Late Season Movement of Pheasants from Barns to Flight Pens and Before You Know It, It’s Spring!

MacFarlane Pheasants’ employees have a goal to have all your pheasants moved to flight pens by October 31 of each year. The importance of this goal is that the longer birds stay in the barns the greater the risk of picking and tail damage. Buyers want beautiful birds and pheasants flourish in the outdoor flight pens.

October and November can be extremely wet and cold months in Wisconsin so “moving day” involves some planning:

•   Wait for a forecast of “no rain in the forecast” for preferably 3 days.

•   Make sure the lows are above freezing.

•   Birds need to be placed in pens by 10:00 A.M. to give them time to acclimate to pens. Longer days of light are beneficial to their adjustment.

•   Minimum space of 35 square feet is required for late-season moves.

•   Put birds in pens with good cover and away from end pens that might get hit with wind.

•   One hut per 75 birds is placed in pens (1 hut per 125 birds works in warmer weather) to provide shelter from the environment.

•   Feed pans are placed under huts and water pans are easily accessible in the front and back of pens.

•   Daily checks and weather-related repairs are done once the moves are made.

Fall and Spring on the Farm

•   Prepare for egg season (both Wisconsin and Missouri farms).

•   Rodent control is a must.

•   Move feed from empty pens and redistribute.

•   Pull equipment out of pens to clean and repair them.

•   Pen repair (posts and nets) is on-going.

•   Mow cover to prepare for tilling of flight pens for the new season.