Breeding partridges at home. Poultry business in your country house

Breeding partridges at home until recently was experimental in nature. Today, dozens of companies specializing in this field operate in Russia. Allocate breeds that are considered the most prolific. The female can lay one egg a day. There are varieties that are better than others assimilated in the household. Some are bred for ornamental purposes, while others are successfully used to produce high quality meat.

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Top Breeds

The most popular partridge species in Russia and neighboring countries are gray partridges, they live almost everywhere, with the exception of the northern regions. These birds are small in size. The weight of an adult varies from 350 to 600 g. When kept in captivity, body weight usually does not exceed 500 g.

Among all species of partridge, the gray variety is considered the most prolific. In the clutch of the female, over 20 eggs can be found. A laying hen can lay one egg daily. Only after the bird finishes rushing does it begin to incubate.

gray partridge

Another variety of such poultry is the Red Spanish breed. This type adapts well to home conditions. Outwardly, it resembles its relative - the keklik.



red partridge

The Spanish red partridge can be seen in the wild in the mountains of Spain and France. It is mainly bred for decorative purposes.



Breeding Basics

Not the best solution would be open enclosures. The fact is that the partridge not only runs fast, but also flies excellently. She does this, moreover, so noisily that it causes a lot of anxiety to her relatives.



Place organization

The best option would be enclosures, closed on all sides, equipped in a quiet place. There is a list of requirements for the premises where partridges are kept:

• constant heat;
• lack of drafts;
• dry litter;
• enclosure sizes - ranging from 20 to 30 square meters. m. for every 1000 birds.

Cage racks can be installed indoors, but it is better if the birds are given access to the aviary. You can build an aviary for them without using cages.



The aviary must be closed on all sides

Tall grass and shrubs should be planted inside the enclosure. Due to this, an environment as close as possible to natural living conditions is formed. It is necessary to additionally provide places for feeders and water tanks. It is necessary to put them so that in the future it would be possible to conveniently pour food, add water.

During feeding, the escape of the bird is possible. To prevent this, a vestibule is certainly arranged at the entrance. Feeders should be shallow and wide. In addition to drinking bowls, it is necessary to place sand baths. Straw or hay must be placed on the floor in the cold season. Lack of natural light slows down the start of the breeding season.



Partridge nutrition

To simplify feeding as much as possible, they purchase ready-made feed. Otherwise, you will have to independently calculate the proportions of the necessary cereals. The diet depends on the age characteristics of partridges.

In the reproductive period, feeding is carried out according to the following plan:

• 4 weeks before the start of egg laying, 50 mg of provitamin A and 10 mg of vitamin E are added to the feed. This amount is provided for each partridge per feeding.
• In the same period, individuals are fed with greens and carrots. Water is disinfected with a solution of pale pink potassium permanganate.
• As soon as egg laying begins, the amount of feed should be between 25 and 30 g. The ratio of crude protein, calcium and phosphorus should be as follows: 23:2.5:0.9 (%). The number of calories is 270.

In the unproductive period, which begins in August, the diet is as follows:

• grain feed - 25 g;
• juicy food in the form of cabbage and carrots, 9 g each;
• cottage cheese, minced meat - 2 g each;
• yeast, fish oil - 2 g each;
• mineral supplements - 2 g.

Two meals a day are provided. The first time they offer food to the birds from 8:00 to 10:00 in the morning, and the second - from 14 to 15 in the afternoon. It is necessary to introduce a new product gradually over 10 days.

Food should be fortified and varied. As a result of the experiments, it was possible to identify those types of food that adults and partridge chicks eat with particular pleasure, without leaving scraps and without scattering food around the enclosure. These are grains and seeds of wheat, lentils, sunflowers. They also like crushed barley, buckwheat, millet. With appetite they eat chopped vegetables and fruits: pears, apples, plums, carrots and sugar beets. Birds will not refuse cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini. For full growth, the bird needs fresh greens. For this, leaves of dandelion, alfalfa, nettle, clover, weed grasses are suitable.

Mineral dressings should be poured into a separate feeder, after grinding. Such a mixture includes ready-made additives, sand, calcium gluconate, chalk, eggshells. Digestion in partridges is arranged in such a way that raw grain in their body is absorbed better than heat-treated grain. They digest mash with chopped grass well. In winter, you can offer them berries of viburnum, lingonberries, mountain ash. Both underfeeding and overfeeding are equally harmful. In the first two days, newborn chicks are fed with hard-boiled egg yolk and rubbed through a large sieve. After that, a crumb of white bread soaked in milk is gradually introduced into their diet. Only after this begins a gradual transition to adult nutrition.

Receiving offspring

Breeding partridges at home, place the male and female in the same cage. Do it in early spring. They are planted around July. The time is chosen when an extended daylight hours is established, lasting at least 15 hours.

