Raising partridges

[MotherNature911]

Canadian rescue needs help!

Thought I'd just let you know all 8 chicks now 10 days old and still doing fine. All growing and eating well. The diet of crumb plus mealworm seems to suit them. Am now giving them whole soaked mealworms instead of crushed, and they go wild for them! All developing wing feathers now. Have been spending some time trying to see which are male and which female, but no obvious differences yet.

Keep being given different opinions as to what I should do with them - keep and raise for meat or release into the countryside (to probably be shot as loads of shoots here in the winter). Can't make up my mind.

We rescued one partridge egg from a dog yesterday, and have it under the brood lamp right now. The shell has crackedso I'm thinking the chick is on its way. Should I crush the inverts and feed with a dropper? I don't have the option of an adoptive mom, might have to make a puppet head...

So far your post really helped!

[Snoop Puss]

Well, I'm supposed to be doing an urgent job, but I just had to read this thread. Lovely creatures and well done you and the chicks' bantam mum. Congratulations.

[Scarlet]

Where are you Mother Nature? Are you sure the egg wasn't cracked by the dog? Raising a single chick won't be that easy, you will need to keep it under a heat lamp for warmth. It should eat on its own. Scatter crumb, and dip it's beak in water. Mix the insects (have you got any?) in its feed.