Wild pheasant likes the chickens??

[RodNTN]

That sounds so sweet! I'm sorry to hear about poor Button. I'd love to be able to tame "Mr. Pheasant" to that extent! I just don't know how it would work, though, if he started cozying up to the hens too much...Rocky (the rooster) might get jealous. I guess we'll see!

I hope he warms up

 

[The Phantom]

I think they are! And I'll bet he's never seen a snowy-white pheasant hen! He's probably starstruck, lol.

 

[Julie Birb]

He sure is!! I imagine some "phickens" would look so cute...his colorful feathers mixed with their white ones, it would be adorable. If only that could work!

That would be so awesome if it could work. It would be a miracle.

 

[Julie Birb]

Thanks for letting me know! The hens really do seem to like him, so I could see that happening. Hopefully, they like their food too much to stray far!

I was just out putting the chickens to bed, and Mr. Pheasant was there as usual. I stayed out with my camera to try and catch another picture of him, but he just strutted away across my driveway. I though he must be gone for the night, so I gave up. But then I had to go back out and collect some tools I had left outside, and he was back beside the chicken coop, looking at them through their window. At the sight of me, he started walking away again, and made some really sweet little chicken-like noises as he did. It's so cute and sad, poor Mr. Pheasant!

I am getting the feeling he is gonna stay.

 

[townchicks]

It seems cool at first, and I too would probably try to keep him around, he's so pretty. However, as a wild bird, and a game bird, maybe it is better if he is afraid of you. You would feel bad if you habituated him to people, only to have someone walk up and shoot him. Not judging, just food for thought.

 

[ChickenyChickeny]

Just read through this thread, any updates?

 

[Fiasco]

It seems cool at first, and I too would probably try to keep him around, he's so pretty. However, as a wild bird, and a game bird, maybe it is better if he is afraid of you. You would feel bad if you habituated him to people, only to have someone walk up and shoot him. Not judging, just food for thought.

You're right, that would be awful! I haven't really been trying to tame him, per se, (except for leaving food out for him...) but he has been getting more comfortable around us. Still scared if we move toward him, but a huge difference from most wild pheasants. He's been hanging around our property, just casually drinking from the pond as we walk by, which would never happen normally! I do hope he doesn't get too comfortable around us, and then leave - maybe just make make up his mind, either go his way or stick around for good. I'd love it if he would do the latter!

 

[Fiasco]

Just read through this thread, any updates?

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile! Life's been busy...two of my new hens turned out to have bumblefoot, and I'm trying to figure out what to do/get up the courage to take care of it!

The pheasant is still here nearly all of the time. He has been eating the duck food I put out for him, and drinking from the pond. He still makes these little sounds, just like a hen cooing. I tried to google it and can't seem to find any recordings of a pheasant making a sound like that, so I almost wonder if he's learning from the hens? It's really sweet, either way!

One hen has decided to "fly the coop" every day, which isn't too hard to do, although the rest don't really try. She spends the whole day out with Mr. Pheasant, just a few feet from him! They just seem to hang out together, with her scratching around and him watching. I don't know what they do when I'm not looking though! She started this about a week ago, and at first I was trying to catch her every night and put her back in before bed, because it's easier to get out of the run than back into it. But she is the hardest chicken I've every dealt with to catch (she flies at my face like a rooster if I try to corner her!), so last night I let her go and she made it back in by herself, yay! That's a bit off-topic, but oh well.

A couple of days ago, Mr. Pheasant was hanging out in our yard outside of our window. He decided to jump up on a rock and preen himself, and I got this picture:



Not great quality, but the best I have right now. I'll try and get a picture of him with his hen friend today! They're really cute together.