I took a drive last night, about a 20 mile trip. I saw probably 200 plus pheasants out getting gravel and in winter wheat fields feeding. It was mostly groups of hens alone and groups of roosters alone. I did see 3 different groups of 1 rooster and 3-8 hens. I think some of these guys are starting to put a harem together. It would be pretty wild to start nesting this early but with the weather we have been having who knows? Anyway there are a pile of carry over roosters and plenty of hens to nest in my favorite hunting grounds. It is a long way to go but we are shaping up for an awesome fall.
Nesting?????
- Thread starter Wirehairs
- Start date
UGUIDE
Active member
mnmthunting
Banned
Sure would be nice wouldn't it.
Nope, wont happen, simply not time.
I will explain if you like.:cheers:
Nope, wont happen, simply not time.
I will explain if you like.:cheers:
quail hound
Moderator
It has to do with roosters being into polygamy and being dead beat dads lol.
Michigan Gunner
Member
Wrong Perhaps?
While I'm no expert, the experts may be wrong on this one. Last year, I saw young roosters that were fully colored and real young ones you could just tell were roosters. Perhaps some hens renest after loosing a brood? If they can renest, perhaps they can also have a second.
Lock and Load!
While I'm no expert, the experts may be wrong on this one. Last year, I saw young roosters that were fully colored and real young ones you could just tell were roosters. Perhaps some hens renest after loosing a brood? If they can renest, perhaps they can also have a second.
Lock and Load!
1pheas4
Moderator
While I'm no expert, the experts may be wrong on this one. Last year, I saw young roosters that were fully colored and real young ones you could just tell were roosters. Perhaps some hens renest after loosing a brood? If they can renest, perhaps they can also have a second.
Lock and Load!
If chicks hatch that's it. No more nesting. She's occupied with her chicks.
What you saw could have been a brood who lost their hen to predation or what ever it may have been. They latched/joined the brood of another hen.
Also, with rooster chicks being fully feathered they could have well been on their own at that point. The hen you saw could have been with the younger of the brood and a case of being at the same place at the same time.
Last edited:
Google: Experimental Pheasant Restoration Project.
Click down to page 49 and look under the heading "NESTING". Go down to the fifth paragraph under the nesting section and the writer talks about the Second Hatch. It is called "Double-Brooding"
The second hatch or Double-Brooding is well documented by other states and in many other countries.
This is a perfect year for double-brooding. This (2012) spring is the warmest nation wide since 1976. To find another warm spring before 1976 you would have to go back to 1946.
Click down to page 49 and look under the heading "NESTING". Go down to the fifth paragraph under the nesting section and the writer talks about the Second Hatch. It is called "Double-Brooding"
The second hatch or Double-Brooding is well documented by other states and in many other countries.
This is a perfect year for double-brooding. This (2012) spring is the warmest nation wide since 1976. To find another warm spring before 1976 you would have to go back to 1946.
1pheas4
Moderator
I stand corrected.
Thanks for posting Preston the name of the article. This is the first I've heard of double-brooding in the U.S. It sounds like double-brooding was more common with the Sichuan stock vs. our established wild stock. It's a shame we didn't hang onto their line here in the U.S. What a waste.
mnmthunting
Banned
You can find absolutely anything on google.
This would be so rare it's not worth hoping for.
Lets say a hen is ready to lay her first egg April 1st.
First eggs are laid haphazardly here and there and not daily at this point.
Hormones kick in and she finds a secure place for a nest. [hopefully]
April 10 her first egg is laid in her nest.
She has a full clutch of eggs developing at different stages in her body, she can in no way produce more then 1 shelled egg per day.
So, she does real well producing 12 eggs in a 14 day period.
Hormones are changing again, not overnight but in a couple days.
Incubation begins.
23 days later eggs hatch not at one time, it will be 2 days before clutch of chicks are dry and able to follow the hen.
These chicks will depend on their mother for 7-8 weeks. [min]
For her to abandon the brood it will take another hormone change, to develop eggs another, to mate another, Then it's the 1 egg per day at the most, 23 day gestation.
Impossible for all this to happen? probably not.
