Completely new to pheasants

[The Chickeneer]

So I bought a male and female ringneck pheasant. I've always wanted some, seen them at the swap meets but they were always expensive and looked beat up.
Then I saw some at the feed store while I was buying chicken feed, the were beautiful, and both together were only $35! I saw that as a pretty good deal.
So........I have some questions.........

Do they sleep on the floor or on roosts? I assumed it was on roosts like my chickens, but they've been sleeping on the floor lately (they're in a separate pen that the chickens just so you know)
What specifically do they eat? I thought a mix of game feed and chicken scratch would be good enough, but do they need free range food as well? Are they leftover eaters like chickens?

Oh, and whenever i grab them, they are kind of skittish so they flap around allot and they leave a bunch of feathers everywhere. I'ts like picking up a ripped bag full of fluff and it all falls out. But when you looked at them, they seem untouched and like they never lost any feathers when you grabbed them. If I was to walk up and see the coop, I could have thought a predator got them or something, there are just feathers every where, and i'm not exaggerating. Is this like their molting season or something? Are they sick?

Could i eventually let them free range with chickens and expect them to return to the roosts at night? or are pheasants the run away type?

Thanks for any info and additional advice

 

[ranit]

Some of mine like to sleep on the roost and others sleep on the ground.

Gamebird feed is formulated with all they need. Go sparingly on the treats. A handful of scratch now and then will not hurt but does not have all the nutrients they need - it's kinda like kids and candy - too much and they won't eat what they should. I do like to throw a handful of grass clippings in with mine when I mow since they keep the pen pecked clean.

They tend to have a response system that releases feathers when grabbed. This helps them escape from predators in the wild.

No they will not free range and come home at night. Once turned loose they are usually gone. Sometimes they will stay around for awhile but eventually take off.

 

[fancyfowl4ever]

So I bought a male and female ringneck pheasant. I've always wanted some, seen them at the swap meets but they were always expensive and looked beat up.
Then I saw some at the feed store while I was buying chicken feed, the were beautiful, and both together were only $35! I saw that as a pretty good deal.
So........I have some questions.........

Do they sleep on the floor or on roosts? I assumed it was on roosts like my chickens, but they've been sleeping on the floor lately (they're in a separate pen that the chickens just so you know)
Some of my ringnecks roost, most find a covered corner and stay on the ground.
What specifically do they eat? I thought a mix of game feed and chicken scratch would be good enough, but do they need free range food as well? Are they leftover eaters like chickens?
Gamebird feed is good, I would go easy on the scratch cause its like offering both candy and veggies to a kid, the candy(scratch) wins out over eating the nutritionally optimal feed. My Gamebirds get a scoop of rolled grains about once a week as a treat. You can also feed chopped fruits and veggies, and I personally also like feeding mealworms now and then too.
Never tried scraps since we only have one scrap bucket and that gets dumped with the chickens.

Oh, and whenever i grab them, they are kind of skittish so they flap around allot and they leave a bunch of feathers everywhere. I'ts like picking up a ripped bag full of fluff and it all falls out. But when you looked at them, they seem untouched and like they never lost any feathers when you grabbed them. If I was to walk up and see the coop, I could have thought a predator got them or something, there are just feathers every where, and i'm not exaggerating. Is this like their molting season or something? Are they sick?
That is a defense mechanism of any gamebird. They drop any feathers you touch, so never try and catch a male by the tail, wether peacock or pheasant or you'll have a tail-less bird(did that to my first ever pheasant I got..... caught him at the base of the tail, had him for a whole 2 seconds before I stood there with a beauty bouquet of tailfeathers

). Its to get away from predators, they are busy with a mouthfull of feathers while the bird gets away.

You have to catch pheasants by the legs and just cradle them really gently(never let go of the legs) then they should not loose any feathers.

Could i eventually let them free range with chickens and expect them to return to the roosts at night? or are pheasants the run away type? They will run away on ya im afraid, pheasants will not stay.

Thanks for any info and additional advice

 

[The Chickeneer]

Thanks for all the answers. I really wish I could free range them........Can you clip their wings? Or do they just jump over things just as easy?
If not, guess I might just build them a run with the top covered with wire.

 

[bigtim68]

I have 4 Ringnecks, 1 rooster and 3 hens theyre 11mos today, i got them when they were 5 days old, they are still wild birds and dont like humans around much. i can go into their enclosure and they still run from me, although they dont freak out and go crazy like when a neighbor and or friends come by to look at them, some roost all night and some sleep on the ground, i feed them gamebird feed and a couple of times a week i throw in wild bird seed and meal worms which they love, they'll eat bread, apples and grass clippings and i get a bale of hay and scatter it around and they like that too, i've collected a dozen eggs from them and in 6 more days ill know if they were fertile, as theyre in a 12 egg incubator i bought for $150. new, which turn the eggs and keep humidity up .

Tim

ps feel free to write me anytime

 

[fancyfowl4ever]

Thanks for all the answers. I really wish I could free range them........Can you clip their wings? Or do they just jump over things just as easy?
If not, guess I might just build them a run with the top covered with wire.

Pheasants should always have a covered enclosure, both for keeping them in and keeping owl etc out(they just love gamebirds).
Clipping has never done any good with my pheasants other then it slowed down the male a bit when he gets to agressive in breeding season and I clip him and not the hen(so she can avoid him better).
They can still jump and climb wire with clipped wings.

 

[The Chickeneer]

Thanks guys, Okay, I have them in a temporary little chicken coop until i can get their pen built. They do seem pretty skittish still, but I figured out a way to catch them easily. I just walk slowly toward them, stand over them so they cant fly, and just grab 'em real fast. And when should the female pheasant start laying eggs? the temporary coop I have them in right now has a nest box in it, I've seen her in it a couple times, no eggs though. I guess shes just exploring it first, like the pullets used to do before they started laying. And how long do their eggs store before incubation?

 

[amandashahan]

I hope you got everything worked out!