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Janet · 15-01-2012, 05:49 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

In article ,
says...

They are bred about ten miles from here (Skibo Castle) for rich Americans to
shoot (when they're not shooting each other!). The brighter ones rapidly
migrate here (where there is no shooting) and soon become tamer. About ten
in the garden this morning to be fed, the usual two cocks and eight hens.
The two cocks are more timid but do not fight and feed together. The hens
are very tame and would come into the house if I were to let them.

Phil
Northern Highlands of Scotland, 40 miles north of Inverness

They are reared here for shoots but the whole island is crawling with
pheasants. We feed them in the garden and they get tame enough to come
when called and feed at my feet though they won't take it from my hand.
Usually there are two cocks and their harems. I've never seen the cocks
fight, though they do a lot of competitive strutting and showing off
wings and tails. I have seen a hen kill every chick belonging to another
:-(. Cocks are good fathers and will spend hours scratching up titbits and
calling the chicks to eat it.
Years ago we hatched a clutch of pheasant eggs under a bantam who raised
a dozen chicks, and those pheasants although they lived wild would
fly and run in when called and feed from our hands.

Janet (Arran)