The female can bring about 15 eggs. Hatching lasts up to 26 days. If for some reason the female chases the male, pecks him, then he should be replaced with another individual.

After the start of laying eggs, you can wait for the chicks to hatch naturally or use an incubator. In the first case, the eggs laid by the partridge are transferred to a 30 cm basket. Dry straw is first placed on the bottom. Eggs should be directed with a blunt end to the ground and change their position once every 2 days. The female is allowed to incubate them until the chicks appear. After that, the laying hen is sent back to the poultry house.

To facilitate the process, you can buy an incubator. Inside the equipment should be placed fertilized eggs that do not have damage in the structure of the shell. It is not worth putting small specimens there, as there is a risk of getting an underdeveloped chick.

An ovoscope is used to determine if an egg is fertilized. Inside, no displacement of the yolk, blood stains, two yolks at the same time should be visible. The optimum temperature inside the incubator should be +37.6 degrees. Such a mark is desirable in the first 12 days. In the future, its gradual decrease is acceptable. By the last day, the temperature is reduced to +37.2 degrees. Throughout the incubation period, the humidity level should be above 60%. In the last two days, it should not fall below 80%.

How to raise chicks?

As soon as the chicks hatch from the eggs, they must spend the first day with the mother hen. After that, they are transplanted into a separate basket or a special cage. If incubation breeding takes place, move the chicks to the indicated place immediately after hatching, waiting until they dry.

You can do it differently by moving the chicks to the hen during incubation hatching in a cage with an aviary, specially equipped for this. After 6 days, you can separate the adult from the brood.

In terms of feeding chicks, you can adhere to the following system:

• On the first day, boil the egg, chop the yolk, sprinkle it and place it in the feeder.
• On the second day, add dandelion, cabbage, nettle and yarrow to the feed, also carefully grinding everything.
• On the third day, the introduction of a special puree is allowed. It consists of equal amounts of boiled meat and cottage cheese without salt. Milk and egg porridge can serve as an alternative. If possible, add ants to the feed of young birds, this will only benefit them.

A similar diet is followed until the chicks reach the age of one month. Then they are gradually transferred to adult food and placed in a common poultry house. It is necessary to feed the chicks every day at the same hours. It is advisable to do this in the morning from 9:00 to 10:00 and in the evening from 16:00 to 17:00.

Benefits of Partridge Farming

The following advantages of breeding partridges at home, both for personal needs and business, can be distinguished:

• birds do not require special care, and therefore their maintenance involves much less cost;
• when breeding, you can get not only meat, but also eggs;
• meat products are distinguished by high taste qualities.

Regardless of the competition, it is possible to profit from the business. The breeding process itself is an exciting activity for poultry lovers.

Diseases

Atrophy of the stomach muscles is a common disease among young animals. The disease is a consequence of the regular use of monotonous mealy feed. The lack of fine gravel, sand in the feeders can also lead to pathology. Often you have to deal with vitamin deficiency caused by a deficiency of vitamins of group B, as well as A, D. To prevent this, partridges should be regularly given fresh herbs, carrots and other vegetables rich in vitamin A.

Sometimes there are serious health problems. They concern the respiratory organs and are the result of keeping birds in a room with insufficient ventilation.

Breeding for business

Breeding partridges as a business can be organized at home or in the country. To find a market for meat and eggs, you do not have to make great efforts. Such products are in demand and are part of the restaurant menu.

• Arrangement of the premises. It will take 40,000 rubles, taking into account all the necessary work and materials.
• Buying a bird. To purchase 4 pairs of partridges, you will have to spend up to 10,000 rubles.
• Paying staff. If you hire specially trained people who will monitor the poultry house, their salary will cost 15,000 rubles per month.

If good conditions are provided for the bird, it will be able to gain weight up to 600 g. Then the profit and productivity will be at a high level. The cost of one egg reaches 13 rubles, that is, for a dozen eggs you can get 130 rubles. A bird carcass weighing 500 g will cost the buyer 1250 rubles. You can earn 100,000 rubles on the sale of meat. in year. This is true for the first 2 years of operation. After the specified threshold is overcome, the farm will develop, bringing more and more profit.

Partridges can be caught on their own or purchased from special farms. Catching birds is carried out in winter near the feeders. For this, special devices are made from thin wooden planks or rope nets. If partridges are needed for breeding, you can also catch them with a simple plastic bottle. To do this, cut the bottom to three quarters of the length. Grain and berries are taken as bait.

Holes are made by sticking a bottle into a snowdrift and pouring boiling water. After pulling out, the wells are covered with ice. Sprinkle them with snow, and spread food on top. The trap works like this: a bird attracted by berries and grain plunges into the hole. After that, she can no longer get out on her own.

