Hatching Chinese Ringneck eggs under a broody chicken?

[fastlane2002]

Wow, what a great site. This question may have been asked in the past but I just found this forum and I thought it would be a good place to start. Our friends have about 10 laying hens that free-range their place. A couple of their birds are very broody and are always hatching a new batch of chicks. Can anyone tell me, what kind of success we would have if we replaced some or all of a broody hens eggs with pheasant eggs while she is setting?

 

[canada-goose]

I think it work work fine. However, I am not a pheasant expert.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

I have done it several times. The hens know no prejudice. Any kind of egg that hatches is THEIRS!

 

[JJMR794]

For what its worth.... This is a really bad idea, and most of the pheasant folk here will agree if for only 1 reason out of a many---- illness!
Basically the short and sweet version is--- chickens/ ducks/ turkeys routinely carry diseases with no infection to them or other birds of these speces that will kill pheasants and most gamebirds quickly and easily--- usually the mycoplasma line of illnesses like coryza or synovitis. The average chicken has a certain amount of immunity or resistance to these that most gamebirds do not have, and will not have in their lifetime. The basics the same biological instrument you want to use to create life will kill it in the most innocent way.

Now there will be nay sayers to this post--- Of this I have no doubt, but dont just take my word on it--- ask others on here with years of experience like tony. Look at 1 of his responses on this very page that states the same thing i just typed. search the quail forum for a string titled "this is why we dont keep chickens with quail" and ask around.

I answer this from 1st hand experience.... had an entire brood of fancy ornimental and ring neck pheasants all killed by this.... i used a 3 mos old serama chick as a brooder nanny and they all caught and died from coryza---- I hope this post will allow others to learn from my mistake without having to experience the loss for themselves.

 

[fastlane2002]

Thank you all for taking the time to reply to my question. I feel much better informed than I did two days ago.

 

[fancyfowl4ever]

I just use my broody hens to hatch them but not to rear them. With me the pheasant chicks never stayed with their surrogate mom.

 

[Tony K T]

You got it.They never seem to stay with their real mom to good either.You can hatch them under a broody hen,but take them away as soon as you can.
In N.H.,Tony.
Quote:

 

[fastlane2002]

Thank you to all for sharing your knowlege and experience. It is greatly appreciated.

 

[NCIndiaBlue]

I just put 14 of my Red Golden and Chinese Ringneck Phesant eggs under my broody Bantam Cochin, I will move them to the incubator a few days before they are due to hatch to hopefully reduce any risk of spreading an infectious disease. This is my first time trying it, I'll let you guys know how it goes in a couple of weeks, but so far so good.

 

[ranit]

Have to agree. The one time I hatched ringnecks under a silkie (who had successfully hatched & raised guinea keets) they seemed to scatter once she took them out of the nest. It was like they did not know to go back to the surrogate mom. At the time I thought they might be hearing the pheasants who were penned at the other end of the property and were trying to get to them. I had to catch them all and put in a brooder.