Dr. Wise, WEIGHT, CARCASS COMPOSITION AND REPRODUCTIVE-PERFORMANCE OF PHEASANTS(PHASIANUS-COLCHICUS) FED RESTRICTED OR UNRESTRICTED DIETS, Research in Veterinary Science, 57(1), 1994, pp. 119-124
Artificially reared hen pheasants, released in summer, are reported to
have little reproductive success in the wild the following spring. On
e possible explanation is that such birds are unable to obtain an adeq
uate diet after supplementary feeding ceases in February. When captive
hen pheasants were fed an unrestricted diet they maintained constant
muscle mass and fat reserves throughout the laying period. Hens restri
cted to pre-lay maintenance levels of nutrition after photostimulation
initially laid good quality eggs at the same rate as the fully fed he
ns. However, by the time that they had laid the equivalent of one clut
ch of eggs, their energy reserves were approaching exhaustion, suggest
ing that they would have been incapable of incubating the eggs success
fully. When fully fed hens mere given wheat in place of a breeder diet
, they quickly stopped laying but recovered equally quickly when fed a
balanced ration again.