Ringneck Sitting on Eggs

[Chukar Breeder]

   So I have a ringneck pheasant hen that has been sitting on about 10 eggs for almost  weeks (I don't know exact date). My question is should I let her hatch them out and raise them herself or should I wait till they start hatching and then take them away from her? It would be cool to let her raise them but I don't know what the other pheasants in the pen would do or if they would find enough to eat in my pen? I think I am just going to wait until they are about to hatch and then put them into the incubator.

Man i haven't been on here for ALONG time hope everyone is doing great!

[Britton Howe]

I've done both. if the hen is by herself then you should be alright. I had couple hens sitting in same pen and they ended up killing each others chicks .

[Chukar Breeder]

   OK went into the pen to day and found that i actually have 2 hens that are sitting on their eggs...so here is what I am going to do and please comment on it. I am going to let them sit on them till they are just about to hatch and than take them away from the 2 hens and put some golden eggs and more ringneck eggs under them. Hopefully I get a better hatching percentage that way. I will keep watching to make sure that they are staying broody.

[Reeves]

I wouldn't put any other species eggs under them. There is a possibility that when they hatch and "speak" a different language the hen will abandon or kill them.
Not to mention it's real hard on a bird to incubate so much. Also, it's likely the hen will give up sitting. They do have an internal clock and know ( it seems) when to quit. So you may end up loosing what ever you set with them.

So, what you have as extra grow out pens (that are empty now) will determine what you do with all the eggs.
You have to ask yourself : What will I do, if I have to winter all/some of them ?

As you well know, if you were raising chickens, there would be no troubles. Just toss em all in a pen and all will be well. Not the case with Pheasants.

[Pheasant Hollow Farm]

I have 10 hens sitting on eggs, some are doubled up. I'll leave them until they hatch and dry, then move them to the brooder. If they aren't isolated from the general population, death will come to the chicks.

Steve
Pheasant Hollow Farm