail

Button quail

Peacocks

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