pheasant questions lots of them, breeding, calling all phesant folks!!

[Tony K T]

Quote:
Best not mixing at all.Mix chickens thats fine by me,but please leave pheasants in true from.I don't know Dan,all these years we try to educate people and it still doesn't get throught.We will not be enjoying our pheasant species much longer if people don't get with the program.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[deerman]

Raising ringneck for food, hunter and released, nothing like raising the other pheasants. Crossing them with chicken has been done.

 

[deerman]

Quote:
Best not mixing at all.Mix chickens thats fine by me,but please leave pheasants in true from.I don't know Dan,all these years we try to educate people and it still doesn't get throught.We will not be enjoying our pheasant species much longer if people don't get with the program.
In N.H.,Tony.

Tony, I dont cross pheasant species. Have seen people who have, dont agree with them. Ringneck I raise are for food most of the time.

 

[Tony K T]

Quote:
Best not mixing at all.Mix chickens thats fine by me,but please leave pheasants in true from.I don't know Dan,all these years we try to educate people and it still doesn't get throught.We will not be enjoying our pheasant species much longer if people don't get with the program.
In N.H.,Tony.

Tony, I dont cross pheasant species. Have seen people who have, dont agree with them. Ringneck I raise are for food most of the time.

That's good,but please help us promote keeping pheasants in pure true form.We really need to step up and help these species.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[deerman]

Quote:
Tony, I dont cross pheasant species. Have seen people who have, dont agree with them. Ringneck I raise are for food most of the time.

That's good,but please help us promote keeping pheasants in pure true form.We really need to step up and help these species.
In N.H.,Tony.

Ok, but I do beleive in saving mutation that happen in nature also. Like I have white speckled Bobs, that are a mutation, not a cross or man made.

 

[SamG347]

Tony are you saying that crossing any pheasant is a bad idea? I do agree with you about keeping ornamental/rarer breed pheasant or any fowl for that matter pure. But if you believe it is a bad idea to cross ringneck pheasant mutations I would like to get your reasoning why? I find some of the most beautiful colorations to be mutations...and how did these mutations come about? Flukes and miss breedings of the real deal.
And for AHhappychick just do like you say your doing and RESEARCH! Don't jump into a breed/strain of pheasant because you like the looks. Peacock pheasants and firebacks aren't the easiest to come by nor the cheapest if you end up making even a little mistake it could do major damage in the wallet. Start out with a pair or trio of ringnecks...red goldens...yellow goldens...lady amherst...etc. Then work your way after a few years with them towards the more exotic.
Good Luck...pheasants are a beautiful and in my opinion just a plain AWESOME bird!

 

[Lophura]

Quote:
Please accept my apologies in my posting if it was a joke, I've been baited with such comments in the past.

I have a list of books that every pheasant keeper should own listed on each pheasant page at http://www.gbwf.org/pheasants/index.html . You will also find a great many statements regarding purity and reasoning on why we should strive to keep them so.

Stay away from eggbid. If you want good lines, don't purchase them like you would toys on eBay. Talk to other keepers, try to find out thier lineage, etc. Ask for photos of the parents and photos of their housing (bio-security prevents visits, but certainly if you've got something to sell, you can provide photos).

Dan

 

[Tony K T]

Quote:
Hi Sam,
One year of cross breeding can wipe out at least 7 years of breeding stock for the following season,and thats just the 1st year.I agree some mutations are beautiful,but is it woth jeopordising pure birds?I think not.Most clubs write in their bylaws that we are here to preserve and propergate gamebirds,waterfowl,poultry and ornamental birds in their true species.And these true species are the ones we usually see and fall in love with,then why not keep them as they are?My plan is to help the species where I can.I only hope that others will follow and help save them for generations to come.
in N.H.,Tony.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

I'd agree with everyone here on the subject. Would also like to add, that the breeds you mentioned are some of the tuffer ones to keep to start with, on top of the previously mentioned low reproduction numbers. Also, peacock pheasants are very special care oriented pheasants, for 1 if you live in a cold winter climate, you are going to have to keep them heated or they are toast, opposite with the trags and impeyans, they dont like extreme heat but love the snow, so definitely for your wallet and the sake of the birds do some HEAVY research into these, and never , never, ever, ever put these types of birds any where near chickens, turkeys, ducks, etc, they will die, just a matter of how long it takes, they are some of the more susceptible to disease aviary fowl kept, mainly due to their solitary wild life style, they just arent exposed to heavy fowl concentrations in nature, thus dont have the resistance all domestic fowls have, exotic pheasants will be the first to go if you ever get a problem.
I do applaud you for asking questions, shows you do care and want to do it right by the birds. Lots of folks will just jump into them and ask questions latter when it's already to late,
Thanks!

 

[Bitty girl]

I agree w/the starting w/the cheaper, easier & more manageable pheasant. I have Grey Peacock pheasant, Borneans & Mylasian Firebacks....ect. They require more care than the cheaper ones & cost a WHOLE lot more for a play project. No one has made the point that alot of the more exotic pheasant are ENDANGERED!!!! They arent supposed to be cross bred just because of that reason alone, along w/many others. The Palawan Peacock phesant normally only lay 1 clutch a year!!! You wouldnt cross them AT ALL. They are worth a whole lot more if they are pure than if you cross them & what is the use in raising babies if you cant really get the money back that you are gonna be putting into them. Also when you cross some birds (Like the ones your talkin about) you earn yourself not a very good rep in the pheasant world. But the main point is alot of the prettier pheasant & more expensive pheasant are ENDANGERED or on the WATCHED list. Please think about some of these facts before you try to cross any type of species that are on those lists. Hopefully you will understand when people start getting defensive about mixing these breeds. But there are a few websites that will give you all the info on raising them if you press on w/that type first but always always please talk to people who have raised them before. They are the ones that know how hard it is to raise these guys. They are fun to work w/but I started & I am sure most people started w/the cheaper pheasant & worked their way up on the pheasant. I have a friend that has some of the cheaper pheasant & they are raised around chickens & she will lose 1 to every 5 chickens she has. That is a high rate of deaths especially if you are looking at 300-600 for a pair of birds. I have some chickens but they arent right on top of my pheasant. Matter of a fact I got rid of most of chickens when I started w/the higher end pheasant just because I dont want them to get sick & die from what ever the chickens may have. But good luck on your pheasant hunt & hopefully you will do what is right for you & for the birds!