The NFC B-Day Chat Thread

[007Sean]

View attachment 1352527
Time to work though!

Yep, it's like this every year!

 

[CapricornFarm]

What does that mean Sean...is it a call they make?

They beat their wings and have a big air sack on their chest i believe.

 

[007Sean]

Wow, you sure have neat birds! What do you charge for pheasant eggs? Do they ship well?

Depends on the species of pheasant.
Anywhere from the low end of $45/dozen to $100/dozen or up for 6 depending on the rarity and availability....some of the pheasants only lay an egg every other day.
As with any shipped eggs it's a gamble. I ship eggs in foam, which I think is better than other methods. In general, pheasant eggs don't ship as well as other bird eggs. I've got quite a few shipped eggs set right now and the 1st candling wasn't that great, around 35 to 40% viable.
Right now, I'm hatching alot because I'm replacing alot of my breeders this year. And some of these birds will take 2 years before I know if I want to use them for breeders.
Sorry, long answer for a short question!

 

[007Sean]

They beat their wings and have a big air sack on their chest i believe.

Yep, they make a noise, call that's for lack of a better word "booming". It can be heard for a mile if the winds right. They also have a very interesting display dance, actually, I find it comical. You don't want to disturb them this time of the year or you may not get any eggs.
Edited to add: the air sacs are on the side of their necks, they fill with air and make the "boom" sound.

 

[drumstick diva]

Sean you walked yourself into this NOW we want a video of the display dance. Please, please , please with honey on top?

 

[ronott1]

Depends on the species of pheasant.
Anywhere from the low end of $45/dozen to $100/dozen or up for 6 depending on the rarity and availability....some of the pheasants only lay an egg every other day.
As with any shipped eggs it's a gamble. I ship eggs in foam, which I think is better than other methods. In general, pheasant eggs don't ship as well as other bird eggs. I've got quite a few shipped eggs set rifht now and the 1st candling wasn't that great, around 35 to 40% viable.
Right now, I'm hatching alot because I'm replacing alot of my breeders this year. And some of these birds will take 2 years before I know if I want to use them for breeders.
Sorry, long answer for a short question!

Thanks for the mini lesson!

 

[007Sean]

Thanks for the mini lesson!

Your welcome. I don't explain things every well, sometimes.

 

[drumstick diva]

I think you explained it very well. Do you allow folks to pick up eggs at your location so they could bypass shipping damage?

 

[007Sean]

Sean you walked yourself into this NOW we want a video of the display dance. Please, please , please with honey on top?

Sorry, Diva but I DON'T DISTURB them at all during this time. There's videos on the net of wild ones, taken with telephoto lens, so that they won't disturb the wild birds from mating...they will not breed if disturbed.
I get $300/doz. for their eggs and can sell the juvenile chicks for $250, and get $500 for proven breeders.

 

[The Farmers' Daughter]

I've still got more hatching, another 2 weeks and some more, and another 2 and more!
Fortunately I have the space and enclosures for every bird. No telling how many prairie chickens I'll hatch this year....they haven't started to lay, yet but the males are booming so it won't be long.

The males started around here a few days ago. That's a definite sign that spring is finally here!