stocking densities

[DIDO.1 22,868]

Due to wild fires and time constraints placed on some of ours guns due to work commitments this year we are going to be 2 pens down on last year so are hoping to release more birds from one large pen. What is the maximum density of birds you should stock in a pen. We have increased the pen size and are adding more drinkers and feeders. I'll have to ask our farmer how big our pen is as id only be guessing hectare wise.

[CharlieT 32]

Depends on where your pens are situated and how much damage you are prepared to do to native flora. However I would suggest 700 - 1000 per acre. The flora friendly option would be half of that or 1 mtr fence per bird.

[DIDO.1 22,868]

Cheers for that, our main pen is a fir wood and is only about a 5th of the wood so im not worried about the flora. In the sporting gun recently it surgested 1000 per hectare which I thought was much lower densities than ours. Im just worried about disease as we will be putting more eggs in one basket!

[CharlieT 32]

Disease is always a worry even at 10 to the acre !!.

 

Keep your eye on the droppings and treat them as soon as you notice any yellow droppings. I move our feeders a couple of feet onto fresh ground every time I top them up. Also may be a good idea to use a medicated feed containing Avatec and Aurofac.

 

Good luck,

[bunwell wood shoot 2]

A good guide is 1 yard of netting per bird and over 100 birds 1/2 a yard

 

mark

[CharlieT 32]

A good guide is 1 yard of netting per bird and over 100 birds 1/2 a yard

 

mark

 

 

Exactly what I said in post 2.

[bunwell wood shoot 2]

A good guide is 1 yard of netting per bird and over 100 birds 1/2 a yard

 

mark

 

 

Exactly what I said in post 2.

 

 

Oh yes sorry did not see that, great minds and all that.

 

Mark