I mentioned in a previous post having raised some ringneck pheasants...absolutely gorgeous birds! If you ever get the chance to raise some...


pass it up!!! They're batsh!t crazy from the day they hatch until the day they die! They don't calm down and they don't get "used" to you being around. After over a year, they never did figure out that the raptor netting over the run not only kept raptors out, but kept them in. In smaller cages, they would fly up into the wire, repeatedly, until they were addled and bleeding...and once they're bleeding, the other pheasants with them will literally pick them apart.

Probably the calmest bird I've raised was the Royal Palm turkeys...the tom I had wanted to be a heel dog so bad he couldn't stand it!...very friendly bird. The hen was a little more standoffish, but not much, especially if she thought you had food.

The Muscovys are now permanently turned out in my Dad's pond, have been for a couple years, but will still readily approach to be fed and/or petted. They're a very social bird, and don't mind having multiple drakes around...huge bodied, too. I don't know what they'd dress at, but they're bigger/heavier than Pekins.