Connecticut western news., 1912-12-05
GAME BIRD PROPAGATION
Timely Article Written by H. K. Job,
 State Ornithologist.

larly those species used for food, the tate Ornithologist of Connecticut. for the state, and under The Storrs Agri- cultural Experiment. Station, has devot- ed much of his time for the past two years to researches, experiments aud ob- seryations ill the propagation and in- crease of the gallinaceous game. birds and the wild-fowl. Various private es- tates and game reserves have allied themselves with the Experiment Station in plan of co operation, and the Orni- thologist has worked with them and also visited and inspected others where game bird rearing is practiced. The re- suit is large fund of important infor- nation, with the assurance that the propagation of game birds will soon be quite generally carried on successfully, for commercial and other purposes. , The key to the new method is that it has been ascertained by experiment. that most, and probably all. kinds or types of gallinaceous game-birds can be raised with hens as. foster mothers, and will follow and remain with them unre- strained in the open, without being shut in. We have tried this out successfully on a small scale, and seen or known it being done by others, with quail, par fridge or ruffed grouse, native Oregon pheasants, several western quails. Hun. garian partridge, wild turkey, and other species.
 90 The mysterious game bird epidemics, one of which carried off our young quail at the Experiment. Station a year ago, when they were nearly full-grown. are not, generally, imported contagious, but troubles. mostly of the digestive tract, which arise, particularly with young birds, under wrong conditions of re- straint, over -crowding and foulinR of the ground. The whole thing reduces itself down to the details of a simple system of technique which is perfectly practicable. Heretofore it has been considered necessary to keep the young birds shut up in order to be able to hold them. Now that experience shows that they can be controlled and captured un- der a system of free range, the whole matter is vastly slmplified, and the prob lem seems in a good way for full practi- cal solution. Some persons. who seem to possess a certain "tact" in handling birds, are able to raise game-blrds, ln- cluding quail. in considerable numbers and have recently done so. Certain de- tails, Of course await further investiga- tion. Yet, pending the outcome of our meteorological and other scientific re- searches, we are learning how to avoid starting these diseases.
 It has been encouraging and amusing to watch broods of young quail fully grown, as late as November, obediently following their bantam foster. mother among the brush and grass in the open pasture. When wanted they can all be enticed by food into a pen. If the plan is to stock that particular locality, the hen is taken away when the young are about two months old, and the little covey remains in the same general To- cality, thoroughly attached to it, and hereafter they take care of themselves. This is the simplest and safest method, as the birds do not have to be caught or handled. A little grain will hold them to their feeding places and help them through the winter. What breeding stock is required each year can be en- ticed into pens. The young, under this regime, are in sort of half-wild state. They can be kept gentle. or soon made thoroughly wild by driving them once or twice. We have done these things with quail, and on one farm this season, brood of young ruffed grouse were reared in this way. The hen matched seven chicks from nine eggs, and reared six of the young cartridges to maturity. She was finally removed, but in early November her covey was still holding together in the brush at the edge of the meadow.
 If cats aud other predatory animals are allowed to range unchecked, of course. they will catch more or less of the young. But on good game farms, with careful supervision, they do not get many. Reasonable care will minimize the loss. Remember that young broods in the wild state are constantly menaced by vermin, yet a good proportion escape. In places where vermin cannot De con- trolled, another method which we have worked out might be used. A large fenced field is used without covering. The hens wander about with the broods, which begin to fly over the fence when they are about month old. but invari- ably wish to return to che hen. The keeper must open the gate for them at first. and in a short time they learn to fly back.
 Another important matter solved has been under either of these free range system the young game birds make most of their own living by foraging, which