Thread: Pheasant chicks/ young birds

Hey all
I work on a property in north Canterbury we have a resident rooster but the owners would like to see a mate and a few other birds knocking about there not bird hunters but like the idea of a couple of roast pheasant a year so ideally want to create a breeding population eventually I see this as a plus for the surrounding areas and river beds and us lot.

I already look after predator and pest control 😀

Looking for a dozen birds to start to see how they go who is best to contact and what are they worth usually I know Google is your friend thought I might see if any one is in the know.

Cheers for any help

Woodfield gamebirds sell/ use to sell pheasants they are in Nth Canty somewhere

You will also need to explain to them the benefits of harvesting the resident rooster.

Pm incoming, know someone who used to raise them

What's the habitat like?
You need a bit of cover. I made up a few corrugated iron shelters. About knee high couple lumps of wood on top to stop em flying away.
Then chuck your fire ash under them so they can have a good old dust bath.
Put your feeders next to these along with any traps for vermin. Oh and water clean. The cover shelters help with shade, rain and attack from the air. The feeders best made from a twenty liter drum like this I give mine a coat of grey undercoat
you can fix them to a post if you want and scrip the three legs.

Thanks all

Cheers Stug Looks like woodfield's website is still up and running so will try them tomorrow and follow up the other lead also, I like the look of the feeder sideshow as you can imagine the rooster hangs around the chook food which is on the edge of a redundant truffle block hazel and oak will put the eventual feeder in the middle of it should be perfect.

Saw a hen bird close to home tonight good to see.

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Thanks all

Cheers Stug Looks like woodfield's website is still up and running so will try them tomorrow and follow up the other lead also, I like the look of the feeder sideshow as you can imagine the rooster hangs around the chook food which is on the edge of a redundant truffle block hazel and oak will put the eventual feeder in the middle of it should be perfect.

Saw a hen bird close to home tonight good to see.

You can try them but when I enquired a few months ago they had nothing going.

I can't remember why not. Fella was good to chat to and suggested a few other places but I had no luck.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

These guys might be worth a try if not to far away for you.
Had a mate get sum from then a couple of years ago, they worked out well for him.
Brightwater Gamebirds

Thanks KuKuwai, sounds promising missed them tonight will try tomorrow

Originally Posted by berg243

what are the rules around releasing and breeding pheasants and quail . do they come under the gamebird license or are they treated as free range stock allowing hunting anytime?

Under gamebird rules.

And you need a permit from doc for the release

Under 400 birds a year and your good. Build a big release pen to start with, have your feeder in that. The it's a matter of leaving the door open when they are flying well. They can still come back to the feeder as needed

i think u need a permit no matter how many birds u have, i did when i reared them

Yes but above 400 you become a game preserve. Which is ironic as you need about that much to make it viable. Unless you are just putting them out before to the season to shoot them, you need to start big for a viable population to establish

Cheers guys I have secured the birds through KuKuwai's brightwater game bird just need to sort logistics should be able to make it work. I know I need a permit from f&g will check DOC also cheers for all the input 👍🏻