Question about breeding golden pheasants

[the Old Rebel]

This is my first visit to the pheasant section, so this question may have been answered many times before. If so, I apologize, but I'm on the learning curve with pheasants.

I've had problems with my bobwhite quail males brutalizing my females when I put them together in the Spring. Are pheasants at risk for doing the same thing?

I have a precious and beautiful female golden pheasant. A friend has a male. She wants to breed them come Spring. But, if I am not mistaken, he has already killed her female. I definitely don't want to put my female at risk. What do you think??

Also, my female only laid 4 or 5 eggs this Spring. Is this the norm?? What should I be feeding her? What kind of treats do they like too?

THANKS for any and all help you can give me.

 

[Enjaytoo]

Welcome Old Rebel! I'm certain others will chime in, but IMO, I would be very cautious with your special hen...If the male bird has been known to be aggressive; if it were me, I personally wouldnt risk it. If you DO decide to, then a suggestion would be LOTS of cover, in a NEW pen...and another hen if possible. For cover I use pine branches, dried palm fronds...other thoughts are dried corn stalks, retired christmas (real) trees, straw bales etc. Feed a higher protein, such as gamebird or turkey grower (26?) percent, I mix a little scratch in with mine...Treats, they love greens...kale, dark lettuce, grass clippings, spinach etc as well as chopped apples, grapes and bananas (and chopped hard boiled eggs).

If I'm not mistaken, hens usually lay a few more than yours did...I add oyster shell and dried, crumbled egg shells as well..

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Enjaytoo,Is spot on with that advise. Usually ruffed pheasants,(golds and amherst) arent bad to there mates, but many other breeds can be out right killers, and each bird is different attitude wise. As for the egg production, it would depend mainly on the age of your girl. If she was a yearling, no big deal. If she is 2 or better, she should have laid tons, we get 40-50 per hen as long as you continue to remove the eggs daily. Also another factor may have been the lack of a mate in there with her. Goldens are a dime a dozen. If you buddys is aggressive, I would suggest finding a new one. They are listed everywhere for sale fairly regularly, here, eggbid.com, other forums, etc..
But as mentioned, lots of cover is key with any pheasant breeding , makes them feel secure, and give the hens hiding place to nest and or escape aggressive male behavior.
Good luck
Aubrey

 

[Tony K T]

Do not add your hen to his males pen.He will certainly kill her.If you add the male to your hens pen you should get better results.If you can get him a few more hens to breed.This way he won't be beating on your lone hen he will be spreading the beatings among 2 or even 3 hens.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[the Old Rebel]

Thank you all sooooo much for your information. I apologize for not getting back to you sooner, but my mom has been in the hospital and I've been staying there with her. We got to come home yesterday, but this has been my first chance to get on the computer.

I am sooooooo glad I asked, because I didn't even know enough to know I needed to add cover for her. I just learned that about my quail too.

I think I will hunt for another male instead of putting her with my friend's. So usually goldens are not that aggressive??

I also learned about treats for her, so maybe she will lay better next year. This was her second summer.

Again, THANKS for everything. Maybe I'll spend more time in this section and less time in the chicken section. I know more about chickens. I can see I have a LOT to learn about pheasants and quail.

Hope y'all have a GREAT EVENING!!

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Glad all worked out for your mother first off!
But yes, any time you have a question feel free to ask, someone on here will be glad to help, yep there is a pretty big difference in "proper" care for gamebirds over barnyard fowl...Good luck
Aubrey

 

[the Old Rebel]

Thanks Boggy Bottom Bantams!