But I can tell you it would be so uncommon we need not count on it.:cheers:
But, great thing about pheasants, if during the egg laying or gestation a nest is destroyed she can get back to laying in a couple weeks. If she hatches even 1 chick and it dies she will have a hard time getting back to a egg laying mode.
It is so very common to have roosters with little color and fully colored young of the year anywhere in pheasant county, early in the pheasant seasons. Afraid it's not from double broods.
This would be so rare it's not worth hoping for.
Lets say a hen is ready to lay her first egg April 1st.
First eggs are laid haphazardly here and there and not daily at this point.
Hormones kick in and she finds a secure place for a nest. [hopefully]
April 10 her first egg is laid in her nest.
She has a full clutch of eggs developing at different stages in her body, she can in no way produce more then 1 shelled egg per day.
So, she does real well producing 12 eggs in a 14 day period.
Hormones are changing again, not overnight but in a couple days.
Incubation begins.
23 days later eggs hatch not at one time, it will be 2 days before clutch of chicks are dry and able to follow the hen.
These chicks will depend on their mother for 7-8 weeks. [min]
For her to abandon the brood it will take another hormone change, to develop eggs another, to mate another, Then it's the 1 egg per day at the most, 23 day gestation.
Impossible for all this to happen? probably not.
But I can tell you it would be so uncommon we need not count on it.:cheers:
But, great thing about pheasants, if during the egg laying or gestation a nest is destroyed she can get back to laying in a couple weeks. If she hatches even 1 chick and it dies she will have a hard time getting back to a egg laying mode.
It is so very common to have roosters with little color and fully colored young of the year anywhere in pheasant county, early in the pheasant seasons. Afraid it's not from double broods.
1pheas4
Moderator
But the brood size could increase due to healthier hens from the easy winter and warm spring. Correct?
That's correct. Plus a greater chance of chicks surviving. In many past springs a cold snap, or late snow kills off many chicks.
mnmthunting
Banned
But the brood size could increase due to healthier hens from the easy winter and warm spring. Correct?
Good Spring weather during nesting and brood rearing is BIG! Will likely get bigger and healthier broods. :thumbsup:Cold, wet weather during incubation will often chill at least part of the clutch of eggs. That little hen won't be able generate enough body heat to keep all eggs at 99 degrees. Same with a large brood of chicks, they depend on the hen for warmth until fully feathered.
UGUIDE
Active member
All good stuff here and one other factor I think is considerable and that is:
Sloughs are evaporating as we speak and that is creating more nesting acres. In past 2 years many nesting spots were consumed by high water. Dry beds are good for brooding too as they remain barren and buggy for some time.
The weather patterns this spring is much more encouraging for pheasants than last two years don't you think?
Sloughs are evaporating as we speak and that is creating more nesting acres. In past 2 years many nesting spots were consumed by high water. Dry beds are good for brooding too as they remain barren and buggy for some time.
The weather patterns this spring is much more encouraging for pheasants than last two years don't you think?
1pheas4
Moderator
This has been a big problem for N. IL. Much of our habitat (what's left) is lower lands. With overly wet springs they've been flooding throughout our nesting seasons.
So, yes, if this keeps up it will be good and a gain on nesting cover but as Haymaker stated we don't want it too dry either. At least for my area don't see this happening. We seem to be getting rain every 3-5 days. Nothing too heavy yet.
moellermd
Super Moderator
I am pretty sure the term used to describe the occurrence of "second Hatch" would be statistically insignificant. The fact that this is an anomaly is well researched. The chance of a second hatch is about the same as oldandnew finally seeing the light and agreeing with we on issues of modern agricultural practices.
Michigan Gunner
Member
Update
For what its worth, the roosters weren't in the same area. They were several miles away. This was in the second week of the season. I saw and shot both fully colored young roosters and a couple that you could just tell were roosters.
Lock and Load!
If chicks hatch that's it. No more nesting. She's occupied with her chicks.
What you saw could have been a brood who lost their hen to predation or what ever it may have been. They latched/joined the brood of another hen.
Also, with rooster chicks being fully feathered they could have well been on their own at that point. The hen you saw could have been with the younger of the brood and a case of being at the same place at the same time.
For what its worth, the roosters weren't in the same area. They were several miles away. This was in the second week of the season. I saw and shot both fully colored young roosters and a couple that you could just tell were roosters.
Lock and Load!