Consider the no mow in May campaign. That’s when I started noticing the decline. Causation or correlation? I talked to a biologist that work in an area that was restocked during the 80s. He found that the hens were leaving because they didn’t like the nesting habitat. Basically the greenfields were ryegrass and too thick for poultry production. Once he switched to cereal grains they seems to come back and we were able to unit again in the late 90s early 2000s.

I see hens with young poults in shorter grasses and or disked ground. I’d imagine poults have differing needs during their earlier days. I’m sure their needs change as they age

Bunch grasses and other plants that have overhead cover and bare ground seems to the best options. Just like quail habitat in their early days. Just thinking out loud.

“Socialism only works in two places: Heaven where they don't need it and hell where they already have it.” ― Ronald Reagan