How to keep partridges at home. What do you need to know about registering a business? Breeding for business

When kept at home, it is impossible to provide the birds with a full range of natural feed, so a poultry breeder or an amateur must look for a full-fledged replacement for them from the seeds of cultivated and wild plants, fruits, berries, animal feed and human food. However, transferring a bird to unfamiliar food is not always easy. She may starve to death, but she will not take a single grain or bite of the mixture that she has never eaten. To prevent this from happening, new feeds should be introduced gradually, over several days, reducing the proportion of those feeds that the bird has eaten before. In addition, the abrupt transition from one food to another negatively affects the digestion of birds, especially chicks.

All feed must be of high quality. Do not eat grain that contains rodent feces, ergot, mold and other impurities. Before giving it to the birds, the grain mixture must be sieved, washed and dried in the sun or in a gas oven at a temperature not exceeding 60 ° C.

The selection of these or those feeds and their share in the diet depend on the type and age of the bird, the way it is kept (in a cage or aviary) and the season. Birds that are kept in close cages are given less food than those living in the aviary (due to the considerable freedom of movement in the aviary, there is practically no danger of overfeeding). At the same time, even a minor oversight in feeding a bird sitting in a close cage can lead to its disease. With improper feeding, metabolism is disturbed, feathers begin to fall out or birds themselves begin to pluck them, egg-laying is disturbed, etc.

During the period of egg-laying and rearing of chicks, the amount of feed and the frequency of feeding it per day is sharply increased due to animals and soft feed. Violation of feeding at this time adversely affects not only adult birds, but also the development and vitality of chicks.

Birds breed most successfully in open-air cages, where, under conditions close to natural, they can find such food that they like and that is especially well absorbed. It is in the open-air cages arranged on the backyard that there are no difficulties with greens, sprouted seeds (when eating seeds from the feeders, birds scatter them, they sprout, and from time to time the ground is covered with fresh tender shoots of plants). Animal food is also more accessible to those birds that live in the outdoor aviary, rather than sitting in cages. In the soil, on the branches of bushes and in the grass, they constantly find various small insects and their larvae, and they often catch small flies and mosquitoes on the fly.

The amount of feed required per day is determined empirically, since birds of even the same species and age with the same method of keeping have different appetites. By carefully observing your pets, you can establish this amount: the birds should eat the entire daily ration of feed without a trace. Birds should not be allowed to look for their favorite seeds in the grain mixture, while others leave them intact or remain
hungry.

You can use kitchen waste to feed partridges and partridges: soaked pieces of leftover white bread, chopped vegetables, boiled potatoes. This feed is supplemented with cereal feed, bran, cereals, as well as vitamin flour. In summer, the birds are given alfalfa, lettuce or herbs. Alfalfa can be knitted with sheaves and hung in an aviary 30 cm from the ground. From animal feed, these birds actively eat cottage cheese, minced meat, insects (in any form) and their larvae, finely chopped vegetables and roots, fresh herbs.

Feed is given at the rate of 70-80 g per head per day. In winter, the most rational type of feeding is dry - grain and compound feed, in which meat and bone meal and vitamin supplements are introduced.

And although partridges are mainly kept in enclosures and in small rooms, you may need a cage for temporary winter overexposure of birds or for short-term keeping of several pairs. For this, of course, you do not need to buy anything, as you can do it yourself for partridges. How? Find out with us.

If you are seriously interested in breeding and raising these birds, then you have repeatedly come across such information that a cage is not best house for partridges. Yes, that is right. They are not very suitable for long-term maintenance and as the main breeding site, since, unlike the aviary, they are far from the natural living conditions of birds. Do not forget that the partridge is, first of all, a wild bird that requires special attention.

But this does not mean that such a house cannot be used at all. If you do not have the opportunity to make a convenient aviary, you can also make a cage, but according to special rules. It must meet the basic requirements:

V different countries partridges are kept in all kinds of cages and cages. For example, in many farms in France, it is customary for these birds to build netted aviaries raised above the ground by about 70 centimeters. The side walls of such houses are made of plywood or plastic, the floor is mesh with a 1x1 centimeter cell, the ceiling is made of fine mesh and also covered with a sheet of plastic. In such aviaries, they contain up to 50 birds at the rate of 3 individuals for one square meter.

In Hungary, for example, wild birds are kept at home in outdoor enclosures with board walls and mesh tops. Outside the breeding season, five individuals live in such enclosures, separately females from males. In Italy, it is customary to grow partridges in battery cages for ordinary chickens. As you can see, the concept of keeping and growing these "beauties" in many foreign countries fit in different ways. Our experience in breeding birds still shows that it is better to grow partridges in open-air cages or special raised cages.

