Pheasants are amazingly beautiful birds that are often kept for decorative purposes. But farmers do not breed them for beauty. The meat of wild pheasants has always been famous for its unsurpassed taste. Today, these beautiful birds are bred on farms, receiving valuable meat and diet eggs.
Pheasant Description
Pheasants, despite the variety of breeds, have similar features by which they can be accurately identified. These chicken birds are quite large and have a bright, memorable appearance. Among their main signs:
- Grace.
- Beautiful plumage in males.
Decorative females cannot compete with males. Only males are endowed with bright, colorful feathers. Females have gray plumage, their only “decoration” is black and brown specks, generously scattered throughout the body.
The color of males of different breeds is different, and depends on their habitat. But, as a rule, in all breeds, the head and neck are colored green or blue-violet. Around the eyes - rings without plumage. Usually the rings are red, but may have a different color. The color of plumage depends on the breed of pheasant. Males are generously painted, nature gave them the brightest colors - orange, blue, bright red, emerald.
The length of the male is about 80 cm, the females are slightly less. Any breed of pheasant can be bred for meat, but preference is given to more weighty birds. The choice is made taking into account meat and egg productivity.
Breeding Features
Pheasants are bred, both industrial and private household plots. In the industrial method of growing, the emphasis is on accelerated weight gain and an increase in livestock. Farms contain up to 10,000 birds. Small farms are focused on providing their own needs and making profits from the sale of products.
To start a pheasant breeding business, you will need to buy several families, which, multiplying, increase the number of livestock. It is recommended that novice farmers start with a silver breed - it grows better than others in a temperate climate.
Why is it profitable to breed pheasants:
- unpretentious in the matter of nutrition;
- gain weight quickly;
- bring real profit to their breeders - from the sale of meat, eggs and feathers.
To breed pheasants on their own, they are placed in families - 2-3 females per male. You can apply other schemes - for 1 male from 4 to 7 females. But it should be remembered - the more females per male, the lower the egg production and the fewer fertilized eggs.
The main peculiarity of breeding pheasants is that they cannot be kept in closed cages, this bird needs spacious enclosures covered with a net.
Females with high egg production carry about 50 eggs per season. But if desired, this figure can be brought up to 100 eggs. For this, hens are given:
- Biovit - 0.7 g.
- Terramix-10 - 1.1 g.
- Penicillin-sodium salt - 0.3 g.
- Erythromycin - 21.5 g.
- Biomycin - 35-40%.
In the video below, a pheasant breeder shares his knowledge on pheasant breeding at home:
Important aspects of buying a bird
To establish a pheasant farm, you can use one of three ways to acquire livestock:
- Catch pheasants in nature.
- Buy eggs for incubation.
- Buy young or adult birds in the nursery or at the breeder.
Wild birds are hardy and unpretentious, but they often refuse to breed in captivity. Therefore, a more reliable way is to buy a family or young animals.
Buying eggs
Buying pheasants requires considerable investment, if finances are tight, start with eggs. This option will cost much less. But in order to start a business “with an egg”, you will need incubators or brood hens. In order for small pheasants to hatch safely, one must have at least minimal experience in breeding birds. And most importantly, to get offspring from eggs, you should:
- Carefully transport eggs, eliminating any shaking.
- Prevent temperature changes.
The cost of one hatching egg is 80-110 rubles.
The acquisition of chicks
The most productive option for opening a mini-farm for breeding pheasants is the acquisition of young animals. You should not take too small chicks. The best option is individuals aged 4-5 weeks. Characteristics of healthy young animals:
- active behavior, mobility;
- well developed feed search reflex;
- good orientation in space;
- dry, dead umbilical cord;
- the absence of growths on the beak and nostrils.
Pheasants do not have visible sex differences until the age of 3-4 months.
Prices for young growth:
- One pheasant chick, up to 3 months old, costs 200-300 rubles.
- Individuals aged 3-6 months are 450-600 rubles each.
Adults
When buying pheasants, you should carefully examine each individual. Pay attention to the following points:
- Age. It is unprofitable to take birds older than 2.5 years. After this age, pheasants lose productivity.
