Red golden pheasant eggs

[alleesmama]

My daughter got a pair of red golden pheasants in the fall...on a whim....she is in love with them and they are doing great. She went to check on them this evening and she found 3 eggs. They were all spread out and as she went in their pen, the rooster pecked a hole in one of the eggs and ate it. My question is, what do we do now? Do we have to incubate? Or will she sit on them? And why are they spread out? We are new to this. My daughter is 9. What should we do?

 

[BobDBirdDog]

I would incubate the ones that haven't been pecked on, (if fertile) they stand a better chance and little miss will be either very enthused or disappointed (depending on if Roo did his job)....but she'll still learn something either way.
My (Mrs. Gold) female will lay a clutch (all in a hidden nest) and I suspect that she might set/incubate them if I left them alone, but I don't chance that "bet" and go with a sure fire incubation as it stands a better chance in my book.

As for MR. Egg eater (might be Mrs. Egg eater as well). I would bump up the protein in the feed to around 21% for both of them and give them some oyster shell to curb their cravings.
Just to note the good eggs may not be fertile so 4-5 days incubation should tell the story.


Try and try again. Spring is just starting in many areas.

 

[Tony K T]

You could also hang a basket from the side of their cage to see if she will nest in it.This may also save eggs from the male if he decides to have another omelet.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[007Sean]

Birds in an enclosure tend to lay their eggs anywhere, especially if they are young hens. Don't know about Red goldens in the wild but wild ring-necked hens will lay their eggs anywhere until they decide where they want to lay a clutch, then will set. They have even been seen laying an egg in another hens clutch. It's of general consensus that enclosed birds don't tend to be broody, theoretically it's been bred out of them. There's the occasional story of a golden hen going broody but far and few between...it's better to collect their eggs and incubate.

 

[BobDBirdDog]

Birds in an enclosure tend to lay their eggs anywhere, especially if they are young hens. Don't know about Red goldens in the wild but wild ring-necked hens will lay their eggs anywhere until they decide where they want to lay a clutch, then will set. They have even been seen laying an egg in another hens clutch. It's of general consensus that enclosed birds don't tend to be broody, theoretically it's been bred out of them. There's the occasional story of a golden hen going broody but far and few between...it's better to collect their eggs and incubate.

I have noticed that my ring necks will pick the corners to lay and in the nest as well (in the corners).
My Gold lay's her eggs and moves each time I raid her nest. I found 4 buried just under a thin layer of dirt and straw after I search for 4 days..I guess she got smart and tired of me raiding her nest. lol.
I never gave her or the others a chance to go broody, but they sure act like they want to. I might give it a shot this year and see if they will see it thru.


I would love to see them in the wild, but TN is not an area for any type pheasant in the wild.