MANAGEMENT OF PHEASANTS IN AVIARIES 



TtKCIITJEED COIYBICHT. 



♦ FEEDING TROUGH 



fashion. No doubt there is a reason why a male bird should 

 take a dislike to one member of the harem and not the rest, 

 but it seems to be a case of " the more I see of you the more 

 detestable your presence becomes," and so the persecution 

 continues. 



In the handling of birds, for their removal to the 

 pheasantry, a good deal of tact is 

 requisite, though some keepers catch 

 hold of birds so roughly that half 

 their plumage is destroyed. 



The author believes in handling 

 the birds by their legs, thus avoiding 

 damage to plumage. 



The best time for putting the 

 Pheasants in the pens is at night, and the easiest time to 

 catch the birds in the traps for the pens is during a snow- 

 storm. If the pit-traps are used, some maize should be 

 thrown into the holes as a decoy previous to the setting 

 of the trap. All aviaries require perches. Regarding the 

 question of age for stock birds, 

 two-year-old cock birds are the 

 best, and these should be mated 

 with one-year-old hens. Make it 

 a point to always keep a supply 

 of two-year-old cocks and one- 

 year-old hens. 



Pheasants in aviaries require 

 to be fed night and morning, 



one meal consisting of soft food and the other of hard. A 

 free supply of pure water and plenty of grit are indispensable. 

 Oats, barley, kibble beans, peas, lentils, and greaves, or a 



* The feeding troughs depicted are the registered designs of Messrs 

 Boulton & Paul. 



131 



♦patent feeding trough 



