breeding season

[Tony K T]

Your laying season may be sooner then mine as you have a warmer climate.Here in N.H.,they start laying late March early April.My grey peacock hen has already made a nest in the same spot as last year.It's a little early for her as she laid her first egg March 5th last year.It has been a milder winter here,but now the snow is starting to fly.Oh boy!If she does lay an egg,I hope I can get it before it freezes.
I guess you start feeding layer pellets around mid March,but then again your birds may lay earlier then mine.Don't forget to give them lots of fruits and veggies also.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[deserthotwings]

I'm using plastic milk cartons for laying boxs. Do you think that will work or do you have a better idea. It works well for chickens but I'm not sure about the pheasants.

 

[Tony K T]

Time will tell.If your bird feels comfortable,I'm sure she will use them.Place one hanging and another on the ground,this will give her a choice as to where she would like to nest.She may just lay in a corner on the bare ground,but you should supply her with a few options.Like I said before I hang a bushel basket,plcae one on the ground,lean a xmas tree in a corner of the pen and lean a piece of plywood on the side of their pen.Most of my hens choose the hanging basket,only 1 sat on the ground.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

I just got back from the feed guy's house and came home with unexpected pheasants. I have my lone amherst male with my melanistic ringneck male and didn't plan to get any hens til fall. He had a couple hens that are 'mostly amherst' in a pen that he needs for this years birds and offered them to me in trade for some of my phoenix pullets when they start hatching. They still show some golden blood in them but they will just be farm birds anyway since they aren't pure. While I was there I also got a ringneck hen. She shows lots of pink and lots of patterning compared to any normal American ringneck I have seen so it will be interesting to see what she throws.
Just a question- what should I expect from the melanistic x normal ringneck? Is the melanistic recessive or will it work 50/50?