free range

[fishinguy165]

We live in a rural area and have a small flock of free range chickens, i was wondering if pheasants and quail can be raised free range. I have heard that pheasants don't have the same roosting instinct as chickens and can be prone to wandering off.

[jk]

To say it is the simplest way... no. lol. 

[Pheasant Hollow Farm]

We live in a rural area and have a small flock of free range chickens, i was wondering if pheasants and quail can be raised free range. I have heard that pheasants don't have the same roosting instinct as chickens and can be prone to wandering off.

Well, I have to disagree with jk

To say it is the simplest way... no. lol.   

I have Manchurian Ring-neckeds and Melanistic Mutant Pheasants that either escape or what I had release that have been hanging around for more then a year. If there is food and cover they will stay around. It also depends on the predator factor also.

Steve
Pheasant Hollow Farm

I don't raise quail, so I can't comment on that.

[CharlieHorse]

   I know that Bobwhite Quail will hang around for quite a while during warm weather, only if you have some caged birds. They will call "talk" to each other alot, although that only draws attention to themselves! :(  I had all of my birds (I don't remember how many...25-50?), except one male, get loose last summer and they stayed close by the house as the caged male got horse from calling so much, never seen them, but could always hear them all day long for a month or two....... then silence from the "wild birds"!   If you don't have caged birds to keep them "called in", they will split the scene within a day or two, or just simply get killed by another animal.

  No caged birds=  No "temporary free range" birds (Bobs anyway).

No comment on the pheasants.

[jk]

Well, they will hang around if the habitat is suitable.. but don't expect to see them too often or anything. What I mean is that they won't be able to be free ranged like a chicken, for example. Before you ever release anything, check your local laws regarding the issue, whether or not you need permit/s, etc.

[Reeves]

Before you ever release anything, check your local laws regarding the issue, whether or not you need permit/s

I concur

[CharlieHorse]

I personally wouldn't intentionally release any quail or pheasants for the purpose of expecting any of them to hang around the place, "free ranging". 

[fishinguy165]

Thanks for the heads up, I will probobly hold off raising game birds for now, and just stick to hunting them.

[333_okh]

The USDA has a definition of free range and it actually includes cages.

[finnegan]

Hi the best way would be to have a pen and keep the females inside let the cock birds free range they normally stay close to the hens but you will bneed cover for them to avoid preditors jim

[333_okh]

I cannot find the USDA definition of 'free range' anymore.  Can someone help find it as it refers to poultry?

[birddog]

I had a few ringnecks get loose 2 roosters and 3 hens. neighbors kids opened the door to the pen. lucky I didn't loose them all. padlocks on the pen doors now. they hung around for a few days. I tried to lure them back into the pen with food. no luck.they dissapeared. guy from down the road stopped by about a week later and said he saw a pheasant walking beside the road near his house. he then offered me a ride to the spot if I wanted to catch the bird.
I thought to myself sure let me get my 20ga net.