Preparation for manufacturing

So, in order to make cages for partridges with your own hands, first of all, you need to prepare required material and tools. How much material to take, it depends on how many partridges will live in the cage and how many livestock you have. It is best to count 1 square meter per three individuals. For the construction we need:

wooden blocks or boards;
plywood sheets;
mesh with a fine mesh for walls and ceilings, with an average mesh for the floor;
tools for woodworking;
wire;
nails.

Step-by-step instruction

The first thing we start with making a cage with our own hands is a frame made of wooden bars. Previously, we need to make three compartments, the middle of which (about 120 centimeters long) we will fit on all sides with a mesh (a cell of about 1.5-2 centimeters), the rest will be covered with plywood.
We make two side compartments 40 centimeters long each.
The frame is there, now we cover it with material: the floor is mesh, the top and side walls of the middle compartment are mesh, the other two compartments are closed on all sides (except for the floor) with plywood sheets.
We hang special fasteners to both ends of the cage, on which we hang the feeding boxes. They are also made from plywood or, if possible, from plastic. Feeder size: height - about 50 centimeters, width - 15 centimeters. Be sure to install a convenient drinking bowl inside. You can automatic, but the usual is better.
Now we make support legs for our cage and everything is ready. All that remains is to plant the partridges.

Diy drawing with the dimensions of a cage for partridges

For more details on how such a cell should look like, see the photo and drawing. Good luck!

Video "Crowned partridge in a cage"

In this video, using the example of Boris Kravchik's Don Zoo kennel, you can see how crowned partridges live in a cage. Find out what space should be and how such a house might look like.

Breeding partridges at home as a business is a wonderful idea, especially interesting for novice businessmen who live in rural areas and do not have start-up capital and other earning opportunities. Why?

Business for beginners

Breeding partridges is fun in itself, but it is also profitable. Why are partridges interesting in this regard? Breeding and keeping this bird at home has not yet become widespread, but there is a demand for it. This means that the competition will be low, and there will be no problems with sales. This is the first advantage. It implies the following - prices for poultry and meat cannot be low in any way, which means that the income is secured. The third advantage is low costs and no initial investment, which is very important in a nascent business. And since expenses are low, and incomes are high, then the profit ... That's right - big, but not immediately.

More about the gray partridge

The gray partridge is a resident bird common in the wild. In Russia, she lives in Altai, the Urals, the Caucasus, in western Siberia, Karelia, steppe and forest-steppe zone center and west of the country.

It is a small bird with a body length of about 30 cm, round in shape. The variegated color is visible only up close and helps the bird to be invisible against the background of vegetation and ground.

The partridge lives in an open area, in a field or steppe, nests on the ground, in well-protected places. Females cackle, almost like chickens, males emit a cry akin to a rooster's.

By winter, partridges move closer to people and often spend the night in outbuildings.

Partridges can move quickly enough even in dense grass and, if necessary, fly high with noise and screams.

They live in flocks of several dozen birds, but they disperse in pairs during the mating season and live as a family, raising chicks on equal terms, until the cold weather.

During the season, the partridge lays an average of 25 eggs.

The enemies of partridges in nature are predator birds, animals, harsh winters and, of course, hunters.

These birds are so similar to ordinary chickens that it becomes unclear what problems breeding and keeping partridges at home can cause.

Room for partridges

Partridges do not need a large barn and a purpose-built building. The main thing is that it is dry, warm and free of drafts. Since the partridge is a wild bird, it needs an enclosure with a high fence for walking. In the walking area, tall grass and thorny bushes of blackthorn or rose hips, which in their natural habitat prefer partridge to protect, must grow. Breeding and keeping small wild birds at home is not that difficult. Tall grass, thorny bushes, warm straw bedding - nothing fancy or expensive.

The partridge is still not a chicken, it flies high enough, so many farmers install cages with a roof in a fenced aviary. True, many experts agree that the bird grows better in an open area and gains weight. Partridges spend the night in a barn, the floor of which must be covered with straw or hay, changing the litter every other day. Dry grass protects partridges from cold temperatures. Therefore, it is necessary to stock up on it in the summer so that it will last until next summer.

Partridges are afraid of drafts; in the poultry house, all cracks must be carefully repaired. They also do not tolerate loud sounds, so the walls of the shed from the inside can be sheathed with sound-proof material, which at the same time will insulate it a little.

One cage measuring 35 × 25 × 20 cm can hold three pairs of partridges. There is plenty of artificial light in the house, but it must be there.

