Pheasant Farming

The first step no matter any type of animal you want to raise is preparing their pen (living space). The area that they will be living in must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected to ensure that the animal, in this case, pheasants, stays healthy. There are several different options when it comes to disinfectant products but I have always used dawn dish soap and a pressure washer. It is also important that the pen is completely enclosed so no wild predators such as raccoons, foxes, and even rats can get access to the pheasants. I have found after raising chickens for several years is that chicken wire fencing is not sturdy enough to keep raccoons and rats out. Instead, opt for strong square wire fencing. Once the pen has been thoroughly cleaned and inspected for safety, you may move on to the next step which is required before the pheasants arrive. 

After preparing the pen you have prepared all the supplies needed for the Pheasants. During the first 2 weeks of the Pheasants chick's lives, they must be confined to a small area that is covered with straw (for bedding). This can be done by boarding off a section of the pen, but I found that a baby swimming pool or livestock waterer works great. Along with items you use to contain them you will need a heat lamp, making sure it is a red light and white. The red light helps to prevent cannibalism among them. A small chicken waterer and food container will be needed too. During the stage that they are confined containers that are the size of a large mason jar works best and doesn't take up a lot of their space. Along with the small containers you will also need large containers for when they outgrow the confined space and begin roaming the entire pen. Lastly, you will need to gather food for them. This can be don't closer to the day that the pheasants arrive. when picking out food for them it is best to buy gamebird feed or turkey starter feed. Chicken food may sound okay but it does not have enough protein in food. 

Now that you have all the supplies gathered and the pen ready to go, you're ready for your pheasants to arrive. If buying them online they most likely will be shipped the same day they are hatched and have not been given any sort of food or water. Fun fact, pheasant chicks can survive 3 days without food or water. Most farms that ship the pheasants, ship them straight to the post office and not your home address. This will help keep the chicks warm and keep them from being tossed around a lot. So be sure to pick the chicks up immediately after the post office calls you. 

Once the pheasant chicks arrive at your farm it is crucial that the food and water available to them right away and that a red light heat lamp is turned on for them. It is recommended that the temperature under the heat lamp stays around 95 degrees. You can use a thermometer to get the correct temperature or you can adjust the heat lamp based on the behavior of the chicks. If they are huddled together under the lamp, then the lamp needs to be lower and if they are all spread out away from the lamp then it needs to be raised. It is also essential that when transferring the chicks from the shipping box to their pen that each of the pheasants gets their beaks dipped in the water. This ensures that they will be able to find water and drink. once they are all transferred into the pen, for the first two weeks all that needs to be done with them is checking them multiple times a day making sure they always have food and water. 

After the first two weeks, the pheasants are ready to explore the entire pen! Before releasing them to the rest of the pen make sure the floor is covered with straw and that the larger containers are filled with food and water and placed throughout the pen. When taking out the confined area there is nothing extra needed to be done to the pheasants. The only thing needed is to take them out of the confined area if they haven't already flown out. Lastly, make sure to keep the heat lamp where it is in case they get cold at night they can find a warm place to lay.

When raising pheasants to be released into the wild it is best to release them at 8 weeks old. Between that 2 weeks to 8-week timeframe be sure to keep food and water available to the birds. It is also a good idea to throw fresh grass in the pen every few days. The grass helps give them an idea of what they will be living in, in the wild. That is everything i do while rasing phesants with plans on releasing them into the wild. 

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