4-H Pheasant Rearing Project

Day-Old Pheasant Chick Project through the NYSDEC

Are you looking for a unique animal project? How about raising day old pheasant chicks!? This is an awesome learning opportunity for youth. Youth that raise the chicks, learn about their life cycle & needs, gain responsibility & discipline and so much more.

If you are interested, we recommend that you watch the video shared below. Even if you have raised pheasants, this video is a great refresher and has bonus tips and tricks to raise healthy birds. Evan Wills, NYS DEC Game Farm Manager, covers everything on how to raise the birds, from chicks to adults, and how to apply for the birds online.

Video Details: Learn about the day-old pheasant chick program, with Evan Wills, NYSDEC Game Farm manager. He will cover brooder basics, flight pens, feed, predators, disease and more, in this presentation. You will also see how to complete the application for pheasant chicks, on the DEC website.

Video: Raising pheasants from chicks to adults:https://youtu.be/6vjUrnJW3xc

Application information: Pheasants cannot be released until they are at least 8 weeks old. The need to be released on land that the public can hunt or ask permission to hunt. On the application you will enter your info, # chicks you'd like to raise, the size of your brooder, flight pen size, and the area you would like to release the birds at.

Pheasant Chick Guide: https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/dayoldchicks.pdf

The DEADLINE TO ORDER pheasant chicks through the NYSDEC program is APRIL 1, 2024. The application process has changed and this year the public and 4-H'ers will apply individually, through the NYS DEC Website:https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/cd96c1bc1e1f40ec9dc61015daec1448

For general pheasant project questions, ask Erica at elc97@cornell.edu. If you need help with the application, you should contact your NYSDEC regional office or the Game Farm at (607) 273-2768