Pheasant.com Blog

The feed truck pictured here, has been in use for about a year now at MacFarlane Pheasants. In the past we had feed delivered from a third-party vendor. The feed truck purchase has definitely improved our ability to take charge of our feeding schedule and costs. Read More »

We go through about 6000 tons of feed per year to feed our birds. Those tons of feed translate into the 2nd largest constant expense on the farm. The importance of record keeping can’t be overstated. Feed reconciliation is kept on a spreadsheet where every feed delivery is recorded with the invoice price and the date payments are made. The spreadsheet  information allows us to assess the data and find out all the information we need to know about feed in order to make wise decisions about our feed purchases. Read More »

The Chinese Ringneck is our best seller at MacFarlane Pheasants. We expect to sell over 450,000 of these birds in 2016-2017. They are the most popular breed in the United States. Since they were brought here from China in 1881, they have continued to flourish and can be found in over 40 States. Hunters love them for their excellent flying ability and beautiful coloring. Read More »

If you want to find a large variety of cooked and uncooked pheasant, a variety of exotic meats, or just a gift for someone special, you want to shop at MacFarlane’s Pheasant Farm! The store has been part of the farm since 1986 and the products offered have always appealed to folks within driving distance of the farm and area visitors who want to take a unique gift back to their hometown. Read More »

Workrooms are the rooms we enter before the bird rooms. Each crew member has dedicated coveralls and dedicated footwear for each bird room they enter. A water bath outside the room is used to clean mud from shoes and there is a soap mat inside to disinfect footwear before you enter the workroom. A bench is located outside the bird room to separate it from incoming traffic. Read More »

One of the major goals of technology is to make sending and receiving information easy and efficient. We often forget there is someone behind the scenes who makes sure the internet stays running, backs up and reboots the system, keeps everything running smoothly and is the main contact to the IT company we use. Read More »

Communication on the different MacFarlane Pheasant farms is a high priority. Two-way radios are a form of communication we have used for at least 25 years. We added a repeater about 15 years ago. Read More »

Biosecurity-the methods and protocols established to keep animals safe from contagious diseases, parasites, and pests are continuously evaluated. When there was an outbreak of HPAI in the Midwest in the spring of 2015, we increased our biosecurity standards beyond the strict protocols we already had in place. HPAI is Avian Influenza, informally called bird flu. It is a highly contagious disease among birds and if it spreads throughout a farm, it can be quite deadly. So, sure we worry, but mostly we take action, by following our regularly updated biosecurity plans. Read More »