Food requirements of grey partridge Perdix perdix chicks.

Abstract

Experimental investigations showed that during the first 10 days of their life partridge Perdix perdix chicks grew most vigorously on a high protein value diet composed largely of insects. They grew less quickly on rearing crumbs and were unable to survive when fed entirely on seeds. We determined the daily uptake of food and, from carcass analysis, the proportion assimilated. From this information the average daily food requirement in terms of the dry weight of insects was calculated as 0.80 g on day 2 and 1.95 g on day 9. We calculated the number of individual insects of various groups required daily, if feeding was restricted to one group, and the amount of habitat that would need to be searched if insects were taken randomly. Resistance to chilling was shown to be correlated with weight and not with age. Thus shortage of insect food in the first few days of life would extend the period when the chicks are particularly vulnerable to lower temperatures and rain, effects that have also been demonstrated in other studies.