Someone tell me about raising Ringneck Pheasant.

[debbiez]

Okay so my Dad bought some 2 week old pheasants from a local farm. DH and I could not resist so we now have 8. They will be 4 weeks on Sunday.We know pheasants need alot of room when they are older and we have been feeding game starter but other than that we are clueless. Right now they seem happy in the brood box/ mini coop. But I need info.Dad is going to eat his but we would like to make ours into breeders.
Thanks for the info,
Debbiez

 

[SamG347]

Like you said the key to pheasants is SPACE. You are going to want to start constructing a final pen for them right now. As soon as the roosters hit sexual maturity it will be a no holds bar. Some people use "Poly Peepers" or "Hoods" to keep the males and females from pecking eachother. You will only want to have a ratio of probably 1 rooster to 5 hens for pheasant. Maybe a little more or little less. I would say give each bird 8-10 sq/ft and make the pen tall enough they can fly.
Good Luck anymore questions feel free to ask....ooo also when making the pen it should have netting on the top to keep them from flying out.
Good Luck!

 

[SterlingAcres]

Like Sam said, you're gonna need some blinders for the cock birds at least. My grandfather was a pheasant breeder. His main flight pen was a good 250x100 (yards not feet!). But he had LOADS of birds.

Good luck!

 

[ticks]

Good luck

Put a top on that brooder if you haven't already. They can fly at 1 weeks and very well at 2. Yours are almost 4.

 

[Acre of Blessings]

GOOD LUCK

 

[debbiez]

We have a top on the brooder and DH is going to work on the pen this weekend.When should we move them to the new pen? They do not seem crowded where they are and they still seem little.Oh yes,they can fly.I trained my guineas and chicks with ease to go back into the brood box over the run,Can I train these and how?Right now I catch them by hand and put them back.
What kind of feed should I swap them to and at what age?
And is there any way to sex them? Someone said by the heads but they all look the same to me.
Thanks for all the help.
Debbiez

 

[SamG347]

You might be able to train them to go into their nest....but chances are you wont be able to. They are a wild bird and like to be outside 24/7. As long as they have shelter and are protected they are fine. It takes an expirenced and keen eye to sex a ringneck based on the patch around the eye. I assume that is what they were talking about when they said the head. You will be able to tell as they start maturing as only the males have red-skin/waddle around eye. Switch them to a Gamebird Breeder formula or keep them on the same feed or a 20% feed.
Good Luck!

 

[ticks]

Yes, after 9 months of research I did on pheasant to learn about the species, I can pretty much sex by eye patch. No, I don't think you could teach them to go into a nest. They are not like chickens they are not domestic. I found that they will thrive if they have minimal contact with humans. I put some small little covers out. They also love branches and a big brush pile. Remember they are wild animals. I switched my pheasant from a 24% starter to a 20% at 6 weeks. My flight pen is a 20'x35' and I have 25+ pheasant in it. It gives about 28 sq. feet per birds. Roosters will beat the snot out of eachother at sexual maturity. Also, too little amount hens in a little space will result in weak or injured hens due to mating. Cannibalism. just go to my website go to pheasant chick care and read that.

 

[debbiez]

Thanks everyone!

Great site "Ticks". Will have to let DH read all that too.I can't believe the in they will be ready to move in two weeks. They must grow alot in the next two weeks.
I have not heard about the red on the face.This guy said one's head would be sloped and the other rounded.Can't remember which on that.
Also DH want to worm them at 4 weeks with Wazine would this be alright?
THANKS EVERYONE!!

This has been most helpful,
Debbiez

 

[roosters97]

sorry if im hijacking but,is 18x8 good for two pheasant?