I need another project about as much as I need another hole in my head. With that said my wife and I have decided that we want to raise some pheasants. My dad used to raise a few back in the early 90's and released them every year. I used to love messing with them when I would visit over the summer.
I will be releasing most everything I raise. I will keep a few to let some of the youth get to kick them up. I know that most will not make it through the hunting season and the predators will take their share. I am hoping a few will survive and stick around pretty close. That is not my main reason though for raising them. I will enjoy raising them and hopefully some of the close neighbors may get to run their dogs and enjoy some time in the field.
My plan as it is now is to raise approximately 100 at a time. I will keep them for about 11 months before releasing them. Releasing them in the spring will hopefully give them sometime to adjust with plenty of food available. Plan is to build a 20' by 40' flight pen with a 10' by 10' brooding house attached to it. I am going to plant the flight pen with some corn, sorghum, millet, and clover to give the birds cover and food sources. I will cover a section of the pen to give the birds some shelter from inclement weather and will plant a few bushes and pines to help with cover as well.
I am still in the planning stages now but look forward to seeing how it goes.
I hopefully will be heading up to Tiro, OH in mid April to pick up day old chicks.
Figured this would be a good place to document the project.
If any of you guys have ever raised any I look forward to hearing about it.
I will be releasing most everything I raise. I will keep a few to let some of the youth get to kick them up. I know that most will not make it through the hunting season and the predators will take their share. I am hoping a few will survive and stick around pretty close. That is not my main reason though for raising them. I will enjoy raising them and hopefully some of the close neighbors may get to run their dogs and enjoy some time in the field.
My plan as it is now is to raise approximately 100 at a time. I will keep them for about 11 months before releasing them. Releasing them in the spring will hopefully give them sometime to adjust with plenty of food available. Plan is to build a 20' by 40' flight pen with a 10' by 10' brooding house attached to it. I am going to plant the flight pen with some corn, sorghum, millet, and clover to give the birds cover and food sources. I will cover a section of the pen to give the birds some shelter from inclement weather and will plant a few bushes and pines to help with cover as well.
I am still in the planning stages now but look forward to seeing how it goes.
I hopefully will be heading up to Tiro, OH in mid April to pick up day old chicks.
Figured this would be a good place to document the project.
If any of you guys have ever raised any I look forward to hearing about it.