The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1910-06-28

Is largely in the mountains, as well al
in the valleys Of China and they ar,
accustomed to very severe weather, az
ii inhabits the high attitudes, and ye
adapts itself 10 the lower attitudes. al
low as sea level 1t Is a thoroughbred
bird, and has been imported into Eng
land in considerable numbers to breed
up the English pheasant
Chinese ring-neck pheasants are do
ing we'll liberated in the mountains OF
Colorado. upto 5000 feet altitude.
In the Feathered World, London
Frank Finn says: THE Chinese pleas
ant, like his human fellow countrymen,
is very hardy. and will thrive any
where, bearing the cold OF United
States winter and the heat Of a Bengal
summer quite well. 1t is also a good
breeder and bears confinement WE'LL
The government statistics show that
the damage done to the growing crops
by insect pests, largely owing to the
destruction Of insect-eating birds IS
estimated at something like sSOO,OOOs
600 per annum This amount would
feed and care for many millions Of
pheasants and other insectiyorous
birds.
If every farmer. land owner and
bird lover in the country would secure
setting of pheasant eggs and hatch
them under a common hen and rear
them like young chickens, the problem
Of how to destroy insects would soon
be solved; and ! would recommend
that farmers avail themselves Of this
economic opportunity.
Hatching.
The eggs should be Matched BY a
hen; q bantam hen is preferable. Re-
ports show that incubators cannot be
used successfully. and are generally
entire. failures for Matching pheasant
eggs.
Hens should be used that have prov
en- to be good mothers. as the first few
days of the birds are the most critical
Of their lives. When the chicks are
first hatched they will run from Il e
mother hen, but should not be dis
turbed for "a hours, as they soon learn
the cluck of the hen. For this reason
the nests should be pIac3d close 10 the
ground, and penned SO the young birds
cannot escape At Matching time the
run should be protected from the sur
and rain.
Eggs should be set the day they are
received and ev,ry caution used Is
protect the hen.
Pens.
ANY well drained ground is suitable
for pheasant pens, but gentle slope
of sandy ioam. comparatively cool in
midsummer. furnishes ideal conditions.
Clay is the poorest soil for the pur-
pose, as it is likely to foster diseases.
The pens should be provided with
plenty of both sunshine and shade
They should be constructed of chicken
wire, like ordinary poultry runs. Each
pen should cover at least 100 square
feet. more If possible; contracted quar-
tiers induce disease and afford their
timid occupants too little protection
from alarms The pen should be from
6 to s feet high, and should be inclosed
above with wire. II the pheasants are
likely to be disturbed much, cord net
ting should be stretched G inches or
more below the top wire, to prevent
the birds from injuring themselves by
flying violently against the top as
they are apt to do when frightened.
It is of course feasible to keep pleas
ants in pen covered at the top. Birds
that are TO be liberated should never
be pinioned. as ii makes them useless
for sport and ready prey to natural
enemies. Pheasants are timid and the
less they are disturbed the better, es-
pecially when breeding Another OBJ
lection to open runs is the danger Of
attacks by hawks and owls, particular
" if the run cannot be readily guard
ed. II a small open shed or enclosure
be placed at one end (tAe upper, the
birds will always have dry dusting
place. also a shelter in wet or stormy
The floor OF this shed should
be the natural earth, to furnish dust
baths for the birds, and it should be
.aised slightly above the level Of the
'un to avoid flooding Dust baths are
IS necessary to pheasants as to poul-
.ry. They free them from lice and
Seep the plumage in good condition
iortar, cinders (Which birds seek with
lvidityl. and plenty Of grit should be
sept in the shed. The sides OF the run
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