What Kit Is Needed for Catching Up Game Birds in January?

January is the final working period for catching up game birds before the shooting season closes on February 1st. Estates are usually finishing catching sessions, clearing pens, and beginning end-of-game season preparation, so ground and equipment are ready for breeding and laying work.

Catching up game birds in January often has to fit around short weather windows and limited daylight. By this point in the season, birds are generally more settled, so handling needs to remain calm and controlled to avoid stress or injury. If equipment is not ready in advance, routine work can quickly overrun and push back laying pen preparation.

Managing birds and pens during winter conditions relies on:

• Catch nets for game birds matched to pen size and handling requirements
• Game bird handling equipment, including controlled feeding systems to keep birds settled
• Windbreak netting to limit disturbance during catching and clearance

This guide explains the equipment commonly used when catching up game birds in January and how it supports safe handling, steady workflows, and timely preparation for the months ahead.

January Catch Up Work & Your Welfare Responsibilities

January catch-up work is carried out under the same welfare and legal responsibilities that apply throughout the shooting season. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds places a duty of care on those responsible for handling and moving birds, including ensuring staff are competent, and that equipment is suitable for the task [1].

The code also sets clear requirements around bird movement. Birds must be transported in secure, well-ventilated containers that protect them from the weather, and the use of sacks is not permitted.

Maximum journey times are defined as:

• 24 hours for day-old chicks
• 12 hours for all other birds

These requirements make equipment selection a matter of both compliance and efficiency. Nets, holding equipment, and pen layouts need to be suitable before catching begins, particularly where birds may need to be moved or held during January catch-up work.

Choosing Catch Nets That Keep Birds Calm & Under Control

Bird catching nets are the main tool used when catching up game birds at the end of the season. Nets selected for January work need to offer control while limiting crowding and sudden movement, particularly where birds are being handled repeatedly in cold conditions.

Common features of pheasant catching nets and other game bird nets used during catch-up include:

• 3ft handles, suited to smaller pens or close-control work
• 5ft handles, providing extra reach when guiding birds without crowding
• Wider framed nets, which help manage small groups steadily, rather than lifting birds individually

Using nets matched to pen size and bird numbers allows keepers to work methodically within short daylight windows.

Using Feeders to Settle Birds During Catching & Clearance

Feeders are commonly used during January catch-up work to help keep birds settled while catching and pen clearance takes place. Consistent access to feed reduces movement within the pen, making handling more predictable and lowering the risk of birds rushing or lifting during catching sessions.

According to the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, since 1970, UK farmland bird populations have declined by around 60%, with reduced winter food availability identified as a contributing factor [2]. With farmland accounting for approximately 72% of UK land use, supplementary feeding supports bird condition when natural food sources are limited.

During January catching sessions, feeders are typically used to:

• Hold birds briefly while nets are repositioned or pens are cleared
• Maintain steady access to feed to limit crowding
• Support bird condition during repeated handling or movement

Feeders used at this stage should be stable, easy to clean, and suitable for winter conditions. Consistent placement and good hygiene are important, as poor feeder management can increase stress and disease risk during end of game season preparation.

Windbreak Netting for Winter Pen Management

Windbreak netting helps keep pens workable during January, particularly when catching up game birds in cold, wet, or windy conditions. Shelter and screening reduce bird movement along fence lines, which helps handlers maintain control during catching and clearance.

GOV.UK guidance on poultry welfare sets out a duty of care to provide birds with an appropriate environment [3]. This includes shelter from adverse weather and conditions that avoid fear and distress, and the guidance explicitly includes pheasants and partridges within the poultry species covered.

Both woven and plastic mesh windbreak netting can be installed temporarily during catch-up sessions or left in place as part of a pen layout. This flexibility is useful when catching, clearance, and maintenance work overlap during end-of-season preparation.

Checking Equipment & Biosecurity Before the Next Cycle Begins

Once catching up game birds is complete, January is often used to inspect game bird handling equipment and review biosecurity arrangements ahead of breeding and laying. This includes checking nets for wear, thoroughly cleaning feeders, and adjusting windbreak netting to suit the new pen layouts before birds are introduced for the next cycle.

Carrying out these checks immediately after catch-up reduces the risk of equipment failure later, when time pressures increase, and birds are already in place. It also allows estates to address hygiene and handling practices while pens are empty, supporting smoother laying pen preparation.

Recent BBC reporting highlights increased scrutiny around gamebird management following confirmed cases of avian flu at gamebird premises in Wales [4]. The report estimates that between 800,000 and 2.3 million gamebirds are released each year, reinforcing the importance of controlled management, hygiene, and preparation between seasons.

Get the Right Kit in Place for January Catch-Up

January catch-up work is often dictated by weather, daylight, and staff availability. Having the correct equipment on site before conditions allow work to begin helps estates complete catching and clearance without unnecessary delays and move smoothly into laying pen preparation.

Collins Nets is a family-owned and run company with over 35 years of experience manufacturing netting for game bird rearing, fish farms, and sports applications. Our products are designed for practical use on working estates and built to support reliable handling during end-of-season preparation.

Call 01308 485422 or use our contact form to get help choosing suitable nets and equipment for January work.

External Sources

[1] The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), “Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds”: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-practice-for-the-welfare-of-gamebirds-reared-for-sporting-purposes/code-of-practice-for-the-welfare-of-gamebirds-reared-for-sporting-purposes

[2] The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, “UK farmland bird populations”: https://www.gwct.org.uk/blogs/news/2025/december/taking-care-when-feeding-the-birds-this-winter/

[3] GOV.UK, “guidance on poultry welfare”: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/poultry-welfare-off-the-farm

[4] BBC News, “confirmed cases of avian flu at gamebird premises in Wales”: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg2x9wpdjro