Some farmers farm for more than just making a profit. This gives them the opportunity to do what they love. For example, breeding partridges is quite an exciting activity that brings a good income.

Partridge breeding features

First of all, you should know that this type of business requires almost no initial investment, and this is a key point for many aspiring entrepreneurs. You can make a profit from the sale of meat and eggs. Of course, the meat trade is a more profitable and profitable direction. But eggs are also no less in demand, especially among those farmers who are interested in partridge breeding as a business. If they start from scratch, without eggs, it is difficult to breed a large herd of birds.

room

Partridge is a wild bird, so it requires a special attitude towards itself:

The room should be warm, without drafts and with dry bedding. A large barn for these purposes is not needed.

Near the premises it is necessary to equip an aviary for walking. Some farmers choose to breed partridges in cages. This is a more convenient option, but it is worth remembering that they grow and develop better in an aviary. It is desirable that various bushes and tall grass grow in it. In this case, partridges will feel completely safe. Unlike, growing wild partridges requires a lot of space, so this species is not suitable for everyone.

Picking up food for your pets is not difficult. Any grain is suitable for this. This bird eats a little, so you don’t have to buy large amounts of feed.

Business Benefits

Some are rather skeptical that wild birds, for example, or partridges, can be freely bred at home, and even get paid for it. And in vain, since the demand for these products is high, and it is represented in the market in insufficient quantities. It is worth noting that breeding partridges in captivity is a fairly profitable business. Finding a market for meat and eggs is not difficult, since you will be happy to buy such products in any restaurant.

Consider the main advantages of breeding wild birds in the household:

• It is unpretentious in content and does not require special care;
• Allows you to get not only meat, but also eggs;
• Meat of a wild bird differs in high palatability;
• Lack of competition;
• Great demand for meat and eggs.

In addition, for those who do not know what a partridge is, breeding at home will be an interesting and exciting activity.

Business registration

Any person who has a private house with outbuildings can breed partridges. This bird rarely gets sick and is very unpretentious in care. There will be no problems with it, but the tax office may require you to provide business registration documents. Before you buy partridges for breeding, register as an individual entrepreneur. The direction of activity for this type of business is the breeding of poultry. After that, you can get down to business.

Offspring

Partridges start laying eggs at the end of April. This period lasts for them 26 days. During oviposition, females should be kept in the same enclosure as males to fertilize the eggs. After about July 15, they need to be divided. One female produces about 60 eggs. In order for healthy offspring to be born, it is necessary to observe the light regime and create all the necessary conditions.

The first days of life, the chicks should be near the mother. After a while, they are placed in a separate cage. When the cubs are one month old, they can be taken out into the sun, but they must be placed separately from the adult bird. In order for young growth to grow quickly and develop normally, it needs warmth, sun and dry land.

Chicks are fed with mashed yolks of chicken eggs, as well as yarrow and dandelion greens. 2-3 days after birth, they can be given white bread, boiled meat. The amount of food should be increased gradually. There should always be fresh water in the drinker.

Today, growing partridges at home is a fairly rare occurrence. This is the main advantage of this business area. The high demand for meat and eggs, as well as the lack of competition, are the main winning points that allow you to get a good profit without large investments.

Partridge breeding also benefits your entire family. Thanks to this business, there will always be fresh dietary meat on the table, which is healthy food. Partridge eggs are bought with pleasure by novice farmers, and meat by restaurants and other similar establishments.

How to breed a bird?

Every farmer who wants to grow partridges or is worried about the question of where to get a bird to start? The cheapest and easiest way is to catch in natural conditions. If you have never hunted partridges and have no idea how to catch them, buy chicks or adult birds from farmers. Some breed young from eggs, but for this you need to have an incubator.

Expenses

Poultry farming is a fairly common type of farming. Many entrepreneurs are engaged in geese, chickens or ducks. But partridges are a very rare type of business.

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You should calculate the costs that will be required in order to breed partridges from scratch:

• Construction of a barn. You will have to spend 30-40 thousand rubles on slate, lumber and insulation for a small room. In addition, it is necessary to pay the builders for the work;
• Purchase of an adult bird. 3-4 pairs of partridges cost 8-10 thousand rubles;
• Stern. You need to spend 15–18 thousand rubles on the purchase of feed;
• Bird care workers. For a salary, you should allocate 10-15 thousand rubles a month. Assistants will take care of the herd, feed it and clean the room. The average working day is 5 hours.

Profit

If you provide comfortable conditions for the bird and a diet, it will quickly gain weight of 500-600 grams. Of course, for many people such meat is considered exotic, but some constantly eat it.

In order to understand how profitable partridge cultivation is, some important points should be highlighted:

• One egg costs 11–13 rubles;
• A meat carcass costs 1,250 rubles at the market.