- Appearance. You can not take individuals too thin and with excess body fat. To the touch, the bird should be well-fed, dense, fleshy.
- Health status. It is important to examine the feathers near the cloaca. In a healthy bird they are dry, in a sick one they are wet and dirty.
To prevent kinship, it is recommended to take birds in different places. Offspring obtained as a result of kinship crossing are notable for low immunity; they are often infertile. To begin with, it is recommended to take 2-4 pairs, and when the skills of care and breeding appear, the number of livestock can be increased.
Recommended Breeds
The most popular breeds of pheasants:
- Diamond pheasant. Homeland - highlands of China. He is appreciated for its decorative effect. This is his main advantage. For the sake of meat, this bird should not be bred. Firstly, he does not have much meat. The meat productivity of males is 0.9-1 kg. Secondly, the diamond pheasant does not tolerate cold - it is necessary to provide the bird with a certain temperature regime. 30 degree frosts will simply kill this bird. Egg production - 30 eggs per season. Monogamen.
- Silver Pheasant. Ideal for breeding meat breed. A silver pheasant was born, like a diamond one, from China, but it perfectly adapted to the climate of Russia. Thick plumage helps to tolerate frost. Weight - 2-6 kg. Egg production - 50 eggs per season. To stimulate productivity and increase egg production, 5-6 eggs are left under the female in the nest. They grow it for meat and stuffed animals - they decorate hunting houses, restaurants, etc.
- Golden pheasant. Decorative breed. It is not grown on an industrial scale. Weight - up to 1 kg. Egg production - 25 eggs. Requires a warmed house.
About productivity and breeding goals
There are dozens of pheasant breeds, but among them there are several, especially popular among farmers and breeders, breeds are bred for meat, others for hunting or for decoration. Growing pheasants at home rarely brings real profit, only a large farm can become truly profitable.
When choosing a decorative breed for breeding, the main thing that pays attention to is the exterior of the bird, its ability to breed in captivity and requirements for the conditions of detention.
When breeding pheasants for meat, the appearance of the bird is secondary, most importantly - their meat productivity. And if the farmer is going to independently replenish the livestock, then the egg production of the breed is of great importance. The most productive meat breeds (the weight of males is compared):
- Steppe hunting - 1.7-2 kg.
- White - 2.3-2.7 kg.
- Lemon - 1.9-2.1 kg.
- Eared - 2.3-2.7 kg.
- Romanian - 2.4-2.8 kg.
Other breeds of pheasants cannot boast of high meat productivity, the weight of males - from 0.9 to 1.7 kg.
The egg production of pheasants varies from 25 to 50 eggs per season and depends on the breed. Silver pheasant is the most egg-laying. This breed optimally combines high meat and egg productivity, which is why it tops the farmers popularity rating.
Content Requirements
To breed pheasants, it is necessary to fulfill two main conditions for their maintenance:
- The area norm for one individual, with a family maintenance of 2 square meters. m. If the bird is kept in large groups in aviaries - 5 square meters. m
- Aviary. Pheasants, unlike other poultry, need an aviary enclosed on all sides, including from above - so that the birds do not fly out. In these enclosures, birds spend winter and summer, for them you can not build special winter houses. Unless, of course, the breed can withstand low temperatures characteristic of a particular area. Otherwise, it will be necessary to equip the insulated winteries.
When pheasants are kept for meat, they are placed in large groups. They are fed with conventional chicken feed. Feeding pheasants depends on the breed - each has its own requirements for everyday feed. Birds should get enough protein and calcium, otherwise cannibalism develops among them - eating their own kind.
Housing / Aviary
The pheasant breeding business requires upfront costs. The first step is to equip the farm. What you need to know when preparing aviaries for pheasants:
- If birds are raised for hunting, then they are best kept in high cages - they must learn to fly.
- If pheasants are raised for meat, high fences are not needed.
Pheasants are very pugnacious. They often pull feathers from each other. To preserve the feather cover, breeders order special glasses made of plastic.
Pheasants need a spacious, fully enclosed aviary. Rules for the construction of aviaries:
- It should be located on the sunny side. Soil is preferable - sand.
