In Corbett National Park, in the foothill valleys of the Himalayas, red 
junglefowl and black francolins commingled in brushy patches and along 
forest edges. Penned francolins in India were never seen to fight with 
other species of game birds with which they were experimentally con- 
fined, even during the breeding season. Nor were there other indica- 
tions of incompatibility. 
Breeding and Raising 
Except with wild-trapped stock the black francolin is quite easy 
to breed and rear in captivity. Females caught in the wild usually 
do not produce many fertile eggs before their third year in captivity. 
First or second generation stock may be expected to produce from 15 to 
25 eggs per laying female providing they are given plenty of cover in 
the pen and are not unduly disturbed. The record, to date, is an aver- 
age of 31.4 eggs per female penned on the Virginia State game farm in 
1962, The breeders and young may be handled much the same as wild- 
trapped bobwhites except that day-old chicks are much more nervous and 
subject to loss from fright. The major considerations, in propagating 
francolin may be summarized as follows: 
Breeding -- Pair the breeders 1:1 to 1:3. Do not flock mate. 
Move them to breeding pens in late winter, Pens 4x8 x6to9x12 x 6 
feet work well as breeding pens providing there is plenty of low cover 
inside in which to hide. Where visitors are common, pens. should be 
partially screened with burlap or canvas to keep the anxiety factor in 
females as low as possible. Provide food and water as for bobwhite quail. 
Eggs -- In the southern States the period of egg laying in captivity 
normally extends from April through June. Eggs may be collected daily 
and stored, big end up, at 45-to 65° F for not over 10 days before incu- 
bation. Turn eggs at least twice a day. 
Incubation -~ As for bobwhite eggs. If placed in an agitated-air 
(fan type) incubator, they should be .removed to a still-air: (flat top) 
machine for hatching. Incubation period 19 to 20 days. 
Brooding -- As for bobwhite except that greater care, not to 
frighten the young chicks, is. advisable. 
Rearing -- Young birds may be shifted from brooder to rearing pens 
at 5 to. 6 weeks of age if desired. Handle.as for ‘bobwhite, pheasants or. 
chukars,. 
Conditioning -- If birds are reared for trial liberation they should 
be conditioned for survival in the wild by first spending at least 3 to 
4 weeks in a conditioning pen where they can fly readily and become ac- 
quainted to some extent with the general type of food and cover that they 
will encounter following release. Breeding pens 9 x 12 x 6 feet can be 
used for this but much larger covered pens are desirable. If the: pen is 
covered with 3/4 to 1 inch mesh netting young birds may be liberated 
therein at’ 6 to.7 weeks of age without fear of escape through the mesh. 
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