One female brings 50-60 eggs a year, which can be sold and get good money for it. You can also lay eggs in an incubator and sell the chicks.

You will not be able to sell meat in the first year. But literally from the second year on meat you can make a profit of 50-100 thousand per year. The farm will gradually expand and income will grow accordingly.

For residents of small towns, the question of earnings is always very acute. Most often, the choice falls on a small farm, animal breeding and poultry farming. Today we will touch on poultry farming in more detail, since the article will focus on breeding partridges at home. Any reputable restaurant uses partridges to prepare delicious dishes, while there are very few farms for breeding this bird in Russia. This means that a novice entrepreneur does not have to worry about selling his product. Breeding partridges as a business is considered a promising and inexpensive business, because you can start it even on the site of a private house or your own dacha.

Anyone can start breeding partridges at home, because partridges are unpretentious and rarely succumb to disease. But if there are no problems with the bird itself, then misunderstanding may appear with the tax in the absence of registration. Therefore, before you start breeding and selling partridges, you must register as an individual entrepreneur. It is necessary to select the OKVED code 01.24 - Breeding of poultry.

Breeding partridges is considered the most promising type of poultry farming

After the affairs with the tax service are settled, it is necessary to choose a poultry supplier from whom several pairs will be bought to start poultry farming. You may need to travel several hundred kilometers for this, but it's worth it. The gray partridge, which is ideal for home breeding, lives in Karelia, on the borders of the CIS countries and in Altai. Usually, 4-5 pairs of partridges are purchased to begin with. Of course, you can try to catch a bird on a hunt, buy chicks or bird eggs, but this is a more time-consuming way.

room

During the day, partridges, as well as many types of poultry, like to take a walk in the fresh air, so it is necessary to equip a corral. At night, partridges can be placed in a barn. The floor in the room must be covered with dry straw or hay so that the birds do not freeze. You have to change the flooring 3-4 times a week, so in the summer you need to stock up on straw for several months in advance.

During the day, partridges must be released into a corral, into fresh air, and placed in a poultry house at night.

Since partridges do not tolerate drafts, it is necessary to close all the cracks and holes in the barn, this will allow the birds to feel comfortable indoors. It is best to sheathe the walls of the room with soundproofing, as partridges are very afraid of extraneous sounds. The corral should be covered with mesh on all sides, even on top. The fact is that this bird flies well, so it will not be difficult for it to get over the fence. In addition, partridges are hunted by birds of prey such as hawks or even crows. It is also important for the paddock to have shrubs (blackthorn or wild rose), since in the natural environment this is the main shelter for birds.

The partridge pen should be covered with netting on all sides and on top, as the bird flies well

Advantages and disadvantages

As mentioned above, partridges are unpretentious in food and environmental conditions, which is the most important plus for a novice entrepreneur. Growing a bird is no more difficult than raising chickens or geese. The purchase of a bird will also cost a businessman a penny, the average price of an adult bird is 900 rubles. And in order to start a business, you need only a few pairs of partridges.

Growing partridge is no more difficult than geese or chickens

Sales problems will not affect this type of business due to low competition. Restaurants will not mind buying meat on a regular basis, because usually partridges are supplied by hunters. In addition to restaurants, private individuals can contact the entrepreneur to buy meat from outlandish poultry. As we can see, partridge breeding is a business that does not experience difficulties in marketing. In addition to the sale of meat, you can use it for personal purposes. After all, dietary partridge meat on the table is a guarantee of the health of your family.

Another undoubted plus of breeding partridges is the unpretentiousness of birds. Partridges easily endure the winter months, in the presence of dry litter, have a strong immunity to most typical bird diseases. The pioneers always get the most tidbit, so if a businessman starts breeding partridges at the present time, when this business is considered exotic, then later it will bring a steady income.

The biggest problem in breeding partridges can be infectious diseases. In order to avoid this problem, it is necessary to use high quality food and avoid contact with other pets and birds.

Remember: During the mating period, several pairs of birds should not be let out for a walk together, as the males will fight among themselves. Therefore, during this period, couples must be kept in separate cages.

Planting eggs and offspring

Under natural conditions, the laying of eggs in partridges usually begins at the end of April and lasts 26 days. At a time, the bird is able to incubate no more than 15 eggs. Under home breeding conditions, the partridge incubates eggs from March to July, during this period the female can produce about 60 eggs. However, for this it is necessary to create comfortable conditions and observe the light regime. So, for example, starting from January, the length of daylight hours should be at least 15 hours.

The first few days the chicks should be with their mother, but then they need to be transplanted into a separate cage. After a month, when they get a little stronger, they must be taken out into the sun, separately from adult birds. For growth and development, chicks need the sun and warm, dry land.

The first month, partridge chicks are under the wing of their mother, and only then they go out to bask in the sun.

