PHEASANT FARMING 9 



mention nothing of the ailments of pheasants and necessary treat- 

 ment." Under natural conditions pheasants are not subject to disease. 

 We know they have no diseases in their wild state. Ninety per cent of 

 the so-called diseases of common poultry is the result of unsanitary 

 quarters and lice with adult birds, and improper feeding and more 

 lice with young chicks. 



Pheasants may be hatched in incubators and reared in brooders 

 but unless the breeder has had practical experience in raising chickens 

 by artificial means much better results will be obtained by setting 

 pheasant eggs under common hens, Cochin bantams preferred. Nests 

 should be made about fourteen inches square (bottom), in the manner 



Bantam Hens on Nests. 



shown in the accompanying cut, setting flat upon the ground without 

 a bottom. A slight depression should be made in the ground, into 

 which arrange a srriall quantity of soft straw or grass hay, as for 

 chickens. Place the nests around the sides (inside) of a house, or 

 enclosed pen, provided with a watering cup. Each day at a regttlar 

 hour, place feed in the house or pen, open the doors to the nests, and 

 see that the hens all come off to eat, drink and dust themselves, a 

 dust bath having of course been provided. After about twenty minutes 

 see that all hens return to their nests. As a further precaution against 



