Pheasants in run

[digger MN]

I have been comming home from work and have pheasants in with my chickens. Tonight there were 5 rooster and 3 hen pheasents in there. Is there anyway my chickens can get anything from them?? And also I have on EE hen that has been gone for 2 days, I spent 2 hours looking for her last night. The shotgun was loaded and I was going to shot anything that moved out there. This morning she was sitting at the door waiting to get in. I am thinking she took off with the pheasents, possible I have no idea may someone out there would no if this could have happened.

Thanks

 

[emys]

I would cover your run with bird netting or something stronger (because ice and snow can rip a net apart). You must not have a rooster of your own??

The pheasants can bring in lice, leg mites and so on. The male pheasants will also try and mate your hens. But, when it comes to diseases, the chickens are more likely to give something to the pheasants, who may then spread it to grouse etc - wild birds can be sickened easily by some chicken diseases that your flock could be carriers of without your knowing.

Your hen could have left the run for a number of different reasons; such as she was bored; she wanted to start a nest to sit on; she panicked when the pheasants took off and flew out with them.

 

[digger MN]

Yes I have 1 rooster RIR and 3 5 month old roosters 2silkys and 1 EE. The hen has not started to lay yet and is not showing any signs at all. I will be getting day old chicks as soo as next month so maybe I should get netting for the run Thanks