You can feed the chicks in the first days of their life with a mashed yolk of a boiled chicken egg, you can mix dandelion or yarrow greens into it. After 2-3 days, you can start feeding them white bread, and on the fifth day, boiled meat can be included in the diet. You need to feed the chicks in the morning and afternoon, gradually increasing the amount of food.

Adults feed on green herbs, fruits and bugs, as well as chicken feed.

Adult partridges feed on green herbs, bugs, and chicken feed. Chalk should be placed near the feeder so that the birds receive a sufficient amount of calcium gluconate. The water in the drinker should always be clean so that the birds can quench their thirst.

The water in the birds' drinking bowl should always be clean so that they can quench their thirst at the right time.

Expenses and income

Poultry farming is a fairly common type of farming; entrepreneurs grow chickens, geese, and broilers. However, partridges are a rare type of agricultural business. The absence of competitors and the high demand for poultry meat are the two main advantages of partridge breeding. And the minimum start-up capital against the background of high profits makes this business interesting and promising for start-up entrepreneurs.

So let's calculate the cost of starting a business. The room can serve as a barn on the territory of a summer house or a country house; in order to build it, you will need to purchase lumber, slate and insulation. The cost of a small barn will be 30-40 thousand rubles, provided that it will be assembled by a hired person.

The purchase of 4-5 pairs of partridges will cost the entrepreneur 8-10 thousand rubles. Purchasing feed for a year will cost a businessman 15-18 thousand rubles, it will include compound feed, greens and various bugs.

If you do not plan to take care of partridges yourself, then you need to hire several assistants for 10-15 thousand per month. They will be engaged in feeding the birds and cleaning the premises, spending no more than 5 hours of their time per day.

Now about income, the cost of a partridge egg is 15 rubles, at home, each female can bring about 50 eggs in the first year. Therefore, 5 females will bring 250 eggs a year, 200 of which can be sent for sale, having gained 3 thousand rubles.

The price per kilogram of partridge meat is from 900 to 1,000 rubles. In the first year, it will not be possible to sell meat, but from the second year, the farmer will be able to sell meat in the amount of 50 to 100 thousand rubles, and annually the income will only grow, along with the growth of the farm.

As we were able to make sure, partridge breeding is a promising and low-cost business. With a small investment, an entrepreneur will be able to receive a stable annual income after a couple of years. Therefore, if you have not yet decided where to start your business, then breeding partridges will be an excellent option for you.

Growing and breeding partridges for the sale of eggs and meat can be categorized as a competitive and fast-payback business due to the constant demand for its products. To start activities, it is enough to properly equip the chicken coop and purchase adult birds. Such a decision will allow reaching a stable income, which can be received even in a remote village. When choosing a niche business, many bypass the field of breeding and caring for wild birds, since care for it is not easy, however, the market value of partridge meat and eggs is much higher than similar products.

Breeding exotic birds as a business

Business Relevance

Growing partridges is an actual business due to the high cost of products and the absence of the need to create special conditions for keeping exotic birds.

Many entrepreneurs do not want to work in this niche, because they consider it difficult and narrow, so there are practically no competitors in it. By engaging in this type of activity, you can earn income not only from the sale of meat, but also from eggs.

Business registration

Before equipping the premises and purchasing poultry, it is necessary to register the planned activity. At the initial stage, it is enough to open an individual entrepreneurship. As the business expands, you can think about changing the status to a legal entity. When filling out the documentation, the type of activity “breeding of poultry” should be indicated. After registering the lease of premises for planting poultry or its construction, it is necessary to obtain permission to start work in the authorized bodies of the SES and the fire inspectorate. The document will be issued subject to certain conditions. In the general package of documents, the entrepreneur must submit for consideration:

• a lease agreement or paperwork on ownership of buildings;
• a fire insurance contract, the beneficiary of which is a third party - the lessor or the owner of nearby facilities;
• contract for disinfection and deratization works.

At the stage of product sales, it is necessary to control it by the veterinary service, so you will have to draw up another contract for checking meat for compliance with the regulations of legal acts. During the operation of the farm, at the stage of slaughter and preparation of meat for sale, as well as during the storage of eggs and their packaging, SES checks are possible. Their competence is to control the compliance of finished product storage facilities with regulatory requirements, as well as the absence of pathogenic microorganisms in it.

Entrepreneurial risks

partridge eggs

Breeding and keeping partridges at home is associated with risks due to the nuances of the business. Financial losses may be associated with the death of a bird due to its diseases, as well as due to a decrease in egg production. Partridges are prone to various infectious diseases due to weak immunity. Diseases can be prevented by introducing vitamins and microelements into the diet, as well as timely preventive feeding of poultry with medicines.