- At the top - a covering from a grid, kapron or rope.
- Inside - stairs, driftwood, bushes, etc.
- Grass. If it is not, sow.
- In harsh climates provide a heating system and individual houses - a must for thermophilic rocks.
- The back wall must be continuous - so that the bird feels secure and can retire.
- A separate place for young animals.
There are especially aggressive breeds, they cannot be kept in large groups - they will be changed. Among these breeds are royal pheasants, they are kept in pairs.
Aviaries are built of metal or wood. A more modern option is polycarbonate. The polycarbonate structure is shockproof and dry. The size of the enclosure depends on the livestock and prospects of breeding. The total area is calculated taking into account the norms of maintenance. The height of the house is from 2.5 m.
For the construction of a simple aviary, you will need such materials:
- galvanized wire mesh (mesh size not more than 1.5x5 cm);
- mesh rope or kapron;
- slate, tile or metal sheets;
- metal or wooden bars;
- sand and cement;
- nails and staples;
- gravel and sand.
Having decided on the materials, and stocking up with the necessary tools, proceed to the construction of the aviary:
- Remove the topsoil. For disinfection, sprinkle the site with slaked lime - a layer 2 cm thick.
- Prepare the foundation - dig around the perimeter of the ditch. Depth - 70 cm. Bars are placed in the ditch and poured with their solution. Drying the foundation - 2-7 days.
- They put the frame. Set the posts.
- Pull the mesh on the frame.
- Pull the roof of the aviary.
- The floor is covered with a mixture of river sand and gravel.
- They put driftwood, perches, stairs. Build huts from branches, houses for rest, put boxes with ash - for dust baths.
In the video below, you can learn more about the arrangement of aviaries for keeping pheasants:
Do I need an incubator?
Theoretically, there are three methods of breeding pheasants. But only one is really productive - artificial incubation. Females of pheasants very rarely lay their eggs, if this happens the breeder is very lucky. Of the 50 laid eggs, pheasant flies hatch only 10-15 pieces. You can, of course, lay eggs with turkeys, ducks or chickens, but they often crush pheasant eggs.
What you need to know about egg incubation:
- Before laying eggs in an incubator, it is necessary to verify their fertilization by illuminating with an ovoscope.
- The timing of incubation depends on the type of pheasants and is often established experimentally.
- Reliable data are for the Pheasant Hunting (Asian). The incubation period for this breed is 24-25 days. For Silver - 30-32 days.
Rules for incubation of pheasant eggs at home:
- Before laying eggs in an incubator, they should be incubated for 5 hours at room temperature.
- Warmed eggs can be laid in the apparatus. The temperature is set at 37.8 ° C.
- After two weeks, the eggs should cool slightly. For this purpose, open the door of the incubator for 10-15 minutes. This procedure allows you to increase gas exchange and improve metabolic processes.
- Humidity in the incubator should be 60-65%.
- From the 22nd day they begin to lower the temperature and increase the humidity in the device.
- By the 24th day, the temperature should be 37.5 ° C, humidity is increased to 80%.
Growing chicks
Pheasant chicks bred by any of the methods need careful care and proper feeding. It is not easy to remove pheasants, so breeders often buy chicks for divorce. But you can take them only in reliable nurseries, but even then new individuals should be quarantined - in order to avoid infection by any disease.
From the first days of life
In the first days of life, chicks should be given maximum attention, especially paying attention to such moments:
- Shine. Artificial chicks do not need artificial lighting. On the contrary, excess light is harmful to them - it causes cannibalism.
- Temperature. The first 3 days the temperature is maintained at + 28 ° C. Then it is gradually reduced to + 20 ° С - this temperature is maintained until the bird turns six months old. After six months, pheasants are considered adults.
- Area of content. So that pheasants do not crush each other, it is necessary to observe the norms of the area. For newborn chicks, it is 30 pieces per 1 square. m
- Feeding. The first 2 months the chicks are given a cool egg with chopped herbs.
Weekly Feeding
The first 2-4 hours of life for hatched chicks do not need food. After this time, the pheasants begin to gradually feed. Composition of feed for chicks:
- protein mixture with antibiotic - 40%;
- boiled chopped egg (only protein for 2-3 days, and then the yolk) - 35%;
- grated carrots - 10%;
- finely chopped greens (nettle and salad) - 14%.
