Mr pheasant and his groove.

[gabrielle1976]

Ok so My brother in law and I have both tried to hatch his pheasnts eggs. So far non of the eggs have been fertel so heres my questions.
At just shy of a year old is he to young to have his breeding groove yet?
What hen to male ratio should there be? (I dont know what his is by the way)
Is there something to do to improve fertility?
His wife said she thought they had giant brown ?? or giant chinese?? pheasnts No idea

 

[gabrielle1976]

Looks like no one knows. Thanks anyways

 

[chickenzoo]

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he may be a little young or inexperienced. You should have better luck next year.

 

[philter4]

It depends on the species, there are birds like my Swinhoe's that laid at 14 months old and not one was fertile, but the next year they were. After talking to other breeders and in my small bit of experience it isn't unusual for most species to lay the first year but not produce viable eggs until the second or third year.

I have experience with a lot of exotic reptiles and mammals and in those animals something similar happens. Because you provide food, shelter and protection for the animals all of the energy they get from the food is converted to breeding so you may get eggs but because of genetics they aren't able to produce fertile eggs. In the wild they would have had to use the food resources for survival until their second year when they are old enough to successfully breed. Just a guess based on experience with other wild type animals I have kept.