Nutrition

Partridges are not capricious and do not get sick. Therefore, there are no nutritional problems. In nature, the bird feeds on grass, various bugs and their larvae. Partridges, breeding and keeping at home of which are not yet so widespread that a special compound feed was developed for them, they happily eat chicken or turkey compound feed, any grain or cereals.

They need sufficient amounts of calcium gluconate, so there should always be chalk or crushed shells near the feeder. When feeding a bird with roughage to improve digestion, it needs water in the drinker must be clean and fresh.

Breeding partridges at home

The advice of experts and farmers begins with the purchase of several pairs of partridges. But in principle, for a start, one heterosexual couple is enough. And fewer cells are needed, and the males do not fight, and the costs are lower. And it's not so offensive if the experiment fails.

There are three ways to acquire birds. The most expensive but also the easiest way is to buy partridges from a specialized farm. There you can also get professional advice, which will require breeding and keeping partridges at home. The cheapest, but not always feasible, way is to catch wild partridges in the field. The most time-consuming, but requiring special equipment and long enough - to remove chicks from eggs in an incubator.

Breeding partridge chicks

Breeding and keeping partridges at home is not as difficult and time-consuming as it seems. Only raising young animals will require attention, but it is no different from raising chicks of any other poultry.

Partridges begin to lay eggs at the end of April, this period lasts twenty-six days. All this time, the male must be in the same cage with the female, so that males and females are seated in different cages around the middle of summer.

During the season, one partridge produces about sixty eggs, and only fifteen eggs are capable of hatching in one clutch. Surplus eggs can either be sold or used in an incubator.

In the first days, the hatched chicks should be with their mother, they should be placed in a separate cage after about a week. They start to release them for a walk at the age of one month. Fresh air and warm sun, dry land overgrown with grass are the main conditions for the rapid growth and normal development of partridge chicks.

Breeding and keeping young animals at home does not require special knowledge of how to feed them. In the early days, he is fed with mashed yolks of hard-boiled eggs and finely chopped greens of dandelions and yarrow, which grow almost everywhere at this time. Already on the third day, you can give crumbs of white bread, after five days - boiled meat or ant eggs, twice a day, gradually increasing the amount of food.

Benefits of breeding partridges

So, returning to the beginning, now you can already answer the question of why it is beneficial to breed partridges at home. Business ideas in rural and suburban areas are not as diverse. This is mainly the breeding and sale of domestic animals and poultry.

Partridges have some advantages in this respect. On the market today, the meat of this poultry is presented in insufficient quantities, but there is a demand for it. All more or less expensive restaurants have dishes from rare species of poultry on the menu and are ready to purchase them from trusted suppliers. And on your own table, this dietary, organic meat without additives is a big plus.

Partridge eggs have a unique chemical composition, they are rich in vitamins, and in cooking they can completely replace chicken eggs. There is only one requirement - they must be subjected to heat treatment, fry, bake or boil. They are also in demand in cosmetology.

True, there is still difficulty, but not with the actual breeding, but with the tax office. Business must be registered in the direction of activity "Breeding of poultry".

Of course, you should not expect profit from the first year, but already the second year can bring some income. In addition, word of mouth is triggered, which greatly facilitates the sale of partridges, their eggs and meat.

This small bird of the pheasant family has always been an object of sports and commercial hunting.

Partridge meat has excellent nutritional properties, excellent taste, high content of valuable protein and minimal amount of carbohydrates.

It is no coincidence that in recent years the partridge has attracted not only hunters, but also private poultry farmers, and in expensive metropolitan restaurants they offer delicacies from partridge meat.

What breeds of partridges to choose for breeding at home?

Until recently, captive breeding of partridges was purely experimental; today there are dozens of farms in Russia where these miniature representatives of the pheasant family are successfully bred.

As a rule, in the post-Soviet space, it is practiced breeding of gray partridges, which in our country live almost everywhere (except for its northern regions).

This is a small bird (approximately the size of a hazel grouse), the weight of an adult varies from 350 to 600 grams, the average weight of a bird kept in captivity is 400-500 g.

The gray partridge is considered the most prolific of all types of partridges; its clutch often contains more than 20 eggs (the female lays 1 egg per day). Only after the last egg has been laid does the partridge begin to incubate.

Spanish red partridge- another type of partridge, which is well assimilated into household... Outwardly, this small, well-fed bird is very similar to its close relative, the chukar. In the wild, this species is found in the mountains of France and Spain. On this moment red partridge is bred mainly for decorative purposes.

The basics of keeping and caring for chicks and adult birds

However, open enclosures are not the best option, because the partridge not only runs fast, but also flies wonderfully. Moreover, she does it so noisily that she raises the whole flock.

