Pheasant chat and hatch-a-long!!!

[Monsta]

At 5 to 6 months they are generally molting from their chick feathers to their juvenile feathers. His tail feathers missing could either be from molting or they were pulled out by his previous pen mates.

☆ noticed the chicken wire....that will not keep any predators out. You can put 1" x 1/2" welded wire over the existing chicken wire or HC, even 3 to 4' high, deters most predators from trying to reach in and pull them through the wire.

No worries, we have a parameter fence as well as a hot set of cattle wires to deter anything even thinking of coming within a couple acres of this area of the yard but appreciate the concern. He also goes inside an attached room at night just to be sure “used to be a chicken coup with a processing room”
None the less he will be moving to a brand new enclosure meant just for them when quarantine is done long as I’m done with it first.

 

[Monsta]

Looking a possible couple or so red golden females to put in with him once I’m done, anyone have any they want to part with by chance?

 

[muddy75]

I had some predator issues over the last few weeks…….have caught 1 opossum so far now that I reset the trap
BUT……it killed all of my remaining coturnix and my smallest cockbird chicks……the one I was planning on keeping was injured on Sunday so I had to get DS1 to help me cull

 

[muddy75]

I’m still planning to remove at least 2 of the remaining cockbirds before winter. And once I complete necessary aviary maintenance and repairs, I’m thinking about switching to red golden and bobwhite

 

[muddy75]

well I didn’t get a chance to remove extra cockbirds……and not sure why in middle of winter, but dominant cockbird has turned extremely aggressive . He killed one of the non-dominants and was even “challenging” the bunnies through the fence

 

[007Sean]

well I didn’t get a chance to remove extra cockbirds……and not sure why in middle of winter, but dominant cockbird has turned extremely aggressive . He killed one of the non-dominants and was even “challenging” the bunnies through the fence

Mine are that way year round. Middle of December and they are still displaying but my Goldens and Amherst do that year round....like they don't know they are not suppose to be displaying.
Haven't quite been able to figure out this behavior or why it's a continuous breeding season all year long. The hens aren't laying and are not interested in the males displaying or advances. I used to think it was weather related but that's not the case....idk?

 

[muddy75]

Mine are that way year round. Middle of December and they are still displaying but my Goldens and Amherst do that year round....like they don't know they are not suppose to be displaying.
Haven't quite been able to figure out this behavior or why it's a continuous breeding season all year long. The hens aren't laying and are not interested in the males displaying or advances. I used to think it was weather related but that's not the case....idk?

I tried to justify it as weather too but he was challenging the bunnies in negative temps and snow/ice but at least, not messing with the dux! They have just about decimated the last of the live plants too

 

[007Sean]

I only have 2 pens left with vegetation. Start over next spring, rotating pens.

 

[muddy75]

I only have 2 pens left with vegetation. Start over next spring, rotating pens.

But I hate starting over every year

 

[muddy75]