Females lose their ability to lay eggs after 9 months, so if the entrepreneur does not prepare a change of livestock in advance, he will have to suffer losses due to the lack of product for sale. A negative point can also be the loss of regular customers for whom the manufacturer of the product is its supplier.

Birds can lose weight or stop laying eggs in stressful situations due to loud noise, change of feed or inconsistency in the temperature and humidity conditions in the room where partridges are kept. For this reason, before buying a bird, the entrepreneur needs to familiarize himself with the features of its content.

Read also: Ostrich breeding as a business: where to start, how to succeed

The negative side of business is the need to obtain permits for doing business. When selling products, you will have to cooperate with the veterinary service to obtain certificates of product compliance with the requirements regulated by legal acts.

Requirements for the premises

Breeding partridges at home for beginners will not cause difficulties if the entrepreneur is competent in this matter.

He needs to study the relevant literature, as well as consult with people who specialize in this field. One of the conditions for ensuring the normal life of a bird is the arrangement of outbuildings in which the bird will be placed. The room should not be drafty, it should be warm and ventilated on one side as needed. It should contain clean and dry bedding. Near the paddock, you should equip a site for walking birds.

Partridge cages

When determining the size of the required area, one should be guided by standard norms, according to which one square meter of space is needed for the normal life of one individual. It is allowed to keep only chicks in a cage, and it is better to place an adult bird in an aviary.

Where to begin

Before registering an entrepreneurial activity, it is necessary to try in practice what kind of business it is and whether it is suitable. To do this, it is recommended to buy partridges for breeding, lay eggs under the female and raise the chicks to adults. This solution will allow:

• evaluate your own capabilities and desire to engage in activities in the chosen niche;
• gain practical skills in the field of partridge care;
• identify possible difficulties that may be encountered;
• calculate the profitability of the business.

Breeding chicks

In order for the poultry business to bring constant profit, it is necessary to take care of updating and increasing the number of livestock. You can buy chicks, however, it is more profitable to breed offspring on your own. When planning a large number of livestock, it is recommended to purchase an incubator in which you can hatch chicks from partridge eggs.

Exotic bird females are excellent mothers, so they can hatch chicks on their own. On one individual, you can do a load of hatching up to 25 eggs. To do this, they need a basket filled with hay. Put the right amount of eggs in it. They must not touch each other. You need to plant a hen on the eggs, which, due to a special physiological cycle in the body, is ready to become a mother. She will do all the rest on her own.

Chick care

Chicks hatch from eggs on the 25th day. If they were hatched by a hen, then she can be entrusted with caring for them in the first days of their life. After a maximum of a week, it is recommended to place the chicks in a separate enclosure. It is unacceptable to place them together with an adult bird.

In the early days, babies need to be fed boiled yolks. Gradually, greens in the form of nettles, dandelions and cabbage should be introduced into the diet. On the fifth day of life, boiled meat, larvae and crumbs of white bread can be introduced into the diet. Gradually, crushed raw grain should be introduced into the mixture. Chicks need to be fed twice a day.

Bird feeding

Proper feeding of poultry is a guarantee of the success of a business project. Partridges should receive a balanced diet that would improve their body's immune response to various infections, as well as ensure maximum body weight gain and egg production parameters.

Partridge dish

Partridges are unpretentious in food. It is enough for them to include mixtures of wheat, oats and corn in the diet. It is not worth overfeeding partridges, so as not to provoke diseases of the digestive system in them, which will cause the cessation of egg production and weight loss. Lack of food can lead to the same problems. Its quantity must be calculated in such a way that in the warm season one individual receives food for 300 calories. In the cold period, the figure should be reduced to 90 calories.

However, the very existence of these birds is constantly under great threat, which sometimes makes it impossible to hunt this type of game bird. The fact is that gray partridges have too many "enemies" - forest predators, cold and hungry winters, bird diseases ... Therefore, often the hunters themselves have to breed gray partridges so that the species of this bird in their region does not disappear at all.

About how this happens and why such breeding is so important - our publication is ready to tell you ...

Enemies of the gray partridge

From a very young age, the gray partridge is in constant danger in Nature. Terrestrial and feathered predators devastate bird nests, and not only drinks eggs, but also eats small chicks, moreover, it often attacks adult birds. And, the magpie - that one, completely tracks down the direction of flying partridges, finds their nests and carries them away, or even drinks eggs on the spot.

Add to this the fact that stray cats, dogs, foxes, weasels, ferrets and hawks are also not averse to eating small chicks and eggs of these birds, and you will understand that it is quite difficult for a partridge to survive in such harsh conditions.

Dry spring and summer do not contribute to the reproduction of these birds in Nature, however, the greatest danger is the prolonged rains that begin during their nesting periods - this can kill the entire brood. In addition, such rainy weather creates favorable conditions for distribution among partridges.

