Surprise Pheasant

[misslady]

So a couple of days ago while my chickens were free ranging I was watching them as I washed my hands in the kitchen window when I realized we had a new little pheasant friend tagging along. I have no idea where he came from and am not aware of anyone who raises them in our area so I am assuming that he is wild? Not sure.

Our chickens, while a little suspicious of the new arrival, didn't seem too put off by his prescence, so I left them alone. When I went out to bring the chicken's some table scraps it quickly ran into the woods, but not out of sight, and when I went back inside it came back out to hang out with the chickens again. He doesn't follow them into the coop at night, but he always reappears when the chickens are let out. I've been continuing to let them free range and bringing out little treats and today he came out and joined the chickens for their free meal.

I was thrilled, but I do have a few questions. Is is safe that they are out together? My chickens always free range, and have never been sick, but I worry about exposure to disease. Also, is it possible that he will stick around? He's just so pretty that I kind of hope he does.

Anyhow, here is a picture if someone could give me any more information on this handsome fellow. I don't know anything about pheasants, so any input is greatly appreciated. Sorry for the poor quality, it was taken on a gloomy day using the zoom feature on my camera as I don't want to get too close to scare him away.

 

[thekid]

The game commission stocks pheasants so it was probably a stocked one that has been hunted and is scared of people. And the diseases : The chickens would be the ones transferring the disease not the pheasant.

 

[abbylane35]

We had a similar situation a few years back. In fact, I am pretty sure that he was attempting to fertilize the eggs, because we didn't have a roo at the time, and the eggs were, indeed, fertilized. He came out nearly every day and would even venture pretty close to the house when the hens came up near the house. I don't know what ever happened to him, but he just didn't show up one day...

I never had any issues with him.

Good luck!

 

[ramirezframing]

pretty ringneck

 

[Mahonri]

When I was a kid, we had a game hen that hatched out some cross species chicks. They were weird looking and I don't know that they made it because she would disappear into the wilderness with them. Once in a while she would come with them when I was feeding scratch.

 

[deserthotwings]

Spreading a little scratch around his area might make him welcome.