MANAGEMENT SUGGESTIONS
Thoroughly scrape, clean and disinfect all equipment and houses and add new litter on each brood.  Dry shavings make good litter material.  The area around the brooder should be covered with paper for the first week to prevent birds from eating the litter.  Change litter as often as necessary, particularly during the 3rd and 6th weeks when Coccidiosis is the greatest threat.

FEEDER AND WATER SPACE
Use a small feeder that birds can eat from.  Provide 1/2 inch feeder space per bird from the first through sixth week; increase to 1 inch after the sixth week.  Water founts must be shallow in order that the chicks do not get wet and chilled.  Provide one 1-gallon fount from the first through the sixth week and two 1-gallon founts after the sixth week.  Provide 1/2 square foot of floor space per chick.  Pheasants require double the above requirements.

STARTING GAME BIRDS
Always start more birds than needed so that considerable culling can be done.  Newly hatched chicks should be alert, active, vigorous, and free from abnormalities.  Before your chicks are ready to be placed in the brooder, regulate the brooder to maintain 90 degrees Fahrenheit.  Maintain this temperature for one week, then reduce the temperature 5 degrees each week.  Heat may be discontinued when birds are well feathered (normally 4 weeks).  Chicks can be started in battery brooders or on the floor with conventional floor brooders.  In any event, chicks must be kept close to source of heat for the first few days.  For floor brooding, use 12-inch cardboard chick guard to restrict chicks to area close around the brooder for the first few days.  Feed FRM Game Bird Starter for the first 8 weeks.  For the first few days, feed small amount of feed several times per day on cardboard in well-lighted place near the hover.  Also, place several small feeders around hover.  When chicks are eating well from feeders, remove cardboard.

GROWING PROGRAM
Beginning with the 9th week, gradually change birds to Game Bird Grower (Flite Feed).  Birds for market and birds for release should be fed this feed until read for slaughter or for release.

BREEDERS
Growing Breeders may be changed to FRM Game Bird Breeder any time after 14 weeks.  Be sure they are fed free choice complete FRM Game Bird Breeder at least 30 days before the breeding season begins.  Continue feeding complete FRM Game Bird Breeder until breeding season is over.  Birds to be held over to the next season may then be fed FRM Scratch Feed and Game Bird Breeder as an economy measure.  Birds will begin to lay about the first of April.  By exposing to artificial light, quail can be brought into production within 3 to 4 weeks anytime of the year.  A 7.5 watt bulb placed in each laying battery will be sufficient to stimulate production.

DISEASE
A daily inspection of the floor is necessary.  At the first sign of the birds becoming droopy, losing their appetite, or in any way appearing abnormal, one should start looking for the possible cause.  Every disease outbreak should be considered infectious until the contrary is proved.  At the first appearance of abnormal birds in the flock, you should take a few of the typically sick birds to a Diagnostic Laboratory.  FRM Booster Crumbles Medicated and FRM Special Booster Crumbles Medicated contain Coban® (Monensin) for the prevention of coccidiosis in growing Bobwhite Quail caused by E. dispersa and E. lettyae.

CARE OF EGGS
Hatching eggs should be uniform in size.  Remove very large and very small eggs.  Eggs should be placed with small ends down in a shallow tray containing dry sand or other soft, absorbent material.  Eggs should be tilted at a 45 degree angle in one direction one day and in the opposite direction the following day.  Store in cool, well ventilated room at a temperature of 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit and with a relative humidity of 60% to 70%.  Do not hold eggs longer than 10 days for incubation.  For best results, plan to place eggs in incubator twice per week.

FRM GAME BIRD FEEDING RECOMMENDATIONS
(QUAIL, PHEASANTS, CHUKARS)