Info on Chickens, Ducks, Pheasants and Guinea Fowl

[Sussex123]

I have a few questions about chickens, ducks, pheasants and guinea fowl.

Let me explain the coop arrangement, space and my experience.

I have really 4 chicken coops well what is being used as chicken coops at the moment. I have one coop that is 16 square metres, another probably 120 square metres, and the other two are joined together and are probably 80 square metres for both. I also let them free range for a few hours in the backyard which is about 900 square metres but the dogs don't like them out in the yard all day so they spend from 4pm to they go to bed out. I have had chickens for a little over a year started of egg layers, then breeders then layers again. We have also had ducks for a few months. I have been intending on expanding on the poultry species that we are having. We live in town so we had to remove the roosters that is the reason for not breeding chickens any more.

Now for the questions

Are guinea fowl very loud. Say compared to a hen that is laying or a rooster that is crowing.

Are pheasants very loud. Say compared to a hen that is laying or a rooster that is crowing.

Can you keep chickens, ducks, pheasants and guinea fowl together. We are willing to sell the chickens (50 chickens) and 1 duck. As i have read that it is different from buying adult ducks, chickens, pheasants, and guinea fowl and putting them together than raising them from day olds and having them together.

Can pheasants free range out, as the joined together coop has a net over the top on it that they can stay in but the others are open with a lowish fence. Can we clip there wings so they do not fly other the fence. We are also thinking if we wire the bottom of the trampoline and put a little house under there that it can be another movable coop would that work for them.

Are guinea fowl and pheasants grass stippers. Meaning if we permanently let them out on the grass will they clear it till it is dirt or will they just nibble and eat bugs.

If any body has experience with pheasants or mandarin ducks or mountain ducks or guinea fowl and has any tips with keeping them, things to feed them, breeding them or anything else you can think of that will be very helpful.

What do you feed guinea fowl and pheasants?

What housing will guinea fowl and pheasants need? The duck will probably be getting a three sided house with nesting boxes under it as we only have 1 duck at the moment and we just put it in the chicken house that is raised of the floor probably by 1 meter which does not help it with its little legs.

If my dogs are excepting of chickens and ducks will they likely be excepting of guinea fowl and pheasants.

I am not sure if the breed of the species matters but for the chickens it will be a mix of sussex, wyandotte, barnevelder, leghorn, australorp, polish, japanese bantam, silkies, plymouth rock and rhode island red. For the duck it will only be one breed as they will be all in with the chickens no matter what as we have had no problems with putting them together will be call ducks, khaki campbells, mandarin ducks or mountain ducks. Their are a mix of different pheasants and guinea fowl we are interested in but I am not sure if they are breeds or colours. Such as the golden pheasant or the lavender guinea fowl. We are located in Australia and there is a big breeder in Queensland that breeds peacocks, ducks, guinea fowl and pheasants.

The chickens will only be hens, the ducks will be hens and drakes, the guinea fowl will be male and female and same for pheasants.

Any help will be very helpful and will probably have more questions but that is all I can think of.

Thanks

 

[JaeG]

Guinea fowl are noisy and like to roam so not a good fit for urban living.

Chickens can carry diseases that they themselves are immune to but gamebirds (including pheasants), being less domesticated, aren't and there's a big risk of them becoming sick from contact with chickens. They also cannot free range. @007Sean can give you more information as he has many beautiful pheasants.

 

[Sussex123]

Ok Thank You, Still happy to hear from other poeple and there opinion.

 

[Sussex123]

No need for info on guinea fowl as we will definitely not get them if they are loud but all info on pheasants would be great or the mountain duck.

 

[007Sean]

Wow! So many questions but that's great...doing your research.
I believe strongly in biosecurity when raising pheasants in proxcimety to other poultry...so much so that I wouldn't recommend doing it, unless I had no choice. Then their enclosure would be separated a great distance apart and upwind from the other poultry. The reason being, that other poultry carry disease's that they can tolerate but will kill a pheasant.
In general, pheasants will not "free range". If they get out of their enclosure, they will be gone, in quick chilly minute. The enclosure needs to be fully covered, not only to prevent escape but also to prevent predators from entering.
Pheasants do best with large, predator proof, adequate drainage, planted enclosures with sheltered area. If in extreme cold climates, then they should have protection from drafts, all but those of tropical species can handle cold weather. In addition, native grasses, shrubs, small trees and lots of pheasant furniture, ie; smooth rocks, stumps, tree limbs and various perches, should be incorporated in the enclosure (if raising the Ruff pheasants, Goldens, Amherst) ring necked pheasants don't use perches as much as other pheasants.
Nutritional needs would be a good non-medicated commercial feed of 24% protien if not milling your own feed. Therapeutic levels of antibiotics can lead to thrush ( sour crop) in pheasants, grouse and quail. Other cereal grains can be fed, milo, corn, wheat, barley, oats. Clean water is a must requirement.
Most pheasants are fairly quiet and docile in captivity, with the exception of the true pheasants being flighty and weary of anything and everything. Breeding season will elicit mating calls, which can be quite loud. Breeding season here in South Texas, is from late March through late August. Your location will determine when breeding season is for your area.
Nesting boxes or materials can be used for the hens to lay their eggs but my pheasants don't use them, they tend to lay an egg where ever they choose, usually in a corner of the enclosure.
.I could write a book on rearing pheasants but these are the high lights of pheasant rearing and management. HTH
Edit: pheasants are known by their species names not breeds or colors.

 

[Sussex123]

Thank you for the information it has helped a lot.

 

[chickengr]

Wow! So many questions but that's great...doing your research.
I believe strongly in biosecurity when raising pheasants in proxcimety to other poultry...so much so that I wouldn't recommend doing it, unless I had no choice. Then their enclosure would be separated a great distance apart and upwind from the other poultry. The reason being, that other poultry carry disease's that they can tolerate but will kill a pheasant.
In general, pheasants will not "free range". If they get out of their enclosure, they will be gone, in quick chilly minute. The enclosure needs to be fully covered, not only to prevent escape but also to prevent predators from entering.
Pheasants do best with large, predator proof, adequate drainage, planted enclosures with sheltered area. If in extreme cold climates, then they should have protection from drafts, all but those of tropical species can handle cold weather. In addition, native grasses, shrubs, small trees and lots of pheasant furniture, ie; smooth rocks, stumps, tree limbs and various perches, should be incorporated in the enclosure (if raising the Ruff pheasants, Goldens, Amherst) ring necked pheasants don't use perches as much as other pheasants.
Nutritional needs would be a good non-medicated commercial feed of 24% protien if not milling your own feed. Therapeutic levels of antibiotics can lead to thrush ( sour crop) in pheasants, grouse and quail. Other cereal grains can be fed, milo, corn, wheat, barley, oats. Clean water is a must requirement.
Most pheasants are fairly quiet and docile in captivity, with the exception of the true pheasants being flighty and weary of anything and everything. Breeding season will elicit mating calls, which can be quite loud. Breeding season here in South Texas, is from late March through late August. Your location will determine when breeding season is for your area.
Nesting boxes or materials can be used for the hens to lay their eggs but my pheasants don't use them, they tend to lay an egg where ever they choose, usually in a corner of the enclosure.
.I could write a book on rearing pheasants but these are the high lights of pheasant rearing and management. HTH
Edit: pheasants are known by their species names not breeds or colors.

can pheasants be housed with pea fowl and turkeys? or at least can they share the same run with them (no other poultry)?