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- #21
I plan on slaughtering for the Christmas menu - so he wasn't staying around too long anyhow. My issue is like yourself I don;t believe in keeping wild animals captive - other than when there is no other option. If the neighbour had not picked this guy up when he did he probably would be dead by now anyhow. He was very weak and half starved. This time of year isn't very good if your not able to get food to gain weight in the wild. We have a lot of Pheasant shoots on at the moment. So I doubt he would have lasted long anyhow. It is a shame because actually he is a really lovely bird with beautiful plumage. I intend to use every bit of this gift to us. Even the feathers have been earmarked for an indian head dress for my grandaughter. I promised I would make her one for her dressing up box.
I am not without feeling for the little fellow. Hence calling him Phesmo and cradling him in my arms like a baby. - I have to be careful because I am too soft hearted for meat birds and I know it will take a lot out of me to have to do this. Phesmo isn't stressed because he is confined so he cannot flap about. I put him in the dark shed overnight where it is warm and dry and during the day I put him up in the greenhouse as it is bright and gets the full winter sun up there. He is away from the chickens who are really interested in him. He just hisses at them on the way past. At least he knows he is NOT alone. He is however a very nasty critter and doesn;t like my hand near him much. He is getting stronger which is a great sign and you can see the weight going on him after a week of biulding him up. ( Well he didn;t eat for the first few days! ) now when I go in he is practically dragging the bowl from my hands. He loves mealworms. It is good to see the weight going on and he is getting healthier and stronger. which shows he was not thriving in the wild. IT just would not be right to cull a bag of bones. THere simply wouldn;t be any purpose in it. I think if he is going to have to be culled there must be a reason for his life. I am so not good at thinking MEAT bird. But he isn;t a pet and it isn;t fare as you say to keep him and that has never ever been my intention. HE simply is not a candidate for release and after those two options are ruled out there is only one road to travel and that is the Oven.
I am however giving him the best I can as I do with all my animals.That is why I started this thread so that I woudl know best how to care for him in the short time that he is here. I needed to know how to feed and tend him because I have only ever had dead pheasants here to process So a live one is a whole knew thing for me. - It is sad though a sad end to a beautiful animal. But he won't starve and he won't be torn to bits and he won't be shot and he won't be run over. SO there are compensations to life in a cat crate. He does get loads of nice food and pleanty of rest and quiet.
OES
I am not without feeling for the little fellow. Hence calling him Phesmo and cradling him in my arms like a baby. - I have to be careful because I am too soft hearted for meat birds and I know it will take a lot out of me to have to do this. Phesmo isn't stressed because he is confined so he cannot flap about. I put him in the dark shed overnight where it is warm and dry and during the day I put him up in the greenhouse as it is bright and gets the full winter sun up there. He is away from the chickens who are really interested in him. He just hisses at them on the way past. At least he knows he is NOT alone. He is however a very nasty critter and doesn;t like my hand near him much. He is getting stronger which is a great sign and you can see the weight going on him after a week of biulding him up. ( Well he didn;t eat for the first few days! ) now when I go in he is practically dragging the bowl from my hands. He loves mealworms. It is good to see the weight going on and he is getting healthier and stronger. which shows he was not thriving in the wild. IT just would not be right to cull a bag of bones. THere simply wouldn;t be any purpose in it. I think if he is going to have to be culled there must be a reason for his life. I am so not good at thinking MEAT bird. But he isn;t a pet and it isn;t fare as you say to keep him and that has never ever been my intention. HE simply is not a candidate for release and after those two options are ruled out there is only one road to travel and that is the Oven.
I am however giving him the best I can as I do with all my animals.That is why I started this thread so that I woudl know best how to care for him in the short time that he is here. I needed to know how to feed and tend him because I have only ever had dead pheasants here to process So a live one is a whole knew thing for me. - It is sad though a sad end to a beautiful animal. But he won't starve and he won't be torn to bits and he won't be shot and he won't be run over. SO there are compensations to life in a cat crate. He does get loads of nice food and pleanty of rest and quiet.
OES
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