Dusting shelters and feed staddles

 

These are always appreciated by pheasants and partridges, especially in heavy land. The 'lean-to' type is suitable for both species but the most common form used for pheasants in a covert is the 'staddle'. This is a platform at least 10 ft. (3 m.) square and 18 in. (46 cm.) above ground level. The platform should be made waterproof by covering it with straw sandwiched between two layers of wire netting (2 - 4-in. [5 -10 cm.] wire mesh is suitable). The ground below should be turned over with a fork before construction begins and raked over at frequent intervals to keep the earth dry and dusty. A food hopper can be placed beneath.

The most common faults in constructing staddles are making them too small and using small-diameter hazel poles often cut on site. These rot after a year or two when the whole structure collapses - and it never seems to get rebuilt. The legs should be at least 6 in. (15 cm.) in diameter and preferably oak. Larch is second best but it must be cut in winter - summer-felled larch soon rots. The platform is again best made with oak or larch poles, 3-4 in. (8-10 cm.) in diameter. It always pays to make a good job of a staddle in the first instance to avoid repeated maintenance. Staddles are invaluable in western and northern districts where they provide shelter and food for the birds under severe weather conditions, particularly snow.

Grain Pheasants prefer wheat to any other grain - but if they are not offered wheat they will readily take barley. Generally speaking, a mixture of these cereals should not be offered in hoppers, because the pheasants will pick out the wheat and scatter the barley on the ground for the sparrows. Maize, if available, is also favoured once the birds become familiar with it. Whole maize has the advantage of being too big for small birds to eat. Oats are not usually eaten for preference by pheasants, but where no other grain is grown they will take it quite happily.

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