MONTHLY WILDLIFE RESEARCH LETTER 
Vol. 2, No. 9 
Page 3 
W-61-R-3 F. Greeley, J. Ellis 
It has been observed in the literature that hen pheasants are heavier in 
early April than at any other time of the year. Game farm birds lose from 250 to 
300 grams during the breeding season. This loss in weight has been associated 
with the production of eggs. Data obtained in 1959 from hens on low calcium diets 
indicated that restriction of egg production, as a result of calcium deficient 
diets, did not prevent loss of weight during the spring months, table 2. 
Table 2. Changes in body weight of hen pheasants fed different amounts of 
calcium. 
Per Cent 
Calcium 
April 13-24 
April 13-June 4 
Initial Weight Per Cent Loss 
Initial Weight Per Cent Loss 
0.37 
1203 + 56* 
5.8 + 2.2 
1216 + 50 
24.3 + 2.1 
0.63 
1218 + 33 
2.5 + 2.0 
1176 + 48 
12.8 + 1.6 
1.09 
1165 + 69 
3.4 + 3.5 
1088 + 67 
8.0 + 1.4 
2.01 
1041 + 40 
0.7 * 2.3 
1169 + 59 
7.6 + 0.9 
2.34 
1111 + 54 
2.7 ± 2.7 
1229 + 68 
10.8 + 0.7 
* Mean 
Standard Error 
in grams. 
The production of eggs may, therefore, not be the only cause of the loss 
in weight which accounts for the poor physical condition of hens following the 
breeding season. Calcium deficiency, in this case, may have caused the loss of 
weight, or the loss may have been due to unknown factors in the physiology or 
the environment of the hen. 
The number of pheasant broods produced on the Neoga and Bellmont areas 
during 1959 was less than the number of broods produced during either 1957 or 
1958 (see table 3). Eight broods that had not been previously observed were 
located on the Bellmont area during September; these additional broods bring the 
total number of broods observed on the Bellmont area in 1959 to 35. 
