Sullivan Pheasant & Game Farm Petersburg, IL Raising Pheasant Chicks
Raising Chicks
Pheasant eggs are gathered three times each day and brought into the processing center. They are then disinfected to remove any surface bacteria and placed in the cooling unit.  
Each week thousands of pheasant eggs are placed in the incubation units where they will remain for the next 21 days. On day 21 the pheasant eggs are removed from the turning flats and transferred to hatching baskets within the hatching units.  
Pheasant eggs are placed in incubators.
The pheasant chicks hatch after about 24-25 days and are removed soon after they have dried off. They are then placed into cardboard shipping boxes, and delivered to the post office for final shipment across the country, or transported to one of our brooding facilities. 
Day old Pheasant Chicks in brooder ring.

Raising Pheasant Chicks

Brooding is the period between leaving the hatcher and their release into a larger flight pen (about 6.5 weeks). A brooder house for pheasants should be clean, dry, resistant to drafts, and free of vermin, such as mice, rats, and lice. It can be a part of a larger barn or a building itself. The number of chicks you plan on brooding will dictate this. Your brooder house should provide at least 0.75 sq. ft. per bird.

Heat lamps are the simplest way keep the chicks warm. We use one 250 watt infrared bulb per 100 chicks. Make sure to use the ones with the red bulb, as it helps prevent cannibalism. Heat lamps should be suspended 18 inches above the floor. A brooder guard is used to protect the chicks from drafts. It is a piece of card board 18 inches tall and circles the heat lamp. A 4 ft. diameter is sufficient for 50 chicks. It can be removed after 5-7 days.

Chopped straw is the best floor covering. You can use wood shavings, but you must cover them for the first week with burlap, because the chicks will eat them.

You should use at least 2 ft. long feeders for every 50 chicks, and one 1-gallon waterer per 75 chicks. It is necessary to put marbles or clean gravel in the water trough to prevent drowning of chicks. They should be fed a 30% turkey or game bird starter for the first 6 weeks, and then you can follow feed manufacturer directions to mix in corn. When the chicks arrive, dip their beaks in the water. Inspect the chicks very regularly for the first few weeks, especially at night. If the chicks seem to be piling under the heat lamp, lower it. You want there to be an even distribution of chicks around the perimeter of the lamp.

After 2-3 weeks, weather permitting, allow the chicks to go out side during the warm sunny days, into a run the same size as the brooder constructed with no bigger than 1 inch mesh. It is necessary to put a top on it to prevent them from flying out. You must run them back into the brooder each evening or if there is rain in the forecast.
After a week rings are removed and the pheasant chicks are allwoed to roam freely in the brooder room.
At 6-7 weeks the pheasant chicks are feathered enough to be moved to the outside runs.
Growing 
After 6-7 weeks your pheasant chicks must be moved to a larger pen that allows at least 15 to 20 sq. ft. per bird and no less. It is recommended that good cover be planted in the pens to provide cover for the birds.  It will take the birds around 16 weeks to reach maturity.  During grow out birds must be kept fed and watered at all times.   
Pheasant eggs just collected
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Document
Guide to Raising Pheasant Chicks
Pheasant Chicks ready to be shipped
Pheasant Chick shipping box
Cannibalism 
The first rule is don't let it get started. Give the chicks plenty of room and pieces of clover, alfalfa or lettuce to keep them from picking each other. Cannibalism is usually caused by stress in the environment, like improper temperature, a wet pen, disease, or poor quality feed. A inti-peck device or de-beaking is often used to curtail the problem. Contact your poultry supply dealer to buy these.