My pheasants

[SpencyMason]

I have two ringneck pheasants one male and one female and I was just wondering if it is okay to keep a male pheasant with just a single hen

 

[007Sean]

Yes, it's perfectly fine but it would be better to have 3 to 5 hens with him. Male ring-necked's tend to be aggressive breeders. That way the 1 hen won't be "battered" by the male. Be sure to have plenty of "safe" hideouts for the hen to get away from the male.

 

[SpencyMason]

Thank you very much now for like a place where they can roost would I just put a big stick where they can perch I don't quite have them in there pen yet because they are still only 7 and a half weeks.

 

[007Sean]

Thank you very much now for like a place where they can roost would I just put a big stick where they can perch I don't quite have them in there pen yet because they are still only 7 and a half weeks.

I use mesquite limbs that are 2" to 3" in diameter in my pens, because of the abundance of mesquite in my location. What you use will depend on your location. If using wood from hardware/lumber store, get dowels of that diameter. Being round helps them to roost as they would in the wild. It allows their feet to be covered by feathers, protecting them from frost bite in extreme cold weather. At 7 and a half weeks, their old enough to go to a permenate pen. HTH Good Luck

 

[Midnightman14]

Pine or spruce branches work well too. I even use old christmas trees sometimes and the birds seem to like it alot. With ringnecks too the males can be awful when it comes to egg eating so I would not leave eggs sitting around if you can. If you provide a basic wooden frame set on the ground in a sheltered spot the hens will probably lay in it and make collection easier. From what I've seen they seem to get the idea as to what the nest frames are for pretty quickly. I usually set the frame down, add some sand to make it soft and even out the bottom for her, and then put a couple handfuls of pine needles on top of that.

 

[Tricia Sinnett]

I'm very new to bird rearing. I bought a pair of red golden pheasants & a peacock that had been housed together. They were about 3 months old. Now (roughly 6 weeks later), the female has lost most of the feathers on her back, under her wings. I don't see any signs of an attack; no blood, scabs or bruising.Could this be some sort of normal molting?! Can anyone give me some solid feedback? If she's sick I want to get her back on track ASAP.

 

[007Sean]

I'm very new to bird rearing. I bought a pair of red golden pheasants & a peacock that had been housed together. They were about 3 months old. Now (roughly 6 weeks later), the female has lost most of the feathers on her back, under her wings. I don't see any signs of an attack; no blood, scabs or bruising.Could this be some sort of normal molting?! Can anyone give me some solid feedback? If she's sick I want to get her back on track ASAP.

Hi, WELCOME TO BYC! It's just normal molting. Usually, feather loss on the back, is a results of over crowding but they do lose their feathers on their backs as you described when going through a molt at that age. At that stage, their susceptible to pecking from other birds, they can't resist pecking at new feathers coming in...especially, tail feathers. Just keep an eye on it, and if you see blood or bruising, remove the aggressive bird to a separate pen/enclosure.

 

[Midnightman14]

When breeding season comes along I would also separate the goldens from the peas. There can be issues with aggression during mating season.

 

[Tricia Sinnett]

When breeding season comes along I would also separate the goldens from the peas. There can be issues with aggression during mating season.

Thank you for that! They seem to enjoy eachother's company for now, but I will definitely follow your advice.