PHEASANTS AND DUCK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23879, 1 February 1941, Page 10

PHEASANTS AND DUCK

STATE FARM ACTIVITIES [BY TELEGRAPH-OWN CORRESPONDENT J ROTORUA, Friday In spite of cold rain and wind during tho past month, when hatchings ha*vo been continuing at the Ngongotaba State game farm and many young birds have been transferred to larger pens, there havo been no losses among young pheasants and duck or stock birds, reports Mr. A. Ivean, conservator or fish and game. The unseasonable weather created many difficulties for the staff at the game farm in providing additional shelter for the birds, but the value of this work has been proved bv the results. Hatchings are almost completed, the last of the pheasants having left the incubators last week and some more ducklings being expected within the next, few days. Liberations have continued regularly and further mallard duck and pheasants were released on Wednesday, when 50 pheasants were taken to the Bay of Plenty district and about 40 duck to areas near the Waikato River. The selection of stock birds is also proceeding at the game farm. Every year about one-third of the pheasants and duck used for breeding are liberated and their places filled with voung birds to bring the number of stock' birds to near ISO, pheasants and about 90 mallard duck. These carefully selected younger birds _ will bo mature for breeding purposes in about two years.