daleh

Here is the problem with the surragator. Using inbred pen quail that have no chance of reproducing. either steril or are so far removed they can not sit on eggs or care for young. 2nd problem released at 5 weeks old is still to early. they can not fly well and can't get away from things that are after them.
my solution is this
I raise birds from day old chicks from good stock (wild birds) trapped and eggs are harvested.
0-4 weeks they eat good feed Custom starter 30% protein along with fresh cut greens and lots of crickets
at 4 weeks old they are weather conditioned
at 5 weeks old they are released in a wild simulated flight pen planted in clover,millet, wheat, sorgum, natural grasses. of course all the insects are present. I also keep releasing 1000s of crickets3x a week
at 7 weeks old they are releasedin the wild and are supplemental fed 2x per week with mixes of sorgum, millet, wheat. untill winter when it changes to sorgum, corn, soybeans
NEVER FEED IN THE SAME PLACE
This year i released 1500 of these birds in a place that has perfect habitat and natural feed. They will not be hunted. I will see next year if their is evidence of them reproducing. Don't know if it will work, No one in history has had success with reintroducing anything other than trapped wild birds and been successful.