In the first week, pheasants are fed 5 times a day, the second - 4. A home-made mixture can be replaced with compound feed for chickens. Consumption of protein mixture with eggs, herbs and carrots, depending on age - in table 1.
Table 1
A week | Feed volume, g |
1 | 20-70 |
2 | 70-90 |
3 | 90-135 |
4 | 135-200 |
5 | 200-300 |
6-9 | 300-350 |
Starting from the second week, the chicks are given a little grain food. First they are offered millet or clover seed, then larger grain - rye or wheat. In addition to food, pheasants should provide:
- clean water for drinking;
- crushed charcoal;
- small pebbles;
- fine sand for swimming.
Pheasant Feeding
The nutrition of pheasants depends on various factors - on the time of year, conditions of detention, and the condition of the bird. It is enough to make a mistake in the norm of at least one element - and in any direction, so that this immediately affects the metabolism and general condition of the bird.
Rules
Rules for feeding pheasants:
- The diet is made so that it satisfies all the nutritional needs of the bird.
- The diet should have components that match the taste of the bird - the pheasant should eat its feed with appetite.
- The volumes of the proposed feed should correspond to the capabilities of the digestive system, otherwise the bird and motor and secretory disorders in the digestive organs may be observed.
- The ration is made in such a way as to maximize the use of affordable and inexpensive food, so that the content of pheasants is cost-effective.But this should not affect the quality of the feed, its nutritional value and energy value.
Feeding troughs and drinking bowls
Most of the pheasant maintenance costs are feed. That is why it is necessary to choose feeders in which the feed is not wasted - it does not scatter, does not become dirty and does not get wet. If the feeder is made of wood, it is important to remove all knots, burrs and sharp edges so that the birds do not get injured.
The design of the feeder should be such that the birds can take food, but do not have the opportunity to climb into it. The most practical option is a flute type feeder.
Features of groove feeders:
- the end walls are higher than the side walls - this allows you to install a turntable that does not allow birds to sit in the feeder;
- filling the feeder with food - by 2/3.
For chicks, tray-type feeders are also suitable - plastic, metal, plywood. The height of the sides is up to 2 cm. The total size of the tray feeder is 30x70 cm. It is designed for 20-30 chicks.
Drinkers for pheasants are usually made of glass or plastic. They can be grooved, flowing, cup.
If you use the feeders on the stands, you can get additional free space. There should be enough feeders so that crush does not occur during feeding.
Diet
When pheasants are kept in enclosures, they get a part of their food themselves - they eat greens, foliage of shrubs, insects, larvae. The average feed rate for one adult pheasant is 80 g. The exact amount of feed is determined experimentally and depends on the breed.
When pheasants are kept in private households, they are fed with wet mash mats, which may consist of such components:
- compound feed;
- food waste;
- grain (millet, wheat, barley, sorghum, ground peas, corn);
- juicy feed - greens, vegetables;
- animal feed.
Sunflower seeds, fruits, berries, and worms may also be present in the diet of pheasants.
Pheasants, unlike other poultry, eat Colorado beetles - if you run young on potato beds, you can do without spraying the bushes with poisons.
During the mating season, feed should become more high-calorie. In winter, the diet should be replenished with apples and mountain ash. In the summer, crushed chalk, lime, shell rock are mixed into the food - the thickness of the shell and the beauty of the plumage depend on these components.
Table 2 shows an approximate diet of adult pheasants for the summer and winter season.
table 2
Stern | Daily ration, g | |
autumn winter | spring Summer | |
Concentrated feed (wheat, millet, corn, etc.) | 50 | 45 |
Juicy feed (potatoes, carrots, etc.) | 10 | 20 |
Animals (cottage cheese, minced meat, meat and bone meal, etc.) | 6 | 9 |
Vitamin (fish oil, yeast) | 3 | 2 |
Mineral (salt, lime) | 3 | 3 |
Pheasant food can be prepared on your own. An example of an affordable but complete diet in% is shown in table 3.
