Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-23

similar TO those Of the pheasant and
bob-whife, or quail. and the breeding
of these game birds will not present
special difficulties to persons VINO
can raise chickens successfully. Phea-
SAINTS and other game birds are
naturally timid. but they can be sue
cessfully propagated in enclosed pens.
Naturalists and game breeders Will
handle surplus stock at prohtabie
prices. Mallard ducks will not give
the domestic duck fancier trouble
For the person who has some wood
ed land and natural love Tor the
beautiful, there is no more pleas
urable and profitable occupation than
the propagation of game birds Tor breed
ing purposes. stocking of game preserves,
or even home consumption. Consider
ing the fact that all breeds of domestic
poultrv are generally believed to have
originated from the wild jungle fowl of
India. and that these Asiatic wild fowls
are quite similar to the phcasants IN
their habits, 1t Is remarkable that poultry
fauciers have not given the same atten-
ton and study to the pheasant famty
as TO the numerous breeds OF standard
bred poultry.
The latter have been constantly dcvel-
oped toward an ideal representing Ger
tain breeders conception OF beauty
Had the many varieties OF pheasants
been rs intellgently bred TO ideals and
equally domcsticated 1t is impossible
TO realize the beauties Of form and color
these game birds would have shown IN
the exhibition pen.
RINGNECK PHEhSANTS.
L , n.,f
Is essentially game bird. and which
can be confidently recommended 10
amateur game breeders anywhere III the
| United States. This excellent variety
| the Ringneck introduced into ing
| land from China more than century
ago. and. crossed with the Roman game
| bird, the English Pheasant, has formed
| a strain of Ringnecks that are as easy TO
rear TO maturity as domestic poultry, II
| the more nervous temperament and the
| greater meat-eating desires OF the phcas-
| ant are satisfied These pheasants, pro-
| durable in our country from breeders OF
| game birds who advertise in hunting
! maga zines. or through the American
| Game Protective Association, cost from
| three TO seven dollars each.
| While further information Is being
| obtained and during the placing OF the
/ order. it is well to inquire from your
! game warden or department OF agrl-
| culture, whether a game breeders II
| censc is necessary. Some States require
YOU 10 take out such a license at a noml-
| nal fee, permitting YOU to breed,
buv and sell any kind Of game birds
alive or dead. The laws are 80 different
| in the thirty States in which they are
enforced. il Is impossible TO discuss them
here. Bulletin 9l0. Game Laws" OBJ
tainable from the Department OF Agri-
culture, Washington, ID. G., should be
procured.
| At this season Of the year q commence
ment can be made in pheasant breeding
| either bv purchasing breeding pen con-
| sisting Of a cock and four hens, or several
sittings of eggs for Matching. The latter
cannot be obtained until April or May,
so YOU still have time to order the breed
| ers and get them accustomed TO their
new quarters before the laying season
| begins. Starting with breeders prefer
| ably two-year, tested specimens Is my
| Recommendation, because you are then
| boss Of the situation.
Before the breeders arrive, construct
| frame II by 10 by Z feet high OF =
! inch square material with door feet
WIDE near the northwest corner. Cover
| the frame and door with 2-lnch mesh
wire netting Insert other pieces Of by
rs about 3 feet above the bottom, and
| cover this lower space with heavy root
| ing paper. thereby making the pen
| more secluded Dump a wheelbarrOw
| load Of creek sand In one corner and
bank evergreens along the east side 70
| form a rOosting and laying shelter. The
pen should not be removed too far from
| the house. 1t should be placed in q
sheltered position from bad storms.
| Pheasants can stand more cold than
chickens, but they suffer from the heat,
| so that in the southern States the pen
should be partially shaded by trees IN
| the middle of the day.
CARING FOR THE BREEDERS.
On the arrival of the pheasants, scat
! ter a few handfuls Of good quality,
small and cracked grains Scratching
food some chick-size oyster shell and
| charcoal on the ground In a litter of
straw or old leaves Provide dish OF
( fresh water. Take the crate inside the
| pen If the wings have not been clipped,
/ hold each bird firmly In two hands and
| have an assistant clip off the greater
portion of the long feathers on one wing
| TO prevent injury TO the birds flying
! against wire if suddenly alarmed. Keep
/ away from the pen until next morning
| Feed grain in litter twice daily In winter
| At the commencement OF the breeding
! season. about March ] feed laying
| mash ID the morning and continue the
( scratching grain at night. a tested
| allv cut up onions or lettuce, or pulp
| turnips or Inangels, and add ten per cent
| Of this vegetable food to the mash
| Nests are Unnecessary, as the hens lay
under cover. First eggs are laid In the
north about April /; three weeks earlier
| In the south. Gather eggs twice daily
If the birds eat eggs, feed empty egg
shells until they are satisfied. KecI
| eggs cool 80 TO 60 degrees) and do no
turn them Use eggs for Matching not
over ten days old, although eggs thre,
weeks old kept cool are worth trying.
| HATCHING AND REARING PHEAsANTs.
| Pheasant eggs are incuhated under sit
ting hens similar to the eggs Of common
chickens Matching period Is twenty
four days BE careful Of lice. When thu
young pheasants are well dried off r.
move the mother and brood To a brood
coop. Keep the mother confined unit
| the pheasants are weaned Place a frame
two feet by three feet by one foot high
ia front Of the coop for first four davs
| then, the young pheasants will know
the call Of the hen and can be allowe,
to range. Sun, shade and insect life ar
| necessary dense thicket or growtI
on q portion OF the rearing field are desir
formula is, wheat lniddlings, 80 pounds
cornmeal, ground oats, wheat bran, 0
each 20 pounds; alfalfa meal and prlm
e