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Red Grouse Pair
Looking for a pair of red grouse, I see them for sale on this a few years ago, does anyone still keep them? Thanks
Sunday, February 9th, 2025
As heather makes up the vast bulk of their diet the would be very difficult to keep them without huge heather planted pens. It would be an interesting project though.
Sunday, February 9th, 2025
Surely they would live on a grain based diet its hard to think they survive on heather.
Monday, February 10th, 2025
If they could be easily kept in captivity they would be bred and released like pheasants and partridges for shoots but attempts to do so aren't successful, as they are evolved for such a specific, high fiber, high bulk, diet. I wounder if it would be possible to formulate a pellet to mimic their natural diet?
Monday, February 10th, 2025
Grouses, or Grice? Enquiring minds.
Bit of a tin tester, wasn't it, lads?
Monday, February 10th, 2025
I never thought of it that way it would be hard to mimic heather how they thrive on it is crazy.
Monday, February 10th, 2025
Glyn is correct. Grouse cannot survive without heather. That is 1 of the main reasons they burn the heather on the moors yearly, so as fresh young heather regrows and is ready when the breeding pens have their chicks.
The loss of moorland has affected the numbers of grouse , especially over the past 10 years.
Monday, February 10th, 2025
They have a mixed diet but heather would be the main element of such. Have seen them being kept in enclosures before in Ireland, with heather supplementing their feed. Will see if I can find a video. Can access a large amount of heather where I live so this would be technically possible. It would be interesting to see how successful they can be bred in captivity.
Monday, February 10th, 2025
This could be useful to you. https://search.proquest.com/openview/eb4b1570db1ac431626130f...
Tuesday, February 11th, 2025
I would say they can be reared you would need moveable pens on heather for young birds and bantam mothers.
Wednesday, February 12th, 2025