Poultry Talk Ontario (pto.ca)

I started the construction of this pen one week before the mount forest sale. I used recycled plywood for the house part. There are nest boxes up inside the roofed area plus a heat light.(I know they won't need the heat light but it makes me feel better) So far everything is getting along. I plan on making one more next year just larger so I can split up the pheasant and partridge before breeding season. I still have to skin the outside of the house and put shingles on the roof.

im not sure if Pheasants will use a nest box up off the ground, at least when I had them they would only lay on the ground. but thats a very nice and well constructed pen!

The nest boxes are more for staying out of the bad weather. I have perches up inside the house part as well.

What I have read is they will lay anywhere. Will they hatch their own eggs?

well to be honest my pheasants were just ornamental, a few different breeds and only 1 actual pair of red goldens. most of them were already at the place we used to live when we moved in. I never put much effort into trying to hatch any eggs since most would be hybrids if even fertile at all so we just ate them. im sure they would hatch there own but I dont have any experience at all.

We used to incubate eggs or use banty hens. The banties had the other advantage of keeping the poults in the area.

I know absolutely nothing about pheasants but I do know I really like that house and pen you made, good job! When I used to raise Cochin bantams, many people who bought hens from me said they used them to hatch pheasant eggs. Maybe that's an option for you if you wanted to raise chicks.

I already have this incubator along with the hova bator.

I plan on using the hova bator to do the main incubating and if I don't sell the big incubator I will use it for hatching.

Pheasants want serious privacy and they will sit but are very unreliable. The heat lamp is a waste of energy. Better to feed them two feeders: one cracked or whole corn, the other the pellet or crumble feed. They'll eat to stay warm and if they have cover (a wall, cedar bush) to hide from the wind they'll do well. I had ringnecks many times and will get them again soon. I find they have a need for "personal space" and the males will want to breed before the hens are ready so the hens appreciate hiding places.

It appears your coop is wide open to the run so there's no real shelter from the North wind. Its better to have a pen with two or three walls. Or put something against the north side of the pen. ringnecks are more hardy than other pheasants so you'll be ok.

It also looks like you have a dirt floor to the coop. With spring thaw and rain it'll turn into a pile of mud and thats bad as pheasants can't handle their feet weet. Better a gravel floor to the coop as it will drain well.

:big chicken: