HELP! BWild newborn baby pheasant caught by cat- alive!

[Farming Frenzy]

My cat just came around the corner with something in her mouth, I quickly ran up and took it from her, it's a baby pheasant! The mother was not far away but this baby is newborn! I know nothing about pheasants but I raise silkies and this baby is tiny! I put him in a brooder with a heat emitter 30C he was breathing eyes closed now hes standing sort of and his eyes are open. Please help! Can i put him under a broody silkie hen? What should i feed it at this age? I have chick starter for chickens ?

poor fella, he seems to be healthy though! Lucky my cat didnt hurt him, she's a poor hunter

 

[Aspen Forest]

Why don't you just let it go around where the cat found it?
And chickens can cary diseases that can kill pheasants. Also when I was looking for food options I found that chick starter for chickens should not be used since it has medication in it. Game bird starter should be used.

 

[Wolrep]

Since you didn't catch the cat and release him back to his parents. Best is keep him in the brooder and feed him Purina wild game starter crumbles. Can't feed it any other feed because all others have medication in the feed and will kill the bird.

 

[deserthotwings]

Releasing him back into the wild would mean sudden death for the chick. He would either die of exposure or your cat or some other predator would soon consume him. Your silkie hen would be a good mother to him but he would have to be in an escape proof enclosure with her. If she has other chicks the same size of the pheasant, even better. I have used silkies for brooding pheasants many times and it works out great. Just remember he is a wild bird, probably still a little in shock so keep him warm, around 98-99 F. No danger of any chicken disease unless your birds consume earth worms. The worms carry a disease that effects wild birds cecum and kills them but domestic birds are immune. Any non-medicated starter will be fine, the higher the protein content the better. Remember he is a wild bird and if he ever gets away from you he will be gone for good. Good Luck with your new friend.

 

[Ntsees]

Chances are high that the chick will not make it, not from lack of care nor lack of feed/water, but because it's been in the cats mouth. If the cat's teeth has punctured it a little in any way, bacteria/cat saliva/or what ever the mystery is will eventually kill the chick. Happened to a few of my chicks last year.

 

[Tayten B]

I have to agree waldrep i feed the chick starter to my quail and ring necks they devoured it and none of them ever got sick. I am going to guess and say you live in either oklahoma,south dakota or kansas

 

[deserthotwings]

How's the little guy doing ??

 

[enola]

Farming Frenzy lives in New Zealand. So it is late summer there.

 

[deserthotwings]

Can we get a report on the little guy ???

 

[Farming Frenzy]

sorry everyone- haven't been on for a long long time. I was able to hand raise the little fella separately from my chickens, we kept him in a chicken run and he grew really well. We let him go a few months ago, he still hangs around our property and gets treats whenever we see him. He is tame but wild enough to survive on his own. Thanks for everyone's help!