advice needed on rearing pheasants

[nick.308]

Ive caught up some pheasants and wanted to have a go collecting the eggs and hatching them.
I just need advice on how to keep the hens and cocks for egg laying?
I dont need advice on rearing from chicks, Its just the egg laying and collecting bit.

Im interested on how to encourage nesting and what cover they need?

 

[Rhodesianjess]

You can choose between communal laying pen or smaller ie generally netting section construction. Unless roofed the big pen will need careful watching against avian thieves , smaller pens generally roof netted. Cover to lay under preferably solid roofed ie half drums lengthwise and also cut holes for entrance each end. Tin roofed shelters with low walls, anything along those lines. Natural cover not helpful ie if it's too thick you can't access,too sparse thieves beat you to them.
Egg picking up needs to done every few hours,this prevention against piling up of eggs with the bottom ones filthy and the top ones nailpricked by hens clambering on top.
Mix of sexes personal choice, 1 cock to 7/8 hens communal and 1 cock to 10/12 hens smaller pen.
Don't forget you need to wash and store them correctly before setting. Any questions please feel free to PM me bud, there's as many ways of doing it as there is keepers. I'm sure the bona fide two that I know of on SD will help with their experience and advice as well.
Best of luck with your endeavours.

 

[MGD]

Hello I would put 1 cock to 8 hens and if only them in pen change cock every week.feed good quality layers pellet pays with number of eggs and quality. I put lots of cover yes it takes longer to collect eggs but you get less egg pecking ,the eggs aren't laying in sun all day it also gives hens place to get away from cock.if pen is wired to ground put tin or wood around bottom so birds can't see out as all they do is spend day walking up and down wire making mud .you will see your first eggs by 28th march if kept outside

 

[nick.308]

Ive got a large pen and shed that is all covered, The boards around the edges are a good shout because the birds are pacing round the edges.
Also good idea to put cover in to help stop egg pecking.

 

[MGD]

Also picking eggs often one helps keep clean and helps prolong the egg pecking,when comes to storing I used egg trays and stored in dark cool place point down and if storing for more than week put something under one side off tray to tip and swop sides everyday

 

[Bo Diddley]

Just curious, are you getting your own eggs custom hatched by a game farm or are you going to try and hatch in your own incubators/setters?
If you are swapping eggs for chicks with a game farm just ask them what you need to know.

 

[nick.308]

Just curious, are you getting your own eggs custom hatched by a game farm or are you going to try and hatch in your own incubators/setters?
If you are swapping eggs for chicks with a game farm just ask them what you need to know.

Were going to have a go hatching them ourselves. I wanted tips and tricks for good nesting cover and food advice

 

[Wilbur]

Layers pellets for chickens is what I used with good results,how many hens do you have,w

 

[nick.308]

Layers pellets for chickens is what I used with good results,how many hens do you have,w

about 32 hens and about 5 cocks

 

[Rhodesianjess]

Get some oyster shell grit and put a handful in the hopper every time you refill it. Help egg shell strength.
There will be some in layers pellets but bit more certainly helps.

 

[Wilbur]

about 32 hens and about 5 cocks

I would be looking to get just short of 2000 eggs if everything goes right but remember they won’t all be fertile
good luck with them,w

 

[MGD]

50 eggs per hen on average and I got 82 percent hatch rate from what went to incubator, also found the better the hatch rate the better they reared

 

[Bo Diddley]

50 eggs per hen on average and I got 82 percent hatch rate from what went to incubator, also found the better the hatch rate the better they reared

Maybe the better the hatch the rate = better eggs to start with = stronger chicks = better survival

 

[nick.308]

Yeh I was hoping for approx 50 eggs per hen. no eggs seen yet. got 3 incubators with approx 500 total capacity so fingers crossed. I used incubators a lot as a teenager but hardly used them for the last 20 yrs so fingers crossed

 

[Bo Diddley]

I wish my brother would join this forum. He was a full-time keeper on a big commercial shoot for twenty years and also worked on two different game farms, he has so much knowledge of rearing, from laying birds to hatchers/setters etc, 10 minutes with him would set you on the right path.... it's a shame he is a Luddite and hates computers.

 

[nick.308]

First egg seen today

 

[MGD]

I know you only have small amount of hens put make the effort a pick up regularly you want regret it ,don't worry if you have to keep eggs for a couple weeks to make a good hatch

 

[Ratel]

Nick, as R Jess says, there are many ways to do it and his advice is sound. Anything you are stuck with or need a chat over same applies PM any time.