► Brooder — 4 weeks

► Flight — 8 weeks

NOTE: Since the first 8 weeks are in isolation, birds will not be in some of these pictures.

FLY BYE BIRDIE facilities are located down a long road from our office (and home)—to permit quiet wild growth.

Except for preparing for shipping, we only approach the site at night.

The Brooder and Grow areas are not opened during the day.

These pictures show a typical "Brooder" room.

The room has automated watering, lighting, temperature and ventilation control.

Feeding is done in darkness, with the aid of a small headlamp, to avoid imprinting.

After 4 weeks the brooders are released into the "Grow" area.  This allows them to acclimatize.  All human contact in this area is done at night—to further prevent "imprinting".

After 4 weeks in the "Grow" area the birds are moved to the "Flight" area (beyond the green fence shown in the picture above on the right.)

This area has "islands" to covey-in and adequate height and length to develop flight feathers.

Human contact is kept to a minimum, to keep them "Borne to be Wild".

After 16 weeks of development we have "Wild Top Quality" weather-conditioned birds—as early release Preserve birds, and for Field and Trial training.