Pheasant chat and hatch-a-long!!!

[muddy75]

Best I could do at morning feeding time

 

[muddy75]

 

[007Sean]

I can't really tell by that photo but it appears to me to be a female!

 

[007Sean]

Some new pics of the Peach males! Hard to belive they are 1 year old and this well colored out. They have almost finished their molt. Post molt pics!

Pre molt pics!

 

[007Sean]

Will be interesting to see what these birds look like when 2 year olds. These were hatched in June and July of this year.

Some other miscellaneous pics

Vestigial left wing Yellow Golden

Yellow Goldens, Peach x Cinnamon cross, Abyssinan Blue and Dark and Light Buff ringnecked.

Peach and Peach x Cinnamon

Peach x Cinnamon on roost

Time for 'dust bathes'

 

[007Sean]

Random night pics:

 

[X43smitty]

Curious on opinions here, I got 75 pheasants, ringnecks and other ringneck crosses , I have 60ish hens and 15ish cocks, I have 2 pens that are 8x12, first pen has 40ish pheasants and 14 quail, and second pen has 35 ish pheasants , I’ve lost one bob white and one rooster pheasant this week, about 3 days apart, I’m assuming cannibalism is the culprit, I’m for some reason getting about 4 eggs a week, so I’m wondering if a cock and hen decide to mate pre maturely even though it is November and temps are plenty cold, or if it is just dumb luck I’m getting eggs , wondering if the egg laying is contributing to the cannibalism, also curious if the eggs I’m getting have a chance of fertilization or
If there is no chance in hell, thanks for
Your help

 

[007Sean]

First thing, you have way too many birds in a small pen....this is causing the cannibalism.
Why they are laying this time if year is a mystery....they shouldn't be laying!!!!

If the eggs are fertile, then you'll have the male birds trying to fight for breeding rights for the hens, this can lead to you losing even more birds, if you don't separate them into their own pens. 1 male to 5 or 6 hens is generally an accepted practice. Although, a male ring necked can handle as many as 10 hens, the fertility might be off by having that many hens to male ratios.

 

[X43smitty]

Yep, I’m aware too many birds per pen, I’ve had all sorts of opinions, some say it’s fine others say no, I’m new to it and learning as I go, I’ve got them blindered which seems to help, my biggest hold up is pen size , I can’t decide if smaller pens with trios or quads will be better, or if I build one big pen , say 20x20 or 10x20, any suggestions will be appreciated, and if I break into 1 cock per x amount of hens and do single pens , they will be on wire and not on the ground, my question is what size pen is sufficient for single pens or one large, I’m keeping the 8x 12 pens , was hoping to do 2 or 3 cocks to 12-15 hens in each pen, is that ok?

 

[007Sean]

Yep, I’m aware too many birds per pen, I’ve had all sorts of opinions, some say it’s fine others say no, I’m new to it and learning as I go, I’ve got them blindered which seems to help, my biggest hold up is pen size , I can’t decide if smaller pens with trios or quads will be better, or if I build one big pen , say 20x20 or 10x20, any suggestions will be appreciated, and if I break into 1 cock per x amount of hens and do single pens , they will be on wire and not on the ground, my question is what size pen is sufficient for single pens or one large, I’m keeping the 8x 12 pens , was hoping to do 2 or 3 cocks to 12-15 hens in each pen, is that ok?

Even a 20 x 20 enclosure is too small for that number of birds. The 8 x 12 pens are big enough for a pair and maybe a trio but no more than that....come spring the cock birds will start displaying and wanting to mate with the hens, if you have 3 or 4 cock birds in that enclosure (20 x 20), you will wind up with only one and possibly none, it will be a total blood bath.
Ring necked pheasants, in general, are very territorial and aggressive.
Not trying to discourage you from raising pheasants but you need the proper habitat/space for that many birds. I would consider reducing the number of birds you want to raise and concentrate on quality and not quanity.