For the first generations of domesticated partridges, enclosures closed on all sides, installed in a quiet place, will be the optimal place for keeping.

Partridge chick at two and three weeks

It is advisable to assemble the frame of the aviary from wooden beams and poles, and use a nylon mesh with a small mesh (1x1 cm), not metal. In this case, the bird will not injure itself by blows during takeoff.

Myself the house should be spacious, the optimal height of the enclosure is 1.8-2.2 m. The area of the poultry house depends on the number of guests: for each bird, at least 0.5 square meters of territory is required.
In the aviary, conditions are created that are close to natural- shrubs, sheaves of hay and other shelters are placed in them.
Part of the house must be closed so that the partridges have a place to hide from the weather. At the entrance, they must arrange a vestibule to prevent the bird from escaping during feeding.
Shallow wide feeders are placed in the house, install drinkers and sand baths. On the floor in winter period be sure to put hay or straw.

Experience shows that the premises where partridges in summer and winter, should have natural light, since the lack of ultraviolet radiation delays the onset of the breeding season.

Breeding partridges is a process that requires a special approach. The fact is that this bird in the wild is monogamous - with the onset of spring, males and females split into pairs and live in "families" throughout summer season... At the same time, the male takes an active part in raising the younger generation.

At home, pairing is also necessary. If the female chases and pecks the male, then he should be replaced with another one. If birds of different sexes behave calmly towards each other, then it is considered that the pair is formed.

Aviary for keeping partridges

How to feed a ptarmigan?

The formation of the daily diet of a domesticated partridge should be approached responsibly. Food should be varied, balanced and fortified.

Experimentally, the types of food that partridge chicks and adults eat with appetite, without scattering or leaving them uneaten, have been identified.

These are the following types of grains and seeds:

Wheat.
Lentils.
Sunflower seeds.
Millet.
Buckwheat.
Crushed pearl barley.

Chopped fruits and vegetables:

Apples.
Pears.
Plums.
Cabbage.
Cucumbers.
Zucchini.
Red currant.
Carrot.
Sugar beet.

Fresh greens:

Dandelion.
Alfalfa.
Nettle.
Clover.
Shoots and leaves of weed grasses.
Salad.

It is advisable to pour mineral dressings into a separate feeder in a crushed form. This mixture usually includes sand, ready-made mineral additives, chalk and calcium gluconate, eggshells.

Digestion in partridges arranged in such a way that their stomachs digest raw grain more easily than cooked grain. Wet mash-ups prepared in arbitrary proportions with the addition of chopped grass have proven themselves well. In winter, partridges are fed with berries of lingonberry, viburnum, mountain ash.

It is important to remember that underfeeding, like overfeeding, is equally harmful to birds. The total weight of food fed per day for one partridge should be 40-50 grams of grain mixture, with two meals a day.

Newborn chicks of partridges in the first two days are fed with boiled chicken egg yolk, grated through a coarse sieve. Further, the crumb of white bread soaked in milk is gradually introduced into their diet, and then they gradually switch to adult food.

Common diseases

Young partridges often suffer from muscle atrophy. This pathology develops as a result of regular feeding of chicks with monotonous mealy food and insufficient presence of sand and fine gravel in the feeders.

Often, there are cases of vitamin deficiency caused by a deficiency of vitamins of groups A, D and B. To prevent the disease, partridges should be provided with fresh herbs, carrots and other vegetables containing carotene and vitamin A.

Keeping domesticated birds in poorly ventilated areas can lead to serious respiratory health problems.

Where to buy partridges or hatching eggs for breeding?

The following farms are engaged in the sale of partridges and hatching eggs in Moscow:

Nursery RUS ZOO, located at the address: Moscow, Novomoskovsk AO, Filimonkovskoe settlement, Koncheevo village.
Peasant farm of the Simbirevs, Moscow region, the village of Ivashkovo, Shakhovsky district.

In the Leningrad region:

LLC "Lenoblptitseprom", Leningrad region, Gatchinsky district, village Tervolovo.
Kuraferma, Leningrad region, Gatchinsky district, Malye Kolpany village, Zapadnaya st., 7.

The estimated cost of a pair of gray partridges is 1000-3000 rubles, depending on age. Hatching partridge eggs are sold on average at 80-100 rubles apiece.

Some farmers do not breed a farm just to make a profit. Thanks to this, they have the opportunity to do what they love. For example, breeding partridges is quite an exciting activity that brings a good income.

Partridge breeding features

First of all, you should know that this type of business requires almost no initial investment, and this is a key point for many aspiring entrepreneurs. You can make a profit from the sale of meat and eggs. Of course, the meat trade is more profitable and profitable direction... But eggs are also in no less demand, especially among those farmers who are interested in breeding partridges as a business. If they start from scratch, without eggs, it is difficult to breed a large flock of birds.

