LOSS OF PHEASANT CHICKS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 104, 26 January 1939, Page 13

LOSS OF PHEASANT CHICKS

♦> Power Failures Blamed Dominion Special Service. CHRISTCHURCH, January 25. That a succession of electrical power failures had caused the loss of a considerable number of pheasant chicks during the brooding stages was reported by the chairman of the games commii/.ee, Mr. G. Ebert, at a meeting of the executive of the North Canterbury Acclimatization Society. In view of the losses the game committee recommended that authority should We given to explore thoroughly the possibility of other forms of heating. In one night CO chicks of' between three and four weeks old had been lost, Mr. Ebert said. Three or four times in one week the power had failed and the game committee was now of the opinion that the society should invest in a standby plant or scrap the electrical system altogether. A hot-water service would be both more regular and more satisfactory.

“We are having tremendous trouble with power failures, with fuses blowing put and electrical storms,” said Mr. Ebert? “The committee* also thinks that the hot-water system might be cheaper.” “This is just another excuse,” commented Mr. H. T. Penrose. “It is doubtful whether we can make a success of breeding pheasants trnd quail and this matter brings up the whole question.” The committee must have known, Mr. Penrose continued, what an electric brooder would cost when it was installed. If they advised the scrapping of the present system they would look like a lot of fools when they went before the general meeting of the society. To a question from Mr, Penrose as to how many chicks there were at present on the game farm, the secreary, Mr. G. L. Pomfret-Dodd, replied that there were about 500. On the chairman, Dr. D. McK. Dickson, putting the recommendation to the meeting it was carried without dissent.