Anybody raise chukars?

[shelleyd2008]

I am so totally addicted to hatching eggs!! It seems I have to have every type of pretty bird (reasonably priced, of course!) that I see. I think the next on my list is the chukar, after the royal palms, and BLRW!!

Does anybody keep these birds? If so, what is their purpose? Are they used for meat? Or just to have something to look at? Are they easy to raise/hatch?

Thanks for any and all info!! I will hopefully be able to get some this spring!!

 

[Redfeathers]

I don't raise them, but I buy 160 of them for pointing breed hunt tests that I run one weekend a year. The Chukar are planted in a bird field on acreage and the dogs are "tested" by an AKC certified judge that grades each dog on hunting ability. The birds are treated as humanly as possible and are used for food if the dogs do get them, we take them home and clean them and eat them, it's very good meat. The birds that fly away or are left in the field get to live the rest of their lives in total freedom, but I figure out on a nature perserve, they are going to be picked up by a predator.

Most Chukar I know are sold to dog clubs for hunt tests. We pay about $7.50 per bird.

If you decide to raise Chukar that's great, but they are very smelly birds. Just like raising Cornish X, they plain stink.

 

[CUDA]

Yes, most people buy chuckars for training dogs for pheasant hunting. You can eat them, as they get pretty good sized. I'm not sure where the stinky part comes in, I have been raising them the last couple of years and have never noticed any smell. They are quite easy to raise, you just need some room, and you need to keep your male to female ratio pretty low. If you need eggs to hatch, get with me next spring as I will have them available.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
That would be great! I'll let you know in the spring!