New Addition!! Amherst pheasants!! Critique Please!

[mossfamilyfarm]

I was just given this pair of Lady Amherst pheasants! I am in the process of building them a proper coop and run but for now they are in a smaller cage. I know that they shouldnt be mixed with my other birds, with that in mind, I guess I will move them further away from my chickens... I don't know how old they are or if they are proven breeders... but I was *told* that they are 1 year old... but I think thats not true based on how mature they both look. My pictures are not the greatest bc these two really seem flighty! But... based on the pictures I have, how are they?? Are they decent for breeding?? And how old do they look?? and... I live in Illinois and it is still pretty chilly around here, when can I expect the hen to start laying? I'm guessing mid-April??

Hen:

Male: (what are male pheasants called?? lol)

 

[Tony K T]

They are definetly older then 1 year old.It takes the male 2 years to get his breeder plumage.Very nice looking birds.After they color out it is hard to tell the age.Yes early to mid april she will start to lay.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[arherp]

Looks good.. atleast two years of age. They are typically very flighty anyways, but once you have them a while they will calm down a bit.

 

[mossfamilyfarm]

So are they pure amhersts?? I saw something on here about crosses... I sure hope they are not!! But... I guess when I hatch some eggs I will get an idea, huh?

I am pretty clueless about this whole pheasant thing!! They were just kinda thrown in my lap!! But they are so beautiful, I think I'm hooked!!

 

[Rocket Up]

They are both very pretty bids

My only concern (and I am NO amherst expert) is that his tail seems so muddled, almost spotty with out clear lines. I have never seen one like that before.

Here is one of mine for comparison.

ill


Still they are pretty, and I hope you do well with them.

 

[mossfamilyfarm]

So... since his tail doesnt have the clear lines... is he possibly crossed with something else?? Or is it a defect?

 

[arherp]

I noticed the tail as well... also either the breast or wing plumage (can't tell) appears to be too yellow-y.

I would say it is a cross, but hey - still a pretty bird, and you enjoy them a ton.

 

[tonini3059]

I am not an expert as well, but the mottling in the tail concerned me a little. Hopefully the experts can weigh in on the situation.

 

[p/shall]

Everyone is correct in there statements concerning the broken pattern of the tail and the coloration in the breast.True ladies have solid white breast feathers and barred tails.Some one in the past might have mistook a Red Golden hen as a Lady A hen or visa versa and that is why your bird shows them traits.Still very pretty as he is just in my opinion not pure.

 

[casuarius]

Yes, they both have red golden in them somewhere down the line...it's just hard to find pure birds anymore, and so many people don't know the difference. The female favors a red golden hen more in my opinion, the stomach area should be more white as well as the facial area. I saw a red golden/amherst cross male at a auction a few weeks ago, and they were claiming it was pure red golden, and all the poor inexperienced people were bidding away, it sold for $42!! I wanted to walk up to the guy smiling that won and tell him how screwed he just got haha.