What are the key points to note when raising pheasants during the laying period?

Protective measures during the laying period of pheasants directly affect the number and quality of eggs laid. So what protective measures need to be done well during the laying period of pheasants? Below is the experience summarized by the technical staff of Zhaobao Ecological Farm:

1. Increase lighting. According to the farm's experience, during the laying period the lighting time for pheasants should reach 16~18 hours, preferably at fixed times and fixed points, and a gradually brightening and gradually dimming switch controller should be used to avoid startling the pheasants and causing stress. The height of the lamps should preferably be about 2 m above the ground, and the light distribution should be even. Light intensity should be controlled at 2~3.5 watts/sq m according to the different seasons. 2. Maintain suitable temperature. The optimum temperature during the laying period of pheasants is 18~26°C, and large temperature fluctuations should be avoided as much as possible. In summer, attention should be paid to cooling; for indoor breeding, good ventilation in the house should be maintained, and exhaust fans can be installed if conditions permit; for outdoor breeding, cooling methods such as shading and sprinkling water should be used. In winter, attention should be paid to keeping warm and keeping the temperature in the house stable. 3. Prevent flock panic. During the laying period, pheasants are relatively sensitive to sound and are easily startled, which affects egg production. During the laying period, the surrounding environment of the chicken house should be kept as quiet as possible, noise should be reduced, moving and regrouping should be minimized, and even the breeding personnel and their clothing should be relatively fixed. 4. Provide an excellent environment. The chicken house should be cleaned at fixed times and fixed points, and kept clean, dry and free of odor. Ventilate frequently, reduce stocking density, avoid overcrowding, provide a good environment for the growth and reproduction of pheasants, and minimize or eliminate the harm of various pathogenic bacteria to pheasants during the laying period to the greatest extent. 5. Imitation ecological decoration. Some branches can be cut, preferably pine and cypress branches, and hung in the chicken house. This not only beautifies the environment and provides a place for pheasants to perch, but also allows pheasants to quickly adapt to life in the chicken house, and can also let them eat pine needles, increasing their intake of crude fiber and vitamin A. 6. Strengthen epidemic prevention. Regular vaccine injections can effectively prevent the occurrence of diseases. During injection, pay attention to checking for omissions and filling gaps. Use Baidusha or Miejunling spray disinfection once a week, and scrub the feed troughs and water troughs daily with 0.1% potassium permanganate solution. During the laying period, penicillin can be added to drinking water, which can both prevent and treat diseases such as colibacillosis and prevent colds. Do a good job in mosquito and fly control; diseased chickens must all be moved to another house and isolated; dead chickens should be deeply buried in a centralized manner; other breeding pheasants should be moved to a different site. Keeping pheasants healthy is one of the important measures to extend the peak laying period and increase the fertilization rate of breeding eggs. 7. Add Chinese herbal medicine. Adding various Chinese herbal medicines such as Atractylodes lancea, mugwort leaf, dandelion, and licorice to the feed can not only enhance the immunity of pheasants and prevent many diseases, but also increase the laying rate and egg quality. Some Chinese herbal additives can also increase the growth rate of pheasants, reduce feeding costs, and increase economic benefits. 8. Provide sufficient nutrition, drinking water, and laying boxes. During the laying period, pheasants have higher demands for nutrition and water than usual. The protein content of the feed directly affects egg production and the duration of laying. In addition, sufficient green feed should be prepared to meet the pheasants' needs for vitamins and trace elements. During the laying period, the water intake of pheasants increases, especially in summer when water must not be cut off. The laying boxes in the chicken house should be arranged reasonably, with 1 laying box for every 3~4 pheasants, to ensure that pheasants can find a place to lay eggs when they are ready to lay.