Pheasant nests

[BleuBijou]

My friend in Lane county planted some sorghum last year in a small area behind the shop. It came in patchy at best due to lack of moisture and he was even watering it when he could. This year he just seeded over it with millet. He went to check on it to see how it was faring and found 2 nests with 4 eggs . He has kept an eye on them and has seen no new eggs. It has been 2 weeks now. My guess is the weather they had froze those eggs and the hens are renesting elsewhere. His millet was doing great after a 1.30" rainfall last week. Now all the pheasants have found the sprouts and decimated it. He has seen 8-10 Roosters and 20-30 hens in there at one time. It is a testament to how bad the food source has been and also when a food source becomes available how quickly they are on it. Keep praying for moisture and a good crop of young pheasants and good crop for the farmers and the in a couple years the birds should be plenty once again.:cheers:

 

[oldandnew]

Those are "dropper" nests. Hen will sometimes become egg layers before the eggs are fertile. they will make nests and drop a few eggs indscriminately abandon them, only to make an attempt at a successful nest later. It's a common event among pheasants.

 

[BleuBijou]

I would expect it from young hens. Roosters seem to mount hens in the middle of March , you would think they would be fertilized. I know inexperienced young hen Wood Ducks will dump nest , until they secure their own nest site. But that is 1-3 hens dumping their eggs into a single nest. Well either way they should be sitting on some by now. Hatch right when it is 110 degrees most likely!!! Maybe some are only 2 weeks out. If you see some little ones let us know!!:cheers: