The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Steph Hen on January 10, 2014, 09:32:38 am
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Looked out at the birds this morning and something kept making me think that something wasn't right. I counted them. They were all milling about and feeding, normal noises, no fighting, I looked again... Oh, two hen pheasants had joined in and were shoulder to shoulder with my buff Sussex pullets, quite happily. Normally when birds like partridges, pheasants, crows and even little birds come into the garden my birds chase them off, I guess they decided these two were alright? :D
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Be careful they don't introduce any diseases
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I had a cock pheasant hanging around in the autumn. Confused me a similar way a few times. Also I get used to them not being able to fly so it's weird when you shut the run and then hey presto - there he is somewhere else. Not sure there's much you can do about disease though, is there?
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I get a few throughout the year and in season they go in the pot, very tasty and free,
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All then pheasants around here get free corn in the winter. They take a hammering over the guns next door so I like to see my place as a bit of a sanctuary, like Switzerland but with free corn. Got to know a few of them now and they are friendly guys. Can almost hand feed one.
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I couldn't remember why I used to panic when I saw a pheasant in amongst the chickens? So I looked up the illnesses and found Blackhead and Gapeworm, but I'm sure there was something else? Anyway, any pheasants spotted near the chickens were removed for the pot immediately.