Golden Pheasants and Coops

[Tuhmu]

I have two little golden pheasants (more in the incubator), about 3 weeks old in my covered brooder and I need to getting the housing plan finalized. My original plan was to just make a nice covered run onto my empty 4 x 8 walk in coop but got to thinking that well, maybe having something smaller and not a walk in would be better. If I really start liking pheasants and want to get other types, it would be nice to have some uniformity.

I'm in the arctic (north Dakota) so I figure an actual place they can get inside would be necessary; most of the plans I've seen are just a covered run with one end with solid walls (I think I would have pheasant-sicles).

I want to have a nice 12 x 12 or 16 x 16 covered run but also have maybe a 4 x 4 basic shelter of some type in there, maybe around 3-4' tall with a roof that lifts up. The big question is, would they use it? Might be a silly question, idk. The other half of it would be, if I had the shelter about 1-2' off the ground, would they use a ramp?

 

[007Sean]

A taller shelter is nice, you don't have to bend over to get in, the birds have perches up high above ground. Goldens can withstand cold weather, as long as they can get out of the wind and elements, and drafts are not too severe. When it comes to pheasants, bigger is better.
If your shelters 1' to 2' above the ground, they might use a ramp but would perfer a ground level entrance. There more likely to jump or fly into the shelter at that level. HTH Good Luck

 

[Midnightman14]

If you are feeling ambitious they'll also appreciate pine boughs to hide under. The more places they have to hide the happier and less jumpy they will be.

 

[Tuhmu]

What's your guy's opinions on this for the top? http://www.qcsupply.com/farm-livestock/fencing-containment/netting/bulk-poly-knit-shade.html

From everything I've read, it would be best to have some give....but I have seen some photos where they have a solid steel roof over the run.

I'm on the hunt for some netting to cover the run and seen this type of thing pop up, would be nice to have some shade as I have no tree to really provide much. (all little still)

 

[Tony K T]

In N.H.,Tony.
I prefer to keep my pens nice and dry,so I use metal roofing.When their pen gets wet it is too messy and smells bad.

 

[Trefoil]

The shade cloth would hold snow and get very heavy. That could cause problems with it collapsing on the birds. In snow prone areas the knotted netting is usually preferred because of this problem, I think it sheds snow better.