Recently, more and more farmers are starting to breed pheasants. And this is not surprising, because this bird is not only an excellent decoration of the yard, but can also be a good source of income. But here it is important to understand that pheasants, breeding and keeping of which has many nuances, are quite specific birds, therefore it is necessary to create suitable conditions for them. First of all, they need to build housing and make the right diet.
general information
A distinctive feature of pheasants is their attractive appearance. Males have a bright color, as well as a large and long tail. Females are most often with gray plumage with small dots throughout the body, which may be brown or black. But here it is important to understand that the color of pheasants may depend on the environmental conditions in which they are grown, so do not be surprised if you see a bird that does not fall under this description.
Conditions of detention
Pheasants, the conditions of which play a very important role, can be bred on a domestic or industrial scale. In the latter case, the main efforts are aimed at accelerating growth and increasing the number of birds. The breeding of this bird can be carried out for commercial purposes and bring a good income to the farmer.
If you are planning industrial cultivation and breeding of pheasants, then you should have a large territory at your disposal, since, according to statistics, the population can reach 10,000 individuals. On small farmland, poultry can be raised to meet their own needs.
Pheasants, breeding and keeping at home which we will consider later, are often found on small farms. Beginning poultry breeders first breed several males and females, gradually increasing the number of birds. Both female pheasants and common brood hens can hatch eggs. In addition, you can build an incubator for this.
Where to begin?
If you have never been involved in breeding pheasants before, then it is better to start with a silver breed, as it adapts perfectly in any climatic conditions and is less demanding in maintenance. In addition, the bird quickly gains weight, so it is faster to recoup the costs of fattening and maintenance.
Pheasant content can be carried out both in cells and on free-range. The first method is used when the main task of the farmer is to feed the bird as soon as possible and put it on the meat. During the breeding season, great attention should be paid to their diet, which should be rich in protein. Small pheasants, up to two months of age, are usually fed with combination feeds, in which the protein content reaches 26 percent.
If you want to increase livestock, then the bird is placed on a free range. To do this, you need a free aviary, in which 2-3 pheasants should fall on one square meter. As for the soil, the best option is sand. The aviary is fenced with a metal mesh and covered with a canopy, which will protect the birds from the weather and the sun in hot days.
It is recommended to place old trees and bushes inside the enclosure in order to maximize bring the living conditions to natural conditions. It should also have spacious bathing tanks, which are filled with a mixture of wood ash and sand.
Pheasant maintenance in order to increase the number of livestock should be carried out in compliance with one rule: no more than three females per male. Otherwise, the egg production of the bird drops significantly.
From the end of winter to the end of summer, chicks are kept in separate cages, after which they can be placed in a common. At the same time, it is important to ensure peace for the bird, as it does not tolerate stressful situations. For example, pheasants can be frightened by loud sounds or sudden movements, which, in turn, reduces their egg production.
One of the advantages of this bird is that they tolerate frosts well, so for the winter period there is no need to insulate their premises or equip a heating system.
Pheasant Characteristics
The weight of an adult can reach two kilograms. Moreover, males are larger than females. The optimal time for fertilization occurs at the end of winter or the beginning of spring, when the male is seated to the female. One female can lay up to 50 eggs per season. Care, maintenance and breeding of pheasants do not require much effort. They lay eggs for about three months. One egg weighs an average of 30 grams. The bird can build nests throughout the aviary, while forgetting the location of all of them. Therefore, it is important to periodically pick up the eggs and lay them in the hens or place in an incubator.
It is important to consider the fact that each breed of pheasant prefers to lay eggs in completely different places - grass, shrubs and near trees. Therefore, if necessary, the farmer will have to build the appropriate nests for the birds.
For the period of fertilization, it is forbidden to run several males to one female, since they can fight among themselves for the female, until only one of them remains alive.
As for food preferences, the diet of pheasants has much in common with chicken. The best option would be to use green feed and wet mash. The daily feed rate for one individual is 100 grams.
Species of pheasants
If you plan on keeping pheasants at home, you need to have an idea of what species of this bird exists. This is important, since each breed has certain preferences that should be considered to obtain maximum egg production and fast fattening of the bird.
Today, among the majority of farmers involved in breeding pheasants, the three breeds are most popular:
Let's dwell on each of them in more detail and try to figure out which one is better to choose for breeding at home.
