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The Rural Voice, 1989-12, Page 31A Bird in the Hand Manfred and Joan Dierolf of Huron County got into the business of raising pheasants quite by accident. But 15 years later, they find the game birds have bred diversification into their farm operation. by Peter Baltensperger Manfred and Joan Dierolf are breeders like many other farmers in the livestock business, but their stock is of a rather unusual kind. They are breeders of pheasants, partridges, and ducks. Their family business venture at River Pheasant Game Farm, south of Lucknow in Huron County, began quite by accident 15 years ago. "A friend from Zurich brought us some pheasants for the kids," they recall. "The following spring, we started breeding our own." The Dierolfs built up a flock of about 1,000 birds a year, selling them mainly to other game farms and breeders. Later, because of other commitments, they reduced their output to a couple of hundred birds a year. It was three years ago that they decided to build up their flock again, buy additional land, and turn their farm into a hunting preserve. Now they raise more than 2,000 birds annually, have their own hunting preserve, are Ontario Vacation Farm hosts, and provide bed and breakfast as well as pheasant dinners for hunt- ers, tourists, and vacationers. Their flock is expanding quickly, and they can barely keep up with the demand. Primarily, they breed Chinese Ring Neck pheasants with some Melanistic Mutants (Blacks) mixed in. They also breed and raise a number of Chuckard partridges and some Mallard ducks. All the birds are raised from eggs on the farm. At the end of every year, the Dierolfs keep some hens and a few cocks as breeding stock, bring in new cocks from a breeder in Leamington to keep the bloodlines fresh, and resume their breeding program early in the new year. Over a period of 8 to 10 weeks up to the end of March, a hen lays an average of 60 to 70 eggs, of which about 85 per cent hatch. A sophisti- cated program of staggered hatching results in a new flock of birds at var- ious stages of development. The birds mature in about 5 months at different times during the year, giving the Dierolfs a steady supply of adults. So spring is a hectic time on the pheasant farm. At the height of lay- ing, the eggs have to be collected as • often as every half hour, and at least every two hours, to prevent damage and assure a good rate of survival. They first must be stored at 60°F and turned twice daily for the stag- gered hatching. They are then moved to the incubator according to a care- fully planned schedule. Hatching in 18 to 23 days, the chicks are kept in a hatcher for 3 days, then moved to a small starter brooder for 1 or 2 weeks. The next stage is a brooder pcn where the birds are kept for up to 6 weeks. Finally, they are moved outside into the first of three flight pens. Feeding on a mixture of peas and grains, the pheasants grow to maturity in an expanse of ragweed which supplements their diet. As they reach specific sizes, they are moved to the second and finally the third flight pen. The flight pens are covered with netting to keep the birds in and preda- tors out. "And people," Manfred adds with a smile, though he makes an occasional exception to allow visitors a closer look at the birds. Despite the netting, the Dierolfs lose several dozen birds to predators every year, particularly to owls and hawks. When the birds reach maturity, they are made available to an ever- increasing number of hunting parties. The hunters buy the birds, which are then turned loose on the farm. Since this is a restricted form of hunting, it can be done at any time of the year. The 200 acres of rolling hills and bush along the Lucknow River provide an ideal terrain for the hunters during the fall and throughout the winter. The Dierolfs keep three hunting dogs, German wirehair pointers which are excellent bird dogs and particular- ly suited to the Canadian climate. "We each own one," Manfred DECEMBER 1989 29