Table 3
Ingredients | Daily ration, g | |
autumn winter | spring Summer | |
corn | 40 | 40 |
wheat | 20 | 20 |
wheat bran | 14 | 9 |
sunflower meal | 10 | 15 |
meat and bone meal | 3 | 5 |
fish meal | 10 | 10 |
fodder yeast | 3 | 1 |
Breeding
Mating starts in March or April. It takes several days after mating, and the female begins to build a nest. After 2-3 weeks, the female lays eggs. As a rule, she hides it under a bush or in the grass. The pheasant's nest is covered with dry stems, down, feathers, leaves.
Seating scheme - the number of females per male depends on the breed. Male replanting to females is done in February-March. Birds that have reached 2-3 years of age are not used for mating.
Optimum age for mating:
- in females - 8-18 months;
- in males - 1-2.5 years.
A month before mating, the female is given antibiotics along with the food - they increase egg production and the quality of fertilized eggs. If there are no bushes in the enclosure under which the female could make a nest, they build huts from reeds.
During nesting, females are very shy, and males during the breeding period are so aggressive that they can kill their opponent to death.
Pheasant maintenance in winter
Many breeds of pheasants are frost-resistant. It is recommended to breed them in the conditions of Russia. But it will not hurt for them to create conditions that would allow the bird to safely winter.
When the weather is cold, pheasants do not really need an aviary, so farmers often transfer them to winterized houses for the winter. In the houses they organize additional lighting - this will prevent a drop in egg production.
If winter-hardy breeds are bred, there is no need to build a special winter house. You can insulate unless the aviary itself. To do this, put on the floor and walls a special coating that protects pheasants from drafts and wind.
In winter, the diet is adjusted. The main thing is to provide pheasants with energy-giving food. The emphasis is on corn grains. If whole grain is given, then there should be a lot of small gravel in the aviary - it will grind the grains in the stomach of birds.
Diseases, their treatment and prevention
Pheasants are affected by three types of diseases:
- infectious;
- non-contagious;
- invasive.
Pheasants are especially often sick when they live in crowding. Birds should be immediately sent for slaughter if they become ill:
- smallpox;
- flu
- leukemia;
- infectious bursitis;
- Marek's disease;
- adenovirus infection;
- egg production syndrome;
- pullorosis;
- respiratory mycoplasmosis;
- infectious encephalomyelitis.
All other diseases can be cured, these include:
- coccidiosis;
- colibacillosis;
- helminthiasis;
- salmonellosis.
The most common diseases among pheasants are in table 3.
Table 3
Diseases | Etiology | Features |
Smallpox | viral | High% mortality. Accompanied by rashes, loss of appetite, exhaustion. The rash is treated with lugol. |
Laryngotracheitis | viral | Transmitted by air. Symptoms - coughing, sneezing, refusal to eat. Antibiotic treatment based on test results. |
Aspergillosis | fungal infection | The defeat of the bronchi. Symptoms - thirst, cyanosis of legs and beak. They are treated with antifungal aerosols. |
Dermatitis | infectious | Red inflammation at the site of injury. Treatment - antibiotics, iodine. |
Emphysema | infectious | Bumps in the body, displaced by pressure. A tissue dressing is applied and placed in a tight cage. |
Scabies | invasive | Pathogens are ticks. Treated with a solution of 0.15% Neguven. |
Poohooters | invasive | The carriers of the larvae of the lice are insects. Treatment - ash and sand baths. In severe cases, treatment with insecticides. |
In private courtyards, pheasants often come in contact with chickens and other poultry - this increases the risk of disease. At risk - young growth.
Business Goals and Benefits
All products - meat, eggs, feathers, are expensive. The priority tasks of the farmer who decided to engage in breeding pheasants:
- Decide on breeding goals.
- Choose the right breed.
- Find markets.
For meat and eggs
One male meat weighs about 2-2.5 kg. 1 kg of meat costs about 1000 rubles. Eggs can be partly divorced, and partly sold. If a female lays 50 eggs per season and lays 10, 40 can be sold. The cost of eggs for cooking is 55-200 rubles apiece. It is easy to calculate that one female only on eggs brings from 2 to 8 thousand rubles a year.
