New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-08-06
live Y
IN CITY GROUNDS
Several New Britainite Raising
Popular Game Birds

recent movement towards the breed
ing of game birds in domesticated
surroundings. Enthusiasts of this
latest branch Of widespread occupa-
ton are increasing each year. and
this city has several pheasant breed
ers In its confines
Different methods have been tried
by pheasant breeders In this city, one
OF the systems for raising the ring
necks being the adoption Of the
birds natural surroundings during
their growth. A visit to the grounds
of Everett NJ. Williams Of Corbin
avenue, gives an example of this
method.
Mr.. Williams obtained pheasant
eggs from Torrington and put them
under a hen for Matching. Out of
20 eggs, all of them Matched, al
though casualties among the chicks
during the first few days are report
ed heavy. according to the local
poultry breeder. About is of the
chicks lived through the first two
weeks Of their life, the weaker ones
dying off in the first two days. Dur
ing the first two weeks the pheasants
were fed a special brand of feed.
Soon the little chicks are able to
get around. Williams allows them
to roam at large with the brood hen,
who takes care of them adequately.
scratching food for them and gen.
orally seeing that the little balls Of
fluff are kept out Of harms way.
Development Begins
Soon the pheasants begin to de-
velop and lose their cuteness for a
rangy appearance. The feathers are
notified brown at this time and the
chicks are fast runners, scooting
over the ground much faster than
any of the other barnyard fowls.
They are cooped every night but this
practice gives way later on, to allow
them to roost wherever they choose,
still under the able tutelage of the
hen.
After about two months time, the
sex of the birds begins to make itself
recognizable. The cock pheasants
acquire a reddish tinge to their
breasts, while the hens are not
graced with this distinguishing tint.
The tail feathers on the cock pleas
ants also grows much faster than
on the hens. At about this period in
life the youngsters begin to become
antagonistic towards the chickens In
the yard with them and one small
pheasant can easily chase five or six
full grown hens about the yard.
They also begin to discard the lead
ership of the mother hen and take to
roosting farther and farther away
from the barnyard they have grown
up in.
A few mishaps have happened to
the chicks since their freedom, soon
after Matching. One was stepped on
as it crouched In the grass to hide
Another fell prey to a roaming cat
Another fell sick and died-one by
one the birds have come down tc
seven pheasants, all hale and hearty
and pugnacious. Mr.. Williams has
fond hopes Of weathering through
the remaining pheasants until they
are full grown when captivity comes
fairly easy to the game birds.
Try to Fly
A precaution which will soon be
observed by the local breeder is the
clipping o fthe birds wings to pre-
vent them from feeling the urge OF
the great open spaces and flying the
COOP, Several years ago Mr.. Williams
brought several small pheasants
through all the ills that beset pleas
ants only to have them vanish into
the woods one SEPTEMBER morning
never to return.
Another pheasant enthusiast ir
this vicinity is George E. Prentice Of
THE Lodges" Worthington ridge
Berlin. Mr.. Prentice, while he does
not specialize on the raising o.
pheasant chicks, has centered hi
efforts on the procuring of ode
breeds of pheasants A visit to his
coops give the bird lover a view O.
some of the most beautiful pleas
ants living. Mr.. Prentice's pride !!
the Lady Amherst" pheasant, bril-
liantly plumed and as graceful as {
living statue. This bird is endowed
with a black and white ruff at the
nape of the neck which he car
spread to almost four inches width
The hens are without gaudy plum
age, but are trifle larger than thu
ordinary hen pheasant. Other rar'
breeds are included in his collection
some rivalling the beauty of thu
Lady Amherst prize.
Popular Game Bird
Pheasants have taken the plac,
long held by the ruffed grouse a!
the most popular game bird of thi
section of the country Made numer
Gus by law which forbid the hunt
ing OF the brilliantly plumed birds
they are at present fairly wide
spread, and the first day Of the gun
ming season brings in many reports
; of big bags. The law allows two
male pheasant to each gunner pc
day. and hunters are forbidden b,
law to shoot the hen pheasants the.
might encounter. Because of the col
Crful plumage on the male bird, tn,
gender is easily recognized by tn
hunter and few female pheasant
are knocked over by mistake. TIL
birds inhabit stubble fields an
spars"ly brushed woodlands. Thei
chief protection lies in their abilit,
to run very swiftly while out o
sight OF the hunter. although no rea
sportsman ever shoots a running
pheasant. Once put to flight. tn
pheasant is a little slower on tn
wing than a partridge, its heav
tail feathers making it trifle cum
bersome to rise swiftly. However. T.
the inexperienced gunner, it pre-
iscnts an elusive target which waste
a considerable amount of shells il
he rODrS. If a season