Baby Partridges

[gordbenn66]

Three weeks ago we were asked to look after 12 baby partridges that were found huddled in the middle of the road,( mother was dead). Think they were about 2 days old, been feeding them on mash of chick crumbs, boiled egg and chopped lettuce. Will release them when they are about 10/12 weeks old onto farm land where they will not be shot. Really pleased to have helped them survive as I have never done anything like this before.

[lardhelmet]

Have you got any photos gord? They sound lovely

[Prudie]

Oh well done, bet they're sweet. I had a partridge come through the cat-flap once and walk up the hall!

[gordbenn66]

Sorry don't know how to put photo's on else I would

[wildwood]

Small live food is much appreciated by the chicks as that is what they would eat in the wild, but keep up the chick crumbs - excellent food. You could push the bit of hard boiled egg through a kitchen sieve and mix that in the crumbs.

Live food is available from pet good shops. Don't use mealworms (yet) as they might choke the chicks and are hard to digest.

Ground birds like partridges need access to small grit so they can digest hard seeds properly. A flat saucer of ordinary garden soil will be picked over once they get used to the saucer - replace daily.

Makes you wonder why anyone would want to shoot those lovely birds. Good luck.

[Woody23]

We have a lot of partridges around here. They particularly like cat pouches, but have difficulty opening them..

[thugulike]

I had 12 chicks hatch in the garden a few years ago. Sadly the evening turned very cold and before dark they were all dead. So sad.

[gordbenn66]

Yes we kept them for first week in a make shift box with a reading lamp over them, with a 40W red bulb in, from there they went outside in an empty rabbit hutch, still with the lamp on for a week and they are still in there without the lamp now. Next week if weather stays nice going onto lawn, again in a home made run, then hopefully will get released in about 7/9 weeks time.