Breeding and keeping pheasants at home

Today, pheasants can be found more and more often in the farmsteads of farmers. From just a beautiful bird, they turn into a profitable business.

That is why in this article we will talk in detail about the breeding and keeping of pheasants at home and on the garden plot, we will learn how to feed, how to care for and what to do with them next.

Pheasant's appearance

Pheasants have a unique and memorable appearance. Males are easily recognizable by their bright plumage and long tail. Females are gray with brown and black specks all over the body. Depending on the habitat, the color of the males is different. The head and neck are green or blue-violet.

There are no feathers on the rings around the eyes, the rings themselves are red. The color of the trunk varies from orange on the back to bright red on the chest. Feathers with a metallic sheen. The length of males reaches 80 cm, females are smaller.

Conditions for breeding in industrial and household plots

Poultry is bred in industrial and household farms. Industrial farms are guided by the accelerated growth and increase in the poultry population. The cultivation is carried out with the aim of making a profit and returning all the costs of selling the business.

With the industrial method, the main condition is a large area for farming. On a farm, the number of pheasants can be up to 10 thousand individuals.

Private farms provide for the breeding of poultry on a smaller scale, for their own needs and partly for sale.

It is better for a beginner farmer to grow pheasants at home from scratch with several families and gradually increase the number. The eggs can be incubated by a female pheasant, you can place them under the hen or use an incubator. It is better to start with a silver breed. it is best suited to temperate climates. Unpretentiousness in the feed and rapid weight gain contribute to a quick payback. Additional profit is possible from the sale of eggs and feathers.

To gain experience, it is necessary to go through the entire cycle from reproduction to the sale of the finished product.

How to start growing a home pheasant

The maintenance and care of pheasants at home is possible in cages or on a walk.

A bird is placed in cages if the main goal is to earn money from the sale of meat by rapidly increasing the mass. During the breeding season, the stocking density will be 1-3 individuals per 1m². At the same time, protein will be used in large quantities in the diet. Up to 2 months of age, turkey and broiler feed containing 24-28% protein can be used.

To increase the number of pheasants, they are placed in a spacious open-air cage with a walk. The best soil for construction is sand. The aviary is built at the rate of 2 m² per individual in the sleeping area and 10 m² in the walking area. The walls are made of metal mesh. Cover with a nylon mesh on top. A net made of such material will not be able to injure birds taking off. To protect the birds from the sun and rain, part of the aviary is built with a canopy.

To approximate natural living conditions, a dry tree and bushes are placed inside the enclosure for use by birds as a roost. Baths are installed with a mixture of ash and sand for bathing.

Depending on the breed chosen, pairs or families of birds are created. There is one male for every 2-3 females in the family.

From February to August, the keeping of pheasants on a personal plot is possible in separate enclosures, then they are transferred to a common one.

Pheasants are susceptible to stress. Loud sound or sudden movement can scare them. Birds remember the person feeding them, his voice, clothes. If any drastic changes occur, it can lead to stress. The result will be a decrease in egg production.

Birds are not afraid of frost, they can be kept in the same premises all year round.

Pheasant characteristics

An adult pheasant weighs between 1 and 2 kg. Females are smaller than males. A silver pheasant weighs 1.2 kg upon reaching 7 months.

The male is brought to the female in February or March. During the breeding period from March to July, the female pheasant lays about 50 eggs.

Duration of laying is from 2.5 to 3 months. The mass of one egg is about 30 grams. The females build nests throughout the enclosure. Sometimes they forget about the location. From time to time you need to collect eggs for laying in the incubator or put them under the hen.

Pay attention to the eggs being laid. Each breed of pheasant has different places for laying eggs: grass, shrub, tree. You can help the birds with nesting. To do this, a small hole is pulled out and covered with dry grass or moss. For nests in trees, willow baskets are suitable.

The diet of a pheasant is similar to that of a chicken. Pheasants prefer green food and wet mash. The pheasant eats 100 grams of feed per day.

Breeds for breeding

There are 3 breeds most popular for breeding.

Diamond

The highlands of China are considered the birthplace of the breed. He has many disadvantages, and only the appearance of the advantages. Performs a decorative function. Cultivation is laborious due to the observance of the temperature regime.

In winter, the room must be heated. Due to the lack of exotic plants for food, the feed must constantly contain vitamins, herbs and fish oil. Rarely reach a mass of 1 kg. About 30 eggs are brought in per season.

Silver

One of the most popular types for breeding at home. The bird comes from China, but it has adapted very well to the climatic conditions of Russia. It tolerates frosts of 30 degrees well due to its dense plumage. The breed is sensitive to drafts.

The average weight is 5 kg. Differs in high egg production - 50 eggs per season.

It is considered one of the most suitable species for breeding. due to high egg production and fast weight gain when fattening for meat. Scarecrows are willingly bought to decorate hunting houses and restaurants.

Gold

One of the most popular pheasants for decorative breeding. Due to its low weight, it is not grown on an industrial scale. The mass is rarely more than 1kg. Low egg production - 25 pieces per season. The taste of meat does not differ much in value.

Sensitive to frost. The temperature limit is -20 degrees, provided there is no draft. Contained in a warm poultry house. The main food is greens. To replenish microelements, vitamins C, B6, B12, fish oil are necessarily present in food.

How to feed pheasants: detailed instructions for beginners

The main food for the chicks is a hard-boiled egg mixed with herbs. The water is replaced with serum. Mixed feed for chickens is gradually added. On the 5th day of life, you can give millet porridge cooked in milk. At two months, they are transferred to the main diet of adult birds.

