Pheasants during Breeding Season?

[missred871]

Okay I need Tony and JJ in on this one! What is the bast thing to feed Ringnecks during Breeding season? I noticed with the first egg I got that the shell is pretty thin I mean super fragile. Also I want to know treat wise or well.... other than the typical nutritional food what can and will they eat?

I dont have any nest boxes but the girls have been digging little crevices and sitting in them. Should I build boxes? and what should they look like? A chicken Nest box? haha. Sorry guys this is my first year with these guys, I am a pheasant noobie ha. I love them though!

 

[Tony K T]

They should always have oyster shell(grit) available to them,this helps the shell to develope.If you are feeding cracked corn or whole corn,you need to cut it out and give them layer pellets,they do not need any kind of corn in the warm months.I do a gamebird grower maintenance and layer pellet mixed 50/50,veggies,fruits and wild bird seed.
You can even give them a small dry dog food,this is much more nutritional then the feed we give them.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[JJMR794]

I Vary A Bit From Tony... I Feed A 50-50 Mix Of Gbs And Gb Layer. I Give Free Choice Oyster Grit (same As Crushed But A Much Smaller Grind) As Well As Offering Them Fruit And Veggie Scraps. Clean Fresh Water Daily. I Use Old Feed Barrels Cut In 1/2 For Nest Box/ Shelters- Tho Maybe 3 Of 60+ Hens Will Actually Lay In Them... They Prefer The Dug Out Hollows In The Ground As Its Natural To Them. During Times Of Heat Stress They Get Vitamin And Electrolytes Added To The Water Twice Weekly, No Heat Now But They Are Laying So They Get It Weekly.

Its Likely If They Are Young Hens Just Starting To Lay That They Are Still "working The Kinks Out" I Have Had A Few Young Hens Lay Weak Eggs At Start Up But It Usually Only Lasts A Week Or So Then They Firm Up And Do Fine. When I Have Gotten The Paper Thin Shells I Wont Ship Them But Have Tried To Incubate Just For Curiosity Sake... Some Hatch Some Over Dehydrate And Die... I Guess Its Really Kind Of Dependant On How Thin? Too Thin And There's Not Enough Protection For Jr Inside-- Too Much Dehydration Occurs. So For Gigles If You're In An Experimental Mood You Can Try Incubating It

 

[Robo]

I fed them a 22% game bird breeder mixed with clover when I have it. They also got a hand full of 22% protein scratch/bird seed mix. I gave them crushed oyster shell free choice along with all of the lawn clippings as bedding. For a nest box I took the top off a dog house and set it down, I used the other half the same way. I wish I didn't sell them now that it's breeding season...

 

[missred871]

Thanks guys! I was wondering about grit I have it but didnt know if they could get it. I figured that the girls were goin a little woo hoo when they all started digging pot holes all over the pen haha. I was more curious about what y'all fed em than anything else because we feed GBS and bird seed, are there any particular fruits and veggies they prefer? My ducks are pea fiends lol. Oh and I know what the putting the nest in and not using it is like the ducks, I make em a nice little place to lay and they pick a frickin mud hole out!

On a side note JJ, what do you give your bobs in season? They get GBS and Wild bird seed too. I havent got a clue what kind of fruits and veggies they will eat if any. hah.

Thanks again guys!

 

[ranit]

Be sure you get oyster shell which is a form of calcium. In my area the grit is actually a digestive aid - usually limestone I believe.

 

[JJMR794]

On a side note JJ, what do you give your bobs in season? They get GBS and Wild bird seed too. I havent got a clue what kind of fruits and veggies they will eat if any. hah.

ALL MY QUAIL GET 100% GBS YEAR ROUND. AS WELL AS THE OYSTER. DURING COOLER MONTHS THEY GET VITAMIN/ MINERAL SUPPLIMENT IN THE WATER ONCE A WEEK, AND HOTTER MONTHS TWICE A WEEK. ( MY COTURNIX GET VIT C ADDED TO WATER EVERY OTHER DAY WHEN TEMP IS 85 OR HIGHER TO HELP BOLSTER THEIR LAYING RATES DURING TIMES OF HEAT STRESS... THIS IS NOT USUALLY NECESSARY WITH BOBS OR PHEASANTS)

RANIT IS CORRECT ABOUT GRIT... I HAVE OYSTER GRIT AVAILABLE TO ME HERE AND USE IT FOR MY BIRDS AS I HAVE A GREAT MANY QUAIL AND CRUSHED OYSTER THEY MAKE FOR CHICKENS IS OFTEN TOO LARGE, SO I GET GRIT FOR THE SAME PRICE AND IT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY, ALSO AIDS DIGESTION AS IT WORKS AS GRIT AND PROVIDES THEIR CALCIUM, SO ITS A WIN - WIN IF YOU CAN GET IT? SAVED ME MAKING BIG PIECES SMALL WITH A HAMMER

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
IF IT WERE LIMESTONE IT WOULD STILL BE A CALCIUM SUPPLIMENT, BUT YOUR CORRECT IF IT IS REGULAR GRANITE CHICK GRIT IT WONT BE

 

[missred871]

Thanks JJ As I said in my other thread I do have them all (all my chickens, quail, and pheasants) on oyster, we run it through the grinder for the smaller birds like the coturnix. They are getting plenty. I learned the ringnecks LOVE romaine lettuce LMAO