Pheasants with a pond?

[dainironfoot]

Hi guys. I have a duck pen(heavily planted) that has a 6X9 pond in the middle that I would like to link up to one of my pheasant pens to give the pheasants more area to run. My question is can they swim? I am worried if they get spooked and land in the pond will they just drown or can they make it to the edge and climb out? I can build a rock ramp so they can crawl out but they still have to struggle in the water until they find the ramp. I was going to keep goldens or amhersts in here(haven't decided yet). Thanx in advance,

-Tony

 

[PheasantsFirst]

It should be fine, the pheasants should know enough to avoid the water.

 

[Mahlzeit]

Agreed they should know enough to avoid the pond. However I would say they can probably swim as good as a chicken which is not at all.

 

[PheasantsFirst]

Agreed they should know enough to avoid the pond. However I would say they can probably swim as good as a chicken which is not at all.

but being better flyers, they should be able to flop out quickly.

@dainironfoot , Are the plants right at the pond's edge or is there a 'beach'? if there is a border free of plants then, i think, it's less likely for them to get stuck.

 

[destinduck]

I agree with the others here. You should be fine with adults but I have lost a few older juvinile birds this way.None swim at all. Rare yes to be sure. But it can happen. Edited to say you shoud be fine if you build that ramp.

 

[pheasantfrenzie]

Hello,
I have a very large Koi pond that is in the middle of one of my pens that my pheasants in. They will go up to the sides to drink but I have never had one in it. Although I'm sure my fish would love it and swim around them like they do my dogs but mine have never gone into the water BUT I have a very large pen so they can normally go around it instead of into it. It is always better to be safer if you have any concerns.

 

[BYC-user-174785]

Right when the duck aviary was constructed, there were also some golden pheasants and silver pheasants. The pond was not lined or finished, and the pheasants would go down the steep incline to drink water on ocassion, which was quite scary, but they always flew out if they started to slip. The only pheasants I lost to the pond were juveniles as well. It should be fine.