PHEASANTS IN COVERT AND AVIARY 



The Golden Pheasant is naturally a shy bird, easily 

 frightened, and has a disposition to revert to its wild instinct, 

 which, once acquired, is very difficult to wean it from, in 

 fact almost impossible ; therefore birds intended for the 

 aviary must, as previously stated, be pinioned. 



The aviary should be provided with nests for the hens, 

 which produce a variable number of eggs, according whether 

 young or old birds. A young hen usually lays about one 

 dozen eggs in a single season, whereas an older one will 

 produce from twenty-five to thirty-five or forty eggs, and the 

 incubative period is three weeks and three days (domestic fowl, 

 twenty-one days). Although Golden Pheasants do very well 

 when hatched by artificial means, the birds are stronger when 

 brought forth under the care of a broody hen, or a combination 

 of the natural and artificial methods may be employed. The 

 eggs can be placed in the incubator for the first twenty-one 

 days, and the incubative period then completed under a hen, 

 or perhaps what is still better, the eggs may be placed under 

 a hen for twenty-one days and the hatching process then 

 completed in an incubator. All eggs should be removed from 

 the aviary as soon as laid, otherwise the birds will probably 

 acquire vicious habits. Regarding the number of hens to be 

 allowed for each male bird, most authorities are agreed that 

 from four to six is quite sufficient. It is a mistake to breed 

 stock from one-year-old hens, the second season being the 

 best for the production of vigorous birds ; moreover, early 

 mating is not necessary in the case of fancy Pheasants. 



The cock birds do not assume their attractive plumage 

 until they have moulted in the second summer, which is the 

 best evidence one can have, as afforded by nature, as to the 

 physical fitness of the birds for mating purposes. The best 

 food for the broods consists of either ants' eggs, or maggots, 

 in conjunction with maize-meal, barley, or wheat - meal 



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