H2 LETTERS TO YOUNG SHOOTERS LETTER 



Once put such attractive food as ants' eggs or 

 maggots before young pheasants, and it is difficult 

 to persuade them to eat anything else. 



These dainties should only be given as a change 

 when the birds appear sickly and out of appetite, for 

 they will never refuse such tempting morsels. 



At all times be careful the food you give your 

 young birds is fresh and sweet, and is mixed only as 

 required just before each feed. Scald with boiling 

 water, and scrub clean all utensils used for feeding ; 

 employ tin in preference to wood, as the latter absorbs 

 moisture and is apt to become foul, and to retain 

 stale scraps of food in joints and crevices. 



FOE THE FIRST WEEK 



Feed young pheasants every two hours on custard, 

 with a sprinkling of fine oatmeal mixed in a dry state 

 with the custard. You cannot give them anything 

 better, or that is more suitable, than good sweet 

 custard ; this food is much more wholesome for quite 

 small chicks than hard-boiled eggs, the white part of 

 which, if left a short time on the ground in the sun, 

 becomes of the indigestible consistency of leather. 



If, however, milk is unobtainable we shall be 

 obliged to feed our young pheasants for the first 

 week, as well as afterwards, on hard-boiled eggs 

 instead of custard ; in such case be careful to chop 



