A Detailed Explanation of the Domestication Methods and Key Technical Points for Golden Pheasants
Domestication Methods for Golden Pheasants
The Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) belongs to the class Aves and the family Phasianidae, and in the wild it lives in concealed woods, thickets and grassy areas. In recent years, as its habitat has been destroyed and due to excessive human hunting, the number of wild Golden Pheasants has dropped sharply; artificial breeding is still in its infancy, and the number of birds raised is limited. On the contrary, market demand for Golden Pheasants and their ecological specimens is relatively large, so breeding Golden Pheasants has a considerable market, which has already attracted great attention and concern from experts in specialty animal breeding. The domestication of the Golden Pheasant has thus become the key issue in artificial breeding.
Domestication of Adult Golden Pheasants
The rearing and taming of Golden Pheasants generally means directly taming adult pheasants caught from the wild. Because Golden Pheasants have long lived in relatively concealed and quiet natural environments, they are alert by nature and easily startled. Once confined, they hurl themselves against the cage netting and become highly nervous, which easily leads to disorders of the endocrine system and prevents normal feeding and reproduction. Therefore, domesticating Golden Pheasants must be carried out purposefully, systematically and step by step according to their living habits, in order to achieve satisfactory results.
(1) First place the Golden Pheasants caught from the wild in a quiet, spacious cage house. Although the inner room should be dim, some obstacles may be set up in the outdoor activity area, and where conditions permit, their wild environment can be simulated by planting some low-growing plants.
(2) The keepers and the color of their clothing must be kept constant. Every day, through activities such as putting out food, supplying water and cleaning, the keepers gradually approach the Golden Pheasants until the pheasants no longer flee in fright when they see the keeper, and then the indoor lighting is gradually increased so that they gradually become accustomed to the artificial environment.
(3) Ensure the food is fresh and palatable, and the drinking water is adequate and hygienic. At the beginning, it is best to feed crop seeds directly, then gradually transition to compound pellets. Golden Pheasants also prey on some small insects in the wild, so at the start of domestication it is best to feed a small number of small insects every day, such as yellow mealworms.
Domestication of Young Birds
Using Golden Pheasant eggs collected from the wild or from breeding facilities, the chicks produced by artificial incubation are domesticated from the moment they hatch.
(1) Mix in a small number of domestic chickens from the same batch. On the one hand this helps eliminate fright, and on the other hand it makes use of the chick pheasants' imitative and following nature, causing them to follow the domestic chickens in pecking food and drinking water, which helps raise their degree of domestication.
(2) Before feeding and watering, signals such as lights and sounds should be given so that they gradually form conditioned reflexes, thereby strengthening their habit of flocking activity, so that from the moment they hatch they become accustomed to the artificial environment and establish a certain dependent relationship with the keeper.
(3) Minimize catching. The keepers and the color of their clothing must be kept constant.
Judging from the domestication of adult Golden Pheasants and young chicks, chicks accept artificial domestication more easily than adult pheasants, and their degree of domestication is higher. However, after a certain period of domestication, adult pheasants can provide a certain number of breeding eggs. Therefore, the domestication of adult pheasants is the foundation of pheasant breeding, and Golden Pheasant breeding must do this stage of work well.
Domestication of Adult Golden Pheasants
The rearing and taming of Golden Pheasants generally means directly taming adult pheasants caught from the wild. Because Golden Pheasants have long lived in relatively concealed and quiet natural environments, they are alert by nature and easily startled. Once confined, they hurl themselves against the cage netting and become highly nervous, which easily leads to disorders of the endocrine system and prevents normal feeding and reproduction. Therefore, domesticating Golden Pheasants must be carried out purposefully, systematically and step by step according to their living habits, in order to achieve satisfactory results.
(1) First place the Golden Pheasants caught from the wild in a quiet, spacious cage house. Although the inner room should be dim, some obstacles may be set up in the outdoor activity area, and where conditions permit, their wild environment can be simulated by planting some low-growing plants.
(2) The keepers and the color of their clothing must be kept constant. Every day, through activities such as putting out food, supplying water and cleaning, the keepers gradually approach the Golden Pheasants until the pheasants no longer flee in fright when they see the keeper, and then the indoor lighting is gradually increased so that they gradually become accustomed to the artificial environment.
(3) Ensure the food is fresh and palatable, and the drinking water is adequate and hygienic. At the beginning, it is best to feed crop seeds directly, then gradually transition to compound pellets. Golden Pheasants also prey on some small insects in the wild, so at the start of domestication it is best to feed a small number of small insects every day, such as yellow mealworms.
Domestication of Young Birds
Using Golden Pheasant eggs collected from the wild or from breeding facilities, the chicks produced by artificial incubation are domesticated from the moment they hatch.
(1) Mix in a small number of domestic chickens from the same batch. On the one hand this helps eliminate fright, and on the other hand it makes use of the chick pheasants' imitative and following nature, causing them to follow the domestic chickens in pecking food and drinking water, which helps raise their degree of domestication.
(2) Before feeding and watering, signals such as lights and sounds should be given so that they gradually form conditioned reflexes, thereby strengthening their habit of flocking activity, so that from the moment they hatch they become accustomed to the artificial environment and establish a certain dependent relationship with the keeper.
(3) Minimize catching. The keepers and the color of their clothing must be kept constant.
Judging from the domestication of adult Golden Pheasants and young chicks, chicks accept artificial domestication more easily than adult pheasants, and their degree of domestication is higher. However, after a certain period of domestication, adult pheasants can provide a certain number of breeding eggs. Therefore, the domestication of adult pheasants is the foundation of pheasant breeding, and Golden Pheasant breeding must do this stage of work well.