Hello and question

[laughingbear]

Hello, new here, but been lurking a while.  I don't have any birds as of yet, but i am wanting to have some Bob White in the future.  Not doing any large scale stuff, just have some around for hobby and dog training and buddies.  Also, to teach my son about conservation and the like.  He loves bird hunting.

I am still trying to get all my equipment/buildings ready before i get any birds/eggs.  I have a friend who's husband grows a lot of bobs and pheasant.  I am going to get 5 doz 2-3 week old birds from him.  I was thinking about hatching some eggs out, but do not feel confidant in myself yet for that.  What with all the meds and such.

I have a brooder i built (Got to put the top on it yet).  It is 8' x 4' x 4'.  Also, i am building a flight pen.  Well, not really a flight pen, it has a building that is 8' x 8' x 7' Tall, and will have a 40' x 15' x 10' (guesstimating) "flight/outdoor area".  I have the building almost done (have to put the top on it yet too).  I was reading here that some people will plant a food plot for their birds in the pens.  I was cleaning out the outdoor area, getting ready to put up the netting and such, but got to thinking i should leave some of the "underbrush" for the birds to hide in, and poke around.  But, i dont know. 

What would you do?  Clean it all the way out, and plant?  or leave the brush and wild berry bush's intact?  or maybe half and half?

I do have plans for a sand box.  i read here that they liked that.

Thank for help on this, and other questions i have had in the past and found here!!

 

[Reeves]

Leave all the plants/bushes !

 

[wildergamebirds]

Leave all the plants/bushes !

 

  Yes, but kill some of the grass, if it's covered with Fesque, or Bermuda types.

  You can call that a flight pen.  Not giant size, but they can get exercise in it.

[Reeves]

Yes, but kill some of the grass, if it's covered with Fesque, or Bermuda types.

Why ?

[laughingbear]

  Yes, but kill some of the grass, if it's covered with Fesque, or Bermuda types.

I don't think i have any of that out there.  I will have to take a pic tomorrow and post it.  Not really up on my grass knowledge.

Thanks for the help!!

[wildergamebirds]

Yes, but kill some of the grass, if it's covered with Fesque, or Bermuda types.

Why ?

  God, Reeves, here we go, again.  Why can't you just nod, and follow blindly?

  They are often too dense for Quail to get around, well.  That is probably the single biggest reason for the decline in wild bird   
populations.  This is more important with chicks and young birds. 

  If you had the  perfect number of birds, they might eat enough grass to keep it in clumps, and balanced (don't bother asking what that density is, I don't have a clue, it would vary, a lot).  Most likely, if the grass is dense, and already tall, you would have the birds clumped up, and crowded, even in a pen that was plenty large.  If you put in enough birds to eat it down, you may end up with a mud hole, and/or an overpopulated pen.

  What I should have added is: plant more weeds, sunflowers, millet, Milo, lespodeza in place of the killed/burned grass.  If you burn, you can plant, immediately.  If your space is more than half weeds, or woody plants, you may be ok, now.  If you have a "carpet" of grass over a large part of the space, you may want to do something about it, regardless of type.

  The location should be well drained, and/or on sandy soil.  If there are bare spots where you'll have to walk, you'll want to be prepared to cover those spots with gravel, when things get soggy.

  Talk to several growers in your area who have raised birds for several years in their current location.  They will be able to tell you if disease is a problem for ground raised Quail, in wet years.

[Pheasant Hollow Farm]

  aboard    laughingbear!

Steve
Pheasant Hollow Farm

[slider]

  ...Fix your flight pen where the birds can get around in it with no problem, but leave plenty of cover for them to feel secure ..and do not forget that sand box and put it under a shelter so it will not rain in it...GOOD LUCK...It is so much fun when you are just starting out.

[NH/Pete]

  and good luck

[Reeves]

I do have plans for a sand box.  i read here that they liked that.

They love it !
If you put sand on the ground, it will always be wet/damp. Have a look in the "Build it Yourself" section, topic "My Pens". See what I did to solve that problem.

Forgot to mention, that topic is picture heavy. If you get any white boxes with a red x, hit your refresh button and they'll show up.

[laughingbear]

the spot is sandyish and well drained.  Well, all for one spot, but i am fixing that.  Its more woods brush than grass.  Briars and weeds and such.  wife took the camera to work with her, post pick when she gets back.

Thanks for all the help!!

[wildergamebirds]

  Sounds like Quail heaven.  I see from another post, you are already thinking about how to get around inside, and get the birds out.  Trim the briers down to knee-waist level before building pen, and make sure they're not too thick to herd birds through.