Adult pheasants are fed wheat, corn, barley, and fresh vegetables. Ascorbic acid and a little sugar are added to the compound feed to raise immunity. Fishmeal, fish oil and chalk are used to provide the body with trace elements. Pheasants need to be given only cold water to drink. The daily food intake is 100g. Costs per year for 1 bird - 36 kg.

Food and water are placed under a canopy in the shade. For this, large and convenient feeders and drinkers are used. The main thing is that they are in sufficient quantity to avoid frequent visits to the poultry house.

In winter, the amount of feed is increased and vitamins are added to it to improve disease resistance. In winter, electric lighting is additionally connected, increasing the duration of daylight hours to 14 hours. Under these conditions, pheasants will continue to develop normally and will not lose weight.

In the aviary, pheasants get some of their food on their own. It can be green grass, insects, beetle larvae, worms.

The exact amount of compound feed per day is determined empirically. If food remains in the feeder, then its amount is reduced until the birds stop choosing their favorite ingredients, but eat it completely.

After the chicks appear, they are kept in a specially prepared area for 3 weeks. The density should be no more than 30 animals per m².

Pheasant chicks are temperature sensitive. In the first days after emergence, the temperature should be 28 ° C. It is gradually reduced, but not lower than 20 ° C.

Chicks do not need additional artificial lighting. Daylight hours are enough for them to grow and develop.

Diseases, treatment and care

If a pheasant violates the traditional daily routine, attention is paid to the well-being of the bird. If signs of disease are detected, appropriate measures are taken.

Pheasant diseases are divided into 3 groups:

Infectious diseases

• Smallpox. Viral disease. Has a high mortality rate. Signs: A rash on the legs and head without feathers. The bird develops shortness of breath, a hoarse voice, exhaustion sets in. Asphyxiation becomes the cause of death. They are treated with antiviral drugs, a solution of Lugol is applied to the rash.
• Laryngotracheitis. The virus is transmitted by air after ingestion of contaminated food and water. The latency period is 1-5 days. Signs: loss of appetite, cough, sneezing, shortness of breath. Egg production decreases, the eggshell is broken. Treatment is prescribed by a doctor after the results of laboratory tests.
• Aspergillosis. The causative agent is a fungus that affects the bronchi and air sacs. Signs: excessive thirst, beak and legs become bluish in color. Antifungal aerosols are prescribed for treatment.

Non-communicable diseases

• Dermatitis. This is an inflammation that occurs after an injury to the skin. The affected area turns red and is covered with a brown crust. The treatment is long, because the bird is constantly pecking at itchy fate. For treatment, antibiotics and vitamins are prescribed, the wounds are smeared with iodine.
• Emphysema. It is characterized by the appearance of blisters throughout the body, displaced by pressure. After piercing, air escapes from the holes. The reason is the rupture of the wall of the air sac. The bird almost does not move, stops eating. Treat by limiting mobility in a cramped cage and dressing the wings. In this case, the bubbles are pierced and treated with an antiseptic.

Invasive diseases

• Scabies. A common disease caused by ticks. Signs: white calcareous overlays spread from the corner of the beak, covering the entire head. The feather cover on the head disappears. It gradually spreads throughout the body. For treatment, the affected area is cleaned of overlays and lubricated with a 0.15% neguven solution.
• Infection with chewing lice. These are small insects that live on the feathers of a bird. Infection occurs through mosquitoes and midges. In warm weather, most birds are infected. Pheasants cope with them by taking baths from a mixture of sand and ash. In advanced cases, the bird is treated with insecticidal preparations.

Advantages and disadvantages

When considering a pheasant farming business, some of its disadvantages come to light:

1. The need to invest significant funds to make a profit.
2. The finickyness of the bird requires the creation of conditions for living and the correct selection of food.
3. Implementation can be difficult due to the high cost of meat.

Business advantages:

1. The meat is dietary and has excellent taste. There is a great demand for it from restaurants and shops.
2. Lack of competition in this area, you can take your own market segment.

Profitability: is it worth breeding?

According to experts, the profitability of the business is at the level of 45-55%. For the poultry industry, these are high rates. The invested funds pay off in 6-12 months.

The cost of farmed pheasant meat is similar to the cost of duck meat. When grown for meat, an optimal weight of 1-1.5 kg is achieved by 4 months. Combined feed consumption is 4-5 kg.

For the entire feeding period, the cost of maintaining 1 individual is about 400 rubles. When selling in live weight, you can get 600 rubles. The cost of fresh meat will be 700 rubles. When breeding at home, the net profit is about 300 rubles.

Reviews

“Not only does the pheasant have the finest meat and delicious eggs that have medicinal properties, - gastritis ulcers are treated for one, two or three (30 eggs - and you will still come for the second portion, but already WITHOUT gastritis ulcers - just a chicken egg will already remind you of a silicone hose), but it is also indispensable for healthy eating and sports and fitness especially!

Pheasant meat (for which it is appreciated) has dietary properties and practically does not have fat - 0.5% versus chicken 26-28% ... "Forum of poultry experts

“The business is interesting and promising. And not only because pheasant meat is fantastic in itself! Recently, the demand for hunting pheasants and the organization of hunting has been rapidly gaining momentum. What, what, but in Ukraine they love pheasant meat. " Forum House

The pheasant business is growing in popularity. In a short period of time, the farm pays off and brings a stable profit. The implementation of such a project is within the power of even a novice entrepreneur.