I agree with what Topgun told you regarding burying the wire. The following is what the PGC requires for people who participate in their day old chick program so far as the sq feet of space required for the covered pens and brooder house for bird health and to reduce cannibalism. I recommend you do not go less than what is specified below. You would need at least twice the sq footage than you plan for 30 birds. Additionally, the Game Commission requires that the birds be released at 12 weeks of age, 8 weeks is a little young. I also recommend you contact a pheasant breeder or the wildlife management unit of the PGC in HBG and ask what they feed the birds. When I was still dealing with delievering pheasant crumbles to cooperating sportsman's clubs they fed a medicated food for a while because disease can spread very quickly through birds crowded in an enclosure. After the chicks are off mash and on larger food, feeding food specifically made for growing pheasants will provide a lot more of the nutrients that the growing birds will need to grow well and to feather up nice. Cracked corn will not provide enough nutrients for growing birds. I am glad your quail project worked out and wish you luck in your pheasant endeavor and if you want a name and phone number of someone involved in raising pheasants on the PGC game farms contact me and I will get you a contact person and phone number. Something else you should give serious consideration is to plant a tall grass that is at least a foot high before you put the birds in the flight pen and keep all human contact to a minimum, rig your water troughs or pans with a hose so you don't have to go in the pen every day to fill it. the less human contact, the wilder the birds.



To be eligible to receive pheasant chicks, all applicants are required to have a minimum of 25 square feet of covered pen space available per chick.

In addition, 1/2 square foot (72 sq. inches) of floor space is recommended in the brooder building per chick. This promotes a healthy environment and reduces cannibalism.


Organizations should not release pheasants until the birds are 12 weeks of age or more.

Pheasant chicks can be raised at the cooperators facility or by a designated caretaker with the proper facilities.

Maximum returns will result by releasing pheasants as close to the opening of small game season as possible and no later than the end of the second week of the season.