To get real profit, you need to keep a large herd of queens and young animals for slaughter. It is important to know that meat can only be sold subject to the availability of supporting documents - without them, no normal restaurant can buy meat from a private trader. Therefore, it is necessary to draw up a full-fledged enterprise growing livestock with all the veterinary norms and requirements.
Hunting
Wealthy people like to hunt pheasants. It's nice to get a beautiful bird as a trophy. Wholesale prices for adult birds - 1500 and more rubles.
Decoration
The pheasants have gorgeous feathers that the aristocrats used to decorate everyday outfits. Today they are used to create original and theatrical costumes, they are bought for mini-zoos. If you grow decorative breeds, you can make good money.
Product Sales
Taking up the breeding of pheasants, you should decide - for what purpose they will be grown. For meat or for sale alive. Depending on this, they are determined with the breed and with the markets. Profit options:
- Sale of eggs. Pheasant eggs lay more than they can hatch. Eggs can be sold as a valuable dietary product. Pheasant eggs are considered a dietary product, allergists recommend them for baby food. The buyer of eggs can be a restaurant or a specific buyer found through the Internet.
- Sale of an adult bird. Consumers in this area are hunting farms. Pheasants can also be sold to taxidermists - for making stuffed animals, and feathers - to art workshops.
- Sale of carcasses. Pheasants have tasty meat, so it is sold in expensive catering establishments. Here, elite banquet dishes are prepared from it. By concluding a direct supply agreement, you can get a stable profit. Pheasant meat is not sold in stores, so the farm will acquire a reliable distribution channel through restaurants.
Advantages and disadvantages of breeding
Pros of pheasant business:
- High-quality and valuable meat with unrivaled taste and dietary characteristics. Dishes made from pheasant meat are considered elite.
- Low competition. Due to the nature of the breeding and the cost of meat, there are few hunters involved in pheasants.
Disadvantages of home breeding pheasants:
- pheasants have late puberty;
- large area rate per individual;
- pugnacious nature of pheasants;
- a large percentage of egg fighting - because of the thin shell;
- loss due to outbreaks of disease;
- significant cash investments;
- the high cost of production complicates the implementation.
- low demand for products - you still need to find distribution channels before you get money for the grown products.
What are the waiting costs?
One of the drawbacks of the pheasant breeding business is its large investment. In order to get real profit from sales, you need to have a large farm registered officially - only then it will be possible to sell meat. Accordingly, a large enterprise requires large investments. To breed, for example, 100 pheasants, you will need:
- Aviaries with a total area of 300 square meters. They should be of a different plan - for individual families, for groups, for females, males, young animals.
- Especially for the withdrawal of chicks - a separate nursery area of 15 square meters.
- Incubator - for breeding livestock.
Initial investments for opening a pheasant business - 5-6 thousand dollars. This is taking into account the costs of equipment, inventory and breeding material. The project, with a favorable development of events, pays for itself in 2 years.
Reviews
Nadezhda Krupenina, 47 years old, Pskov region I breed hunting pheasants for meat. Purely for myself - I love their meat very much. It happens, I sell a carcass - if you really ask. At the expense of restaurants - don’t really count on serving meat in them. Restaurants take meat only if there is a steady demand for it. Pheasant meat requires special processing. Even young birds are cooked for at least one and a half hours. Many catering establishments refuse to take meat without documents.
Mikhail Pankratov, Chelyabinsk region I bought some eggs of Golden Pheasants. I paid 200 rubles for each. She began to display in the incubator, while using video information for the Hunting breed. It turned out that Golden had to create other incubation conditions - the temperature is not the same and the timing of the withdrawal is different. As a result, out of all the eggs, by some miracle, two chicks hatched. True, one soon died. The second survived, it turned out to be a male. Now I’m looking for a female, but I just can’t find it.
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Breeding pheasants is an interesting and promising business. The stake is on the fantastic taste of meat and on the demand from the hunting farms. To become the owner of a profitable pheasant business, you will need certain investments, official registration and a desire to delve into the life features of these beautiful and wayward birds.
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