Diamond pheasants
This breed was bred by Chinese breeders. Diamond pheasants have many disadvantages, but they are bred because of their large size. The main difficulties in keeping and breeding are to create and maintain a certain microclimate. The thing is that this breed is heat-loving and in cold weather over 25 degrees the livestock can die. Therefore, for the winter period, in the room where pheasants are kept, it is necessary to build a heating system.
In addition, the diet should contain a large amount of vitamins and minerals. The bird must receive fresh herbs and fish oil. Egg production can reach 30 eggs per season. The maximum body weight is 1 kilogram.
Silver pheasant
The content of this breed is less troublesome compared to diamond, so silver pheasants are the most common around the world. The birthplace of this bird is also China, but this breed perfectly adapts to the climatic regions of the area in which it is bred, so in our country silver pheasants take root well. This is due to the dense plumage, due to which the bird can withstand severe frosts. But the enclosure should be well protected from drafts, because otherwise pheasants can get sick and die.
The average body weight of an adult is about 5 kilograms, and the egg production is at the level of 50 eggs per season. One of the advantages of this breed is its rapid weight gain, which is why it can be bred not only to increase the number of livestock, but also to produce meat that has excellent taste and is widely used in cooking for preparing a large number of dishes.
Golden Pheasant
The content of the golden pheasant is one of the simplest, since this breed is one of the most unpretentious. This bird is not grown on an industrial scale because of its small size and light weight, but it is perfect for decorative breeding.
In one season, a female golden pheasant is able to bring about 25 eggs. The maximum body weight of an adult reaches 1 kilogram. The meat does not have special taste, therefore, is not used in cooking.
The room, which contains golden pheasants, should be heated in the winter, as the bird does not tolerate low temperatures. In frosts of 20 degrees, all livestock can die. It is best to feed with fresh herbs. In addition, fish oil should also be present in the diet, as well as various supplements containing vitamins C, B6 and B12.
What to feed?
Do-it-yourself pheasant maintenance requires proper feeding. For feeding the chicks, use mashrooms made from grated boiled eggs and fresh herbs. Instead of water give serum. As chickens grow, combined feeds are gradually introduced into the daily diet. In the second week, you can start giving millet porridge cooked in milk. At two months of age, it can be completely transferred to the main feed that adult pheasants give.
For feeding adults, wheat, barley, corn and fresh vegetables are used. To strengthen the immune system and increase the bird's resistance to disease, ascorbic acid and sugar are added to the combined feed. Also essential components of the diet are fish oil and bone meal, which serve as an excellent source of trace elements.
In addition, the content of the pheasant, regardless of age and breed, involves frequent replacement of water. The thing is that the bird drinks only cold water.
During the breeding season, pheasants should be given antibiotics that can increase egg production by about 40 percent.
Features winter content
The content of pheasants in winter requires an increase in the daily feeding rate. In addition, birds need to be given vitamin supplements to increase their resistance to negative environmental factors and diseases. In the house, additional lighting should be created, since the optimal daylight hours for pheasants are 14 hours. If this is not done, then the bird will begin to lose weight, and its growth and development will slow down significantly.
Diseases and the fight against them
The content of pheasants in the homestead is a rather simple and painstaking task, because with proper care and feeding, the bird is very rarely sick. But the likelihood of the disease still exists, so it is important to recognize the disease in time and begin appropriate treatment.
All diseases to which pheasants are susceptible can be divided into 3 categories:
- infectious;
- non-contagious;
- invasive.
Infectious diseases include various ailments caused by viruses or fungi. These are smallpox, laryngotracheitis and aspergillosis. This category of diseases is the most dangerous, because in the absence of treatment the livestock dies out very quickly.
Non-communicable diseases include dermatitis and emphysema. A sick bird poses no threat to other individuals, but if left untreated, it may die.
Invasive diseases are those caused by various parasites. These include scabies and infection with lice. For treatment, a 0.15 percent solution of neuwen is used.
Advantages and disadvantages of breeding pheasants
Pheasants, the maintenance and care of which were considered earlier, can be an excellent source of income.
The advantages of this business are:
- dietary meat with excellent taste;
- low competition in this area.
Among the main disadvantages, one can single out the need for large investments at the stage of launching a business, as well as the creation of suitable conditions for maintenance.
Finally
As it turned out, caring for these birds is not so difficult. The most important thing is to provide them with proper care. But be that as it may, to be engaged in breeding pheasants or not - each farmer decides for himself.
Nevertheless, if you do not want to do this on an industrial scale, you should definitely get at least a few individuals on your farm for the sake of diet and incredibly tasty meat.