PHEASANTS IN COVERT AND AVIARY 



are seldom properly softened right through, and a food pre- 

 pared thus can hardly be described as perfect. Always allow 

 scalded material time to cool, as the digestive organs of young 

 Pheasants can only be weakened by being scalded also. A 

 reasonable interval should elapse after the preparation of a 

 feed before it is scattered to the broods ; it is not necessary to 

 leave it so long that fermentation sets in, but a sufficient time 

 for the whole to become imbued with the different flavour- 

 ing ingredients which every rearer employs to tempt the 

 birds' appetites. The flavour of the greaves will also permeate 

 the whole mass if it is covered over in the feeding vessel, 

 and then there will be less picking and choosing on the part of 

 the birds. Food permitted to become stale after mixing is 

 supposed to be exceedingly harmful to the birds if fed with 

 it, but it is nothing like so injurious as that which has also 

 fermented. The latter is positive poison, and the effects of 

 having eaten it soon make themselves apparent in the birds. 



It should not be forgotten that the ingredients may be 

 stale before the food is mixed, and in that case the prepara- 

 tion when ready to give the birds cannot be otherwise. The 

 greatest care should be observed to see that all materials are 

 fresh when delivered, the local miller being a great sinner in 

 that respect. The meal he supplies may have been a long 

 time ground, or the corn originally mildewed or stale. He is 

 hard to convince of the stern necessity of supplying only the 

 freshest meals prepared from dry, sound cereals, and imagines 

 that what will not kill a pig is good enough for young 

 Pheasants. 



At first it is very little that the chicks require, and nothing 

 is to be gained from over-feeding them. Always throw down 

 their food within reach of the hen, for she will not only do her 

 best to teach them to eat, but also clear up any left over, and 

 where this plan is followed there is little risk of the chicks 



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