RAISING CHINESE PHEASANTS. 



H. R. FOSTER. 



Aviaries for breeding birds may be built 

 in various ways and forms, to suit circum- 

 stances ; but my. ideal would be a building 

 12 x 24 feet, corner posts 6 feet above 

 ground, with double roof, sloping North 

 and South, the North slope to be boarded 

 waterproof, the South slope covered with 

 lath or wire netting, or both. Through the 

 middle there should be a partition 6 feet 

 high, with hole one foot square on ground 

 level, for birds to run through. This 

 would make 2 divi- 

 sions, each 12 x 12 

 feet. T e outside 

 should be boarded 

 solid by 2 feet above 

 ground, and boards 

 or masonry should 

 extend at least one 

 foot under ground, to 

 protect the birds 

 from burrowing ene- 

 mies. Perfect drain- 

 age should be pro- 

 vided. 



Above the board- 

 ing the aviary should 

 be covered with i 1 /^ 

 inch mesh wire net- 

 ting, or with laths. 

 Laths are best for 

 protecting birds from 

 injury, but soon get 

 loose, and for per- 

 manent pens wire 

 should be used. Each 



part of this double pen should be easily 

 accessible by doors. Any number of pens 

 can be made by increasing length .Last or 

 West. 



Give the birds plenty of perches, a num- 

 ber of short ones being better than one 

 long one, as sometimes one bird will take 

 possession'of the whole perch. A board 4 

 or 5 inches wide makes the best perch. Pro- 

 vide, also, plenty of coverts for the birds* 

 to hide in. Pine or other evergreen boughs 

 are excellent for this. 



Sharp grit in some form should be pro- 

 vided. If the natural ground does not 

 furnish dust baths, they should be pro- 

 vided. 



It is best to obtain stock for breeding in 

 the fall. They get more accustomed to the 

 place, more tame, and settle down better in 

 every way than birds obtained in the spring. 

 Chinese pheasants are peculiar in their hab- 

 its. They are wild when placed in new 

 quarters, no matter how well domesticated, 

 and when frightened they think of nothing 

 but to escape. Sometimes in the effort they 

 dash themselves to death. Beginners often 



make the mistake of obtaining their birds 

 late in the season, just before or at laying 

 time. The birds are removed to strange 

 quarters, cared for by strangers, admired 

 by curious visitors, and kept so frightened 

 they will scarcely eat, to say nothing of 

 mating. The results are unsatisfactory. 



Young birds are best for breeding in con- 

 finement, .but for liberating, old ones are 

 just as good. A trio are sufficient for a 

 breeding pen. I have tried various mat- 



A GROUP OF CHINESE. 



ings, as high as 7 hens with one cock. The 

 eggs hatched well at first, but later they 

 lacked vitality in hatching, and those 

 hatched were weak and many died. One 

 breeder in Oregon says, "One hen is 

 enough. I never use 2 unless I am obliged 

 to." 



In confinement Chinese pheasants com- 

 mence to Lay early in April and continue 

 until August. My record for 1900, with 

 young hens, shows 62 eggs for some hens 

 with an average of 41. The birds are much 

 more wild at the approach of and during 

 the laying season, and should be left alone 

 as much as possible. 



One of the most important helps to suc- 

 cess, and the hardest to obtain at present, 

 is new blood. There have been so many 

 English ringnecks distributed through the 

 country and often sold as Chinese or Mon- 

 golian pheasants, that much care has to be 

 taken and large expense incurred to get 

 a change of breeding stock. 



For feed, I give in the morning a scalded 

 mash of mixed Indian meal and beef scraps, 

 equal weight, and pure, fresh water. At 



