Laid an EGG

[nybirdman]

That is impressive. Why pheasant? Are they raised for hunting or butchering? A friend here tried raising a batch for hunting but native predators nailed almost every one. Good thing too because Fish & Game was getting testy over the situation. There were a couple of sightings over a couple of years and that was it. Can't release non-native species in to a native population.

I own an uplands preserve;have a state breeders and preserve licenses.I can do anything but process and sell birds.We do a lot of dog training and always have some bob-whites and chukar also.

 

[/pine]

As much as I hate to admit it as a devoted watcher and bird lover...There are few thing that are more sporting than experiencing a skilled working pointer or retriever etc., etc...!

 

[Doofy]

I own an uplands preserve;have a state breeders and preserve licenses.I can do anything but process and sell birds.We do a lot of dog training and always have some bob-whites and chukar also.

Very interesting. Sounds like a wonderful place.

 

[beowulf]

We raised chickens for a few years. Several varieties. I loved farm fresh eggs - wife could never get used to them. They were free range during the day and shut up at night. But the coyotes started picking off the hens one by one - and I swear they would always take the largest plumpest hen in turn - we could predict which one would go next. Still, we managed to keep things going until one night something - we suspect a weasel - go into the coop and enclosure and killed every single chicken - probably over a dozen. It didn't take them or eat them - just slaughtered them all and left them scattered about. So, now eating pale eggs.

 

[Jstpssng]

We raised chickens for a few years. Several varieties. I loved farm fresh eggs - wife could never get used to them. They were free range during the day and shut up at night. But the coyotes started picking off the hens one by one - and I swear they would always take the largest plumpest hen in turn - we could predict which one would go next. Still, we managed to keep things going until one night something - we suspect a weasel - go into the coop and enclosure and killed every single chicken - probably over a dozen. It didn't take them or eat them - just slaughtered them all and left them scattered about. So, now eating pale eggs.

I've been there. Despite what people say, we aren't the only ones who kill for fun. I once came home ad found 20 dead chickens in my coop from a raccoon. More recently I lost 32, 2 week old meat chicks and pullets to a weasel one day; a couple of years later I lost 5 laying hens over a week long period until I killed 2 weasels.I moved the coop so that it's out in the open and so far haven't had another weasel problem. I came home one day last spring to se a dead hen laying in the road. I thought someone had run over it, so I picked it up and backed up to my road through my field. There I saw 3 more dead birds and a fox on one of them; I stepped on the gas and she ran off through the woods. I let the dog out and he found the other 2 birds; both were alive but one had lost all of her tail feathers when as she hid in a brush pile, and died a few days later. (My dog walked up to her, sniffed and started crying.)
It's partly my fault, because my dog goes out "plays" with them, chasing them around so they've learned just to crouch and huddle.

The worst though was the turkey that I lost last fall; somebody ran over it. Granted it shouldn't have been in the road, but where I live the daily traffic count is about 10, and I had signs out warning turkey hunters that there were domestic birds in the area. Somebody apparently just thought it would be fun to run it over.

 

[Alan W.]

I've never seen one like that either. Are the ridges just on the outside or do you also see them when you crack it open?

Could not remember so I had to wait till breakfast. Yes the ridges are inside also. Funky shell but tasty none the less.