It is not easy for these birds to fall in the winter. In a short winter day, they barely have time to find food, and if there is a lot of snow and it is deep, partridges begin to starve. That is why, it is recommended in those lands where they are found - to rake the snow and feed the birds. By the way, such assistance is provided to partridges ... who tear up the snow in search of grass, and soon after they leave, partridges weakened by hunger flock to this place. Unfortunately, they are easy prey for predators.

It happens that, fleeing from cold and hunger, these birds fly into settlements even in winter.

As a rule, after such harsh and hungry winters, the number of birds decreases ...

Very often, partridges also die from pickled seeds of rye and other crops, which are laid out on the fields for rodent control. They are harmed by the polluted water of rivers and lakes, into which waste from factories and chemical enterprises is discharged.

Partridges live, as a rule, where forest areas and small shrubs are still preserved. In open areas, they can be found only before harvest.

Various diseases also cause great harm to these birds - coccidiosis, cholera, plague, diphtheria, etc.

Fight against the enemies of the gray partridge

It is noteworthy that the protection of partridges implies, first of all, the fight against its main biological enemies. So, forty must be shot early in the morning - then the birds are not so careful. In the spring, the nests of these birds of prey must be destroyed, however, the destruction of eggs must be carried out not at the beginning of laying (forty can lay them again), but at the end of incubation. To do this, you can simply pierce the eggs and leave them in the nest.
You can also tie a cat near the magpie's nest. The magpie notifies its relatives with its loud cry, and they flock to protect its nest. Then it is not difficult for hunters to carry out their mass shooting.

You can destroy the enemies of the gray partridge (hawks, forest predators) with the help of traps and traps. After all, the more you destroy such predators, the more partridges and useful game will be found in your places.

Protecting the nests of the gray partridge

Partridge nests themselves must be protected and, during haymaking and harvesting, their nesting sites must be marked so as not to be destroyed inadvertently. When the harvest is harvested, and the nests are left bare, you can make a special artificial shelter so that the birds can safely continue to incubate their eggs and not be afraid of predators or bad weather.

Features of artificial breeding of gray partridges in captivity

As for the artificial breeding of gray partridges, they are very difficult to breed. Unless the method showed high efficiency when eggs are taken from the nest of a killed partridge. After that, they must be placed under the hen and guarded very carefully. The box or basket itself must be covered with hay or straw, and sawdust should be poured into it. It is necessary to lay eggs in such a “nest” so that they do not touch each other, and lie with blunt ends down. Please note that the box must be installed in a cool place, and after the eggs have lain for 10-15 days, they will need to be turned over every next 2-3 days with either a blunt or a sharp end down. For incubation, it is better to choose a chicken that is light and as calm as possible.

Nest for gray partridge chicks

When the little partridges hatch, they will need to build a nest in a box or basket that measures 30 centimeters by 30 centimeters by 30 centimeters. Little partridges will not be able to escape from such a nest. It's worth knowing that

small chicks are very shy and at the slightest noise they tend to hide in a dark corner of the room where they can die, since they do not respond to the call of the mother hen.

Therefore, it is very important that they cannot leave the limits of their "nest". By the way, in case the partridges still try to jump out of it - make sure that the "nest" is on the ground - so the chicks will not break.

The choice of premises where partridges will live

The room where such a nest will stand should be dry, well ventilated, but without drafts. Make sure that there are no loopholes through which predators can enter it. It is also recommended to clean this place as much as possible from unnecessary things behind which small partridges can hide. It is better to coat the nest itself with clay and cover it with either hay or straw.

Care of gray partridge chicks

After all the chicks hatch, they should be left under the hen for a day. Then they can be transferred with a hen to a special cage, which will have 2 compartments. The first will house the mother hen, but it will be fenced off from the second compartment in such a way that small partridges can freely climb to the mother hen, but she cannot reach them. The second compartment of the cage is intended for chicks, it must be at least 0.6 meters wide and at least 1.5 long, while the height of its walls must be at least 60 centimeters. To make it, you can stretch a wire mesh over a wooden frame from 3 sides, and leave the bottom open, as shown in Figure 1.

When the chicks grow up, on warm days they, together with the hen and the cage, can be taken out into the street and placed among the short grass. This will enable the chicks to develop in conditions close to natural. If the sun rises high, the cage will need to be darkened. When the chicks grow up, their cage can be separated from the hen's cage. As a rule, by this time they already get used to it and respond to its call.

Feeding partridge chicks

On day 1, chicks can be given hard boiled egg yolk and fed in the same way you feed chickens. When re-feeding, finely chopped nettle, yarrow and dandelion leaves can be added to the yolk. On the 2nd day, you can add finely crumbled white bread to this mixture. Such a mixture should be crumbly and soft so that it does not stick to the beak and palate of the chicks, and they can swallow it freely. On the 3rd and 4th day, you can give the chicks fresh and semi-cooked small ground lean meat without fat, and if possible, then you can feed the chicks with ant eggs. It is also useful to give them unsalted fresh cottage cheese or gruel from an egg diluted with milk.

