Impeyan Pheasants?

[cherndon712]

I would love to buy hatching eggs this spring. Haven't had any luck yet! 

[Reeves]

Not many people will part with eggs.
PM me (if you do not want to post it) where/what State are you in. I may be able to put you in touch with some people for birds.

Keep in mind they have taken a huge hit with west nile in the States, and some of Canada. Populations are not what they once were.

OK, went for a look see. You are Crystal, from WY.

Can you tell me what your pen looks like, pictures would be good as well. They have special needs...

[cherndon712]

I don't have a camera! My kids dropped it. My pens are built off a heated barn. I plan on only having a pair. They have 10 sq feet in the barn, and their run outside the barn is 20x20. I do plan on adding to their run in the spring. It is covered with flight net (?) and a wire floor, which is buried under at least a foot of dirt, to prevent predators (we don't have much here, but just in case :) )  I have planted grass in their pen, and have several bushes in there as well. The pen is adjacent to chicken pens on either side, which will be full of layers.
Does that work for a pair of Impeyans? I had it set up for silvers last year, and never got that far!

[Reeves]

Pen sounds good at 400 sq. ft. Bigger is always better though.

One huge problem though, is the chickens. Pheasants should never be near them. Chickens can (and often do) carry disease(s) that do no harm to them, but will kill a Pheasant.

Monals are a high altitude bird. Col isn't a problem for them. However, heat can cause problems. (I have no idea what your weather is like)

Another thing about them. They are diggers. Big time !
Having underground wire is a good idea.

[cherndon712]

I wasn't aware. I was told pheasants can be kept in the same pen as chickens. It would be easy for me to put something else in the adjacent pens. I plan on having guineas, and quail.
The weather here in WY is cooler than CO, higher altitude. I live at the base of the mountains, so that helps. I can cool the barn in the summer, but not the outside!

[Reeves]

Pheasants shouldn't go in pens where chickens were before.

Who ever told you you can put them in the same pens , obviously didn't know what they were talking about.

The bushes you planted in there, are they well established ? How tall ? Do you think they are high enough and thick enough to provide good shade all day ?

You may also want to put rocks etc around anything you plant in there, to protect the root system. They'll dig them up if you do not.

Have you set up an area for sand bath ?
An area for grit ?

Some ideas on pens : http://www.thatquailplace.com/smf/index.php?topic=4167.0

It is always best to plan on what species you want, then build a pen for them. Get the land scaping done etc well in advance of the birds.
I have done this , sometimes years in advance.

[cherndon712]

Never had chickens in there. These are new pens built this last fall. So far I've planted Farrow and Dwarf Blue Leaf Arctic Willow in the pens, done last spring. I have rocks around bases, just lava rock, will that work? My soil is mostly sandy in that area, and I have hoppers for grit, oyster shells, and feed.

[Reeves]

I don't have a camera! My kids dropped it. My pens are built off a heated barn. I plan on only having a pair. They have 10 sq feet in the barn, and their run outside the barn is 20x20. I do plan on adding to their run in the spring. It is covered with flight net (?) and a wire floor, which is buried under at least a foot of dirt, to prevent predators (we don't have much here, but just in case :) )  I have planted grass in their pen, and have several bushes in there as well. The pen is adjacent to chicken pens on either side, which will be full of layers.
Does that work for a pair of Impeyans? I had it set up for silvers last year, and never got that far!

That is why I said what I did about chickens (bolding mine).
Pictures would help, but yours is broken. I'll have to look up the plants/bushes you mention...

[Reeves]

Is this the Farrow you have ?
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=C588

Not much cover with it.

The Dwarf Blue Leaf Arctic Willow  looks good for shade.
Have you given some thought to planting Cedars, Mugo Pine etc ?

I found most Pheasants like lots of cover. That is why I plant the Cedars like I did, in my pen pictures.
Due to where I live, I'm limited to what I can grow. I'm on the north edge of zone 2b.

Another good one for cover are hops. You plant them on the outside of the pen , about 1.5 -2' from the edge of the pen. Keep them from attaching to the wire till 3.5-4' up, then let them go. If you let them attach before that hight, the birds will just eat what ever they can reach. Plant them every 3-4' around the sunny side of the pen. This will provide shade and cover. You will have more comfortable birds with this roof cover.
Then each fall remove all , right to the ground.

[cherndon712]

Okay, I have more homework to do! That is the Farrow I got, more for them to hide from me in than shade itself. Any suggestions besides hops? These are some others that I liked.
Burning Bush - Compacta 
Japanese Honeysuckle - Halliana
I've seen a lot of vines, like the Halliana. My question with these is that a lot of them flower. Is that ok?