These are mainly sparrows, chaffinches and dunnocks with the occasional great tit, blue tit or robin. The pheasants very rarely bother the smaller birds even when they steal a meal worm from just under a pheasants beak. The story can be completely different when trying to mix pheasant species. We have a good number of pens with more than a pair of birds in them during the Autumn but as the days start to stretch in early spring many pheasants will suddenly become much more aggressive so it can be much riskier to have numerous birds together by this time.
We usually sort out our breeding pairs early in the year and keep them on their own. There are however a few cock pheasants which have to stay completely separated from any other birds and will only be allowed into their mates once laying has begun.
Even then a couple of cock birds only have limited access as they will attack their hen as soon as she no longer accepts their advances. We do have some birds which live together on a more permanent basis and seem perfectly happy and at ease with each others company. We have had a pair of Grey Peacock Pheasants who shared their aviary with a trio of Golden Pheasants. We have also successfully mixed breeding Satyr or Temminck's Tragopans with mature Goldens.
These few species definitely seem more likely to mix well than most species but they do tend to be exceptions. Normally pheasants do not abide other pheasant competition and will fight off any threat to their home, themselves or their mate. As I've already mentioned, some Pheasant species can be easier to mix than others but this is still usually young immature birds which can be mixed with a breeding pair after the breeding season is finished.
It can make rearing chicks much easier if we can rely on some adult birds accepting youngsters sharing their aviary. We always put the young poults into an aviary and add the adult birds afterwards as it causes less problems if the territory does not "belong" to the stronger, mature, birds.
It is important to always keep watch for any problems which may occur. The Peacock hens for example will in no time at all be smaller than Silver, Reeves and many other pheasant chicks so it is normally best to keep them with only the smaller chicks.
In their natural habitat, pheasants seek shelter under bushes, in tall grass, on ditch banks, etc. When raising pheasants, you need to provide low to the ground shelters for the birds to hide and take refuge in. These shelters can be rather simple but are a necessity for the pheasants. You will create essentially an aviary for the birds. Without the netting the pheasants can just fly over fences and escape.
One method is to brail one wing of the pheasant, this is where tape is wrapped on one wing keeping the wing from opening up. You will need to switch off to the other wing every other month to four months.
You will need to repeat clipping the feathers as feather grow back. Commercially available pheasants used to be pretty rare. As the popularity of raising pheasants has increased so has the availability. Many commercial hatcheries and specialty hatcheries have pheasant chicks available. I have seen game birds such as quail and pheasant, becoming available at farm and ranch stores when they get their chicken chicks in the spring.
Pheasants are much wilder than chickens and can be aggressive. One way to prevent this aggression and aid in the peace with the flock is to raise pheasant chicks with the chicken chicks. Being raised together they see the chickens as a normal part of their flock and are less prone to aggression. The male pheasants are just as loud as male chickens and crow loudly like roosters. If you are zoned where roosters are allowed you should be fine.
If you are not zoned where roosters can be kept, you may find some neighbors upset with you and the loud pheasants. Both chickens and pheasants need to have predator prevention considered.
Pheasants are susceptible to the same predators as chickens. You need to account for foxes, coyotes, racoons, hawks, dogs, ferrets, mink, over active neighbors, etc. Take into account what the predatory threats could be, and plan ahead for them. For example, of you have hawks around give places for the birds to run and hide under bushes, lower shelters, and grasses.
Cannibalism happens often with game birds. Precautions need to be taken to prevent cannibalism, or it will be a trait that could decimate your flock. If you see cannibalism beginning, analyze the stress causing issue and fix or change it quickly.
Often it is the result of not enough room for the pheasants. Use a red heat lamp with the chicks. Pheasant eyes are sensitive, and the red lamp will be easier for their eyes. A bright light shining in their eyes can stress them out and make them aggressive. Keep the brooder warm but not too warm.
Either too much heat or too much cold can trigger stress and cannibalism. The ideal temperature is 95 degrees Fahrenheit to begin with, then taper it down 5 degrees every week or so.
A game bird starter feed is great if you can get it. This can result in suffocation or aggression. Do not overcrowd the chicks, they will turn to cannibalism if they are too crowded. Simple waterers are good to use. However, the pheasants might not be lucky enough to survive the Coryza. Another way that diseases can get transferred from the chicken to the pheasant is through their waste poop.
Chicken poop carries a lot of bacteria. These bacteria can be very harmful to the pheasants and ultimately fatal if one is not careful. Here is one thing to note, if your chickens are healthy, then you might not have to worry about the contamination for a long time.
One way to help minimize contamination should you decide to keep both birds separate is to keep a separate pair of boots for the chicken coup. Another is to make sure you are decontaminating both the chicken and pheasant coups.
There are special soil decontaminants on the market for this purpose. As young birds, pheasants are extremely fragile; however, once they are adults, they are known to be extremely aggressive birds.
If they are kept in a small, crowded area, they are prone to peck each other or the chickens, which can sometimes lead to fatality. To prevent this from happening, it is important that you not only separate the two kinds of birds but also give the pheasants enough room to roam about.
Not only that, but you should also give them things to do. This means having objects that they can play and peck with.
Things like a perch, rings, and hay. Bored Pheasants like to pick fights with other pheasants and birds. Pheasants have a tendency to mate with hens. While this might not be a problem in itself, the egg that is produced as a result of the mating is always sterile.
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