Another Newbie Question

[mrwoodboat]

I am hearing calls coming from my pheasants and the hen is following the male everywhere- I am correct in thinking that they are going through the breeding rituals? They have never follower one another before- this is my Dark Throats, the Red Goldens are still behaving as usually except the male is making a new call..

 

[pheasantfrenzie]

Normally it is the other way around but yes they are trying to courtship. I would keep watching them tho to make sure it is nothing else

 

[mrwoodboat]

Well, apparently that is his breeding call- found an egg in the Red Golden run today....so guess we will see what the next few days bring us.....still waiting on the dark throats...

 

[Tony K T]

This is their courtship and breeding season for them so you will hear lots of different sounds from them.Check out http://www.xeno-canto.org/,and you can hear lots of calls from pheasants and all other kinds of birds.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[pheasantfrenzie]

Reds will lay every other day

 

[mrwoodboat]

Thank you- I did not know how often they would lay- she laid it right in the middle of the run instead of in the areas I had provided for her...go figure...

So if I wanted to try to hatch the eggs, do I collect everyday and turn them a couple of times each day till I set them in the incubator? I am assuming I can keep them for 10 days before I need to set them?

 

[mrwoodboat]

Went out to the pens just now and there in the Dark Throats pen were 3 eggs that were not there yesterday!?? She must have laid them and then collected them to one locale...Yeah!!!I left them there and will see where we are in 7 days...

 

[pheasantfrenzie]

Yes you can collect them and the easiest thing to do is get an automatic turner then you don't have to worry about turning them yourselves. They are rather cheap normally only $50 at your feed store and keep them in a cool area. Store with the small end down. I also wouldn't wait until 10 days to incubate the longer you keep them the lower your hatch rate will be. Depending on what other eggs you are incubating make sure you mark your eggs and seperate them when they are ready to hatch so you know who is who. Also keep track of them on a calender.

 

[mrwoodboat]

Thanks- I have a turner, I just didn't know if my going in everyday and collecting would put the hens off laying..so I guess my next question is how long do Red Goldens and Dark Throats lay each season?

 

[pheasantfrenzie]

Mine lay from late April to late May sometimes longer depending on our weather.
If your female is laying on the eggs let her hatch them or try unless you wanted to incubate them. If she isn't setting on them they will keep laying their eggs every other day if you collect them.