plucking and eating the feathers

[J Thompson]

My R/N Pheasants are plucking feathers from each other and eating them, why are they doing this? The males have peepers on them and females don't. I'm feeding them a 23% breeder pellet mixed with scratch grain and then once a week I add oyster shell for extra calcium and grit. Does anybody have some info for me?         

Jeremy

[jimmurray3]

Jeremy, What size pen do you have them in??

[J Thompson]

jimmy , they are in a 10 X 20 as of now later on it will be 10 X 50 when I,ve got time. Just started a shut down working 6-10's.

Jeremy

[Little Bear Game Farm]

How old are your birds?  I run a 30% starter until 9 weeks when they get their adult feathers and then step them down to a 23% starter over a couple weeks.   If you are mixing the 23% with scratch grain, what is the actaul % protein of the blend?  It could be getting too low which could lead to pecking to get the protein from the feathers.

[CharlieHorse]

How old and how many do you have in that 10x20?

[J Thompson]

First I should tell you that I bought these birds from Jim Murray and they were very healthy birds, some didn't have tail feathers from going through a molt, he had them in a pen that was app. 16 X 25. P.S. Jim has a very nice set up and very healthy birds. These birds are from 09 hatch and are adults, I feed them a 22 % layer pellet with a occasional scratch grain with oyster shell for a variety in there diet. There is about 35 birds in my pen. 23 hens and 12 roosters , the roosters all all have peepers on them.
 
I also have another question, do they need roosting poles in the pen, I've noticed the birds roosting on a 2x4 cross brace in the pen which might accommodate 5 or 6 birds.

[CaliPheasantGuy]

is that pen big enough for thirty five birds? following the 25 sq ft rule?

[Little Bear Game Farm]

I do wish I had Jim's pens and I'm hoping next year to get some chukar pens built based on his design. 

Your pen is half the size of his so that may lead to some overcrowding based on the space they were used to.  Also, putting them in a new environment could lead to some behaviors that were not there previously.

I've been thinking about roosting poles in my pen, also.  Right now I have a bunch of pine trees that I had cut down to 6' height to build the pen.  They sleep there every night but not quite enough space for all of them.

[CharlieHorse]

On the ground?

Although I'm not a pheasant guy, I'd place my bet on overcrowding for sure.   25 BW's will keep a ground pen that size covered with manure and stripped to the bare dirt.


 

[jimmurray3]

Jeremy, Soon as you have time make that pen bigger bet your problems go away.  Jim