Premises

The partridge is a wild bird, so it requires a special attitude towards itself:

The room should be warm, draft-free and with dry bedding. A large barn is not needed for these purposes.

It is necessary to equip an aviary for walking near the premises. Some farmers choose to breed partridges in cages. This is a more convenient option, but it is worth remembering that they grow and develop better in the aviary. It is desirable that various bushes and tall grass grow in it. In this case, the partridges will feel in complete safety... In contrast, growing wild partridges requires a lot of space, so this species is not suitable for everyone.

It is not difficult to find food for your pets. Any grain is suitable for this. This bird eats a little, so you won't have to buy large amounts of feed.

Business benefits

Some are rather skeptical that a wild bird, for example, or partridges, can be freely bred at home, and even get paid for it. And in vain, since the demand for these products is high, and in the market they are presented in insufficient quantities. It is worth noting that captive breeding of partridges is enough profitable business... Finding a market for meat and eggs will not be difficult, since you will be happy to buy such products in any restaurant.

Consider the main benefits of breeding wild poultry in the household:

It is unpretentious in maintenance and does not require special care;
Allows you to get not only meat, but also eggs;
Wild poultry meat is distinguished by its high taste;
Lack of competition;
High demand for meat and eggs.

In addition, for those who do not know what a partridge is, breeding at home will be an interesting and exciting experience.

Business registration

Anyone who has private house with outbuildings. This bird rarely gets sick and is very unpretentious in care. There will be no problems with her, but tax office may require you to provide business registration documents. Before buying partridges for breeding, register as individual entrepreneur... The line of business for this type of business is poultry farming. After that, you can get down to business.

Offspring

Partridges begin to lay eggs at the end of April. This period lasts for them 26 days. During oviposition, females should be kept in the same enclosure with males so that they fertilize eggs. After about July 15th, they need to be separated. One female produces about 60 eggs. In order for healthy offspring to be born, it is necessary to observe the light regime and create all the necessary conditions.

The first days of life, chicks should be near the mother. After a while, they are deposited in a separate cage. When the cubs are one month old, they can be taken out in the sun, but they must be located separately from the adult bird. In order for young animals to grow quickly and develop normally, they need warmth, sun and dry land.

Chicks are fed with mashed yolks chicken eggs as well as the greens of yarrow and dandelion. 2-3 days after birth, they can be given white bread, boiled meat. The amount of food should be increased gradually. There should always be fresh water in the drinker.

Today, the cultivation of partridges at home is a rather rare occurrence. This is the main advantage of this business line. The high demand for meat and eggs, as well as the lack of competition, are the main winning points that allow you to get good profits without large capital investments.

Breeding partridges also benefits your entire family. Thanks to this business, there will always be fresh dietary meat on the table, which is healthy food. Partridge eggs are bought with pleasure by novice farmers, and meat - restaurants and other similar establishments.

How to breed a bird?

Every farmer who wants to grow partridges or is worried about where to get a bird to start? The cheapest and easiest way is to catch in natural conditions... If you've never hunted partridges and have no idea how to catch them, buy chicks or adult birds from farmers. Some hatch young from eggs, but for this you need to have an incubator.

Expenses

Poultry keeping is quite common. farms... Many entrepreneurs are engaged in geese, chickens or ducks. But partridges are a very rare business.

You should calculate the costs that will be required in order to start breeding partridges from scratch:

Building a barn. You will have to spend 30-40 thousand rubles for slate, lumber and insulation for a small room. In addition, it is necessary to pay for the work of the builders;
Purchase of adult poultry. 3-4 pairs of partridges cost 8-10 thousand rubles;
Stern. You need to spend 15-18 thousand rubles for the purchase of feed;
Bird care workers. On the salary, you should allocate 10-15 thousand rubles a month. Helpers will look after the herd, feed it and clean the house. The average working day is 5 hours.

Profit

If you provide a comfortable environment for the bird and a diet, it will quickly gain weight 500-600 grams. Of course, for many people such meat is considered exotic, but some people constantly eat it.

In order to understand how profitable the cultivation of partridges is, some important points should be highlighted:

One egg costs 11-13 rubles;
The meat carcass costs 1250 rubles at the bazaar.

One female brings 50–60 eggs a year, which can be sold and a lot of money can be raised. You can also lay eggs in the incubator and sell the chicks.

You won't be able to sell meat in the first year. But literally from the second year, you can make a profit of 50-100 thousand per year from meat. The farm will gradually expand and income will increase accordingly.