Wild Partridge a Pest/Predator?

[ChickMandy]

We've had a funny looking bird hanging around the yard lately. My husband found it by the coop yesterday and laughed that it ran like a chicken when he tried to get close to it. This afternoon, my daughter went to check on the chicks (in a run inside the coop because the coop door was open to cool it down) and the bird was *inside* the coop. One of our pullets was also in the coop, but either didn't notice this other bird, or didn't care.

I looked up partridge online, and sure enough, our visitor is a red-legged partridge.

We've never seen one around here before, so I'm not sure if the chickens have attracted it or what. Is it a threat to either the pullets, chicks or eggs?

Thanks!

 

[Kudzu]

Feed it and consider yourself lucky.

 

[ChickMandy]

Quote:
Really? It won't introduce anything weird or harm them in some other way? Would it end up staying in the coop as well?

 

[bryan99705]

It's there for the feed. Might want to check game regs and make sure you don't get harassed for "keeping wild game". It's sad but I've seen it happen.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

It won't introduce anything weird or harm them in some other way?

No more than any other wild bird.

Might want to check game regs and make sure you don't get harassed for "keeping wild game". It's sad but I've seen it happen.

If it's not confined, you aren't "keeping" it​

 

[woodmort]

The only problem I've ever had with a partridge was when my DW saw one about a quarter mile up the road and assumed it was one of my EE's. She sent me on a wild partridge chase trying to recapture the thing.

 

[Oregon Blues]

The only thing it is doing is sharing your chicken feed.

 

[kesali]

The partridge, itself, is harmless to your chickens. As others stated here, it is just there for the free food. The big problem with it is the chance that is is carrying some disease. If no disease, the odds of it carrying parasites is high.