Pheasant.com Blog

Afghans are raised on our farm in the same manner as Ringneck Pheasants. They require a perfectly washed and sanitized barn after hatching. They stay in Room A with feed and nipple waterers until 3 weeks and are then moved to Room B with feed troughs and Plasson Bell Waterers until they are 7 weeks old. At that time they are moved outside to covered pens. All of our pheasants are checked three times a day during the early stages to make sure they are healthy and that all equipment is working correctly. Read More »

We have been raising French Partridges, also known as Red-legged Partridges, for several years now. We import the eggs directly from L’envol de Retz in France and we are the only commercial producer in the United States. These beautiful birds weigh between 19 and 25 ounces and are 13-15 inches in length. They have light brown backs, buff bellies and red legs.  They are also one of the most exciting birds to hunt because of their speed and wildness. Hunt clubs love these birds for their hardy nature and ability to withstand extreme climates. Read More »

James Clark spoke to me about his work for MacFarlane Pheasants while traveling from his home in Las Vegas to Alberta, Canada. He was making this 19-hour road trip to begin a three month assignment setting up and overseeing the provincial distribution of pheasants. Jim Clark is living proof of our dedication to putting our customers’ needs at the forefront of our business! Read More »

Last year was a great year for chick sales, we sold 1.3 million chicks. This year was even better. We had excellent hatching rates and were able to hatch into mid-August! That led to a whopping 1.5 million chicks we were able to provide to chick customers! Read More »

Brian Klein oversees the Milton Farm for MacFarlane Pheasants, Inc. I recently asked him how ground cover did this year. He gave me some detailed information about how he plans ground cover to best benefit the pheasants kept in Milton. The crew decides which of the 6 covered pens on the Milton farm get planted and which ones grow naturally, each year. The decisions are based on when birds will go into the pens. Pens that receive birds before June 1st almost always go into pens that grow naturally. We would have to plant by April 15th to have a pen ready by June 1st. That is impossible in Wisconsin because it is just too cold at that time of year. Yet weeds like lamb’s quarter or ragweed germinate at the time and provide great early season cover. Read More »

The brooder crew in August have only a distant memory of grasses, trees, and shrubs turning green with the longer days and feeling the excitement of the first hatches. The final Ringneck hatches occur the week of August 15th. It is still hot and humid in August but we realize that it is time to shift gears and think about preparations for fall and winter. Read More »

Kaicie Chasteen is completing a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science with an emphasis on beef cattle, a focus on poultry and a minor in fisheries and aquatic sciences. This impressive program demonstrates her focus and determination. She is a proud senior at the University of Florida, which by the way, is Florida’s land-grant university, established by the Morrill Act signed into law by Abraham Lincoln in 1862. Kaicie provided us with that bit of history and it was interesting to follow up on the Morrill Act. Read More »

Yep, you heard it right! We have 21 brooder rooms in our Brooder Department. We spend quite a bit of time keeping our rooms in perfect condition. The cleaning and sanitizing process takes place 3, 4, or even 5 days a week and each area can take several hours to clean, sanitize, and dry out. Depending on the size of the room, the drying process can be anywhere from 4-8 hours. Luckily, the brooder crew has a 2nd shift so we can be washing in both the day and evening hours. Let me detail the process for you: Read More »