60 ^ FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



An extensive amount of new battery brooder equipment was in 

 operation. This material is proving very satisfactory at the larger units 

 and it is felt that the equipment will prove even more efficient when new 

 housing facilities can be provided. However, it was found that these bat- 

 teries are most efficient only with large numbers of birds. The small units, 

 receiving as few as 500 day-old chicks per week, find the battery brooder 

 method is not as efficient as the old method of brooding by pens. 



Requests for bulletins and other information were received from 

 many sources, including several from soldiers still in the armed forces 

 who apparently were interested in the possibility of entering into upland 

 game bird farming when they returned to civilian life. 



During the biennium, pheasants of the Chinese and Mongolian varie- 

 ties produced well at the various game farms. The hens averaged about 

 55 eggs per season. Losses due to cracked, culled and infertile eggs totaled 

 approximately 15 percent. Not all of the chicks were up to standard and 

 some were disposed of. Of the total eggs set, approximately 65 percent 

 hatched into A-1 chicks. 



The egg production of the Chukar partridge was about 40 eggs per 

 hen. Normal losses were incurred from infertile, cracked and culled eggs, 

 and substandard chicks. About 65 percent of the eggs set hatched into 

 A-1 chicks. 



The bureau found that valley quail are the most difficult to raise, 

 probably because of their susceptibility to various diseases when con- 

 centrated in pens. Egg production of the valley quail was comparable 

 with that of Chukar partridge. Infertility was approximately 20 per- 

 cent, and the hatchability of all quail eggs set was approximately 70 

 percent. 



A total of 114,075 birds were distributed from the Yountville and 

 Los Serranos Game Farms during the biennium. This figure includes 

 many transfers of day old chicks, and these birds suffered the normal 

 casualties incident to work of this nature. A proportion of the total dis- 

 tribution was utilized as breeding stock at smaller units. During the two 

 years, despite all handicaps, a total of 65,638 birds were liberated. 



A tabulation by counties, showing the number of game birds, includ- 

 ing quail, pheasant, turkeys and Chukars, which were liberated will be 

 found on page 138 of the appendix. 