If the chicks receive a sufficient amount of fresh plant food, then the need to separately give them water will disappear by itself. However, if it is hot outside, then, in small quantities, water will still need to be introduced into their diet. For a hen, it is better to put the water in the cage higher so that the chicks do not turn it over.

Feeding the chicks should take place at least 2 times a day, in the morning and at 16.00 in the afternoon, and you should gradually increase the volume of their food.

In a month, when partridges grow up and mature on such a diet, their plumage will fully appear, and they will be able to fly - they can be separated from the mother hen.

When and how to release reared partridges

It is better to release 2-month-old partridges into the wild, and for this, choose those places where the broods of this bird are found. However, some hunters release partridges earlier, as their feeding is expensive and time-consuming, so they prefer to release very young chicks.

To do this, they take the hatched and dried partridge chicks and at 8 o'clock in the morning they take them to the place where the partridge brood likes to bask in the sun. As a rule, when they see an approaching person, adult partridges take off, and the kids hide in the grass. At this point, you will need to leave the chicks you brought. They will begin to squeak, and after your departure, the stark will surely gather them in one flock. But, if the brood found by her is too large, then she will not be able to cover them all and some of the chicks may die from the night cold.

Thus, each hunter can make a small contribution to the protection and breeding of the gray partridge and increase the number of these birds in his area.

How to help partridges in a cold winter

We wrote above that partridges are very difficult to endure cold and hungry winters. Often at such a time they leave their usual habitats and approach closer to human habitation. He, in turn, can feed these birds, leaving such top dressing in shrubs and blackberries - favorite places of gray and. Such feeding areas must be arranged so that they are not covered with snow, and so that you can put food there at any time.

Even in summer, in those bushes in which partridges live, cut the lower branches with garden shears at a distance of 50 centimeters from the ground. However, it is worth trimming only the inner part of the shrub, without touching its outer side, in which it will be necessary to leave loopholes for partridges on all sides.

Such a natural feeder will need to be cleaned of debris and covered with sand in October. And, in order for you to protect this place from drifts, you can make a canopy over it and put a screen wall on the side of frequent branches.

Partridge feeder

If there are no suitable natural conditions, then you can build artificial feeders. They can be represented by several types - with one-sided or two-sided canopies, as shown in Figures No. 2 and No. 3, or knee-shaped, as can be seen in Figure No. 4. The high part of the roof of any of the feeders must be raised 80 centimeters, and the lower part 20 centimeters from the ground. There must be a bush on the sides of such feeders, so that in case of an attack by predators, partridges can take refuge in it.

Partridge food

Food for partridges can be oats, barley, wheat. It is best to use the waste from these crops, which remain after sifting, they also come across grass seeds, dry insects and small pebbles. Such food should be well dried. And in order for partridges to quickly find it, you can lay a path from bread chaff to the feeder.

Feeding partridges

It is necessary to start feeding partridges after the first snow falls. Since partridges can leave the area, leave their usual habitats in search of food. So, for example,

For 100 partridges, you will need from 1 to 3 kilograms of feed per day, depending on weather conditions and whether partridges can find their own food.

If you observe hard crust and deep snow in winter, then the daily feeding rate should be increased to 4 kilograms. You can also mix carrots, cabbage and beets with such grain feed. Cabbage can be strengthened on stakes attached to the feeder. Please note that sand or earth must also be poured into the feeder, as birds need them for digestion.

Not far from the feeder, you can also install haystacks - in them partridges will be able to look for food and hide from frost. It is also useful to put a scarecrow near such feeders - use a dead crow planted on a stake for this, this will scare away other feathered predators. But from the four-legged predators of partridges, you will need to protect them with periodic raids.

Breeding and resettlement of partridges

Even in places where partridges have already completely disappeared, you can breed them again by relocating producers from another area. For this, birds that are selected for breeding must be kept in a specially prepared cage. You can release them in the spring, before the start of the mating season.

The catching of partridges itself can be carried out both in summer and in autumn and winter. True, it is easiest to do this in the summer, when the vegetation allows you to well camouflage the gray partridge traps. In addition, in summer, as practice shows, these birds are less cautious. But, such summer fishing has a number of its drawbacks. Young partridges have not yet grown enough, and in captivity they may remain underdeveloped. Yes, and their incidence rate is higher than that of adult birds.

Winter trapping, in turn, reduces the time for looking after these birds, but the nets and traps that you used to catch them in the summer will not be useful to you in the winter. Therefore, winter trapping is best done near the feeders. But in places where a lot of snow falls, it is very difficult to catch partridges.