Update on Bloadpheasants and their chicks in Belgium
We are extremely glad to inform you that several more chicks Bloadpheasant have been born after "Mr. Ithaginis cruentis" saw the first light.
All first four chicks are doing well. We expect many more to come, as several more fertile eggs are now under the broody hens and/or incubators.
Several members of Aviornis Youth have witnessed the arrival of our new Bloadpheasant chicks with their own eyes last week-end, and have seen the way how we do it.
It has not so much to do with climate, neither with disease control. We do keep their parents in open air, in aviaries which are only cleaned once each 3 or 4 months. Keeping and breeding Bloadpheasants is a matter of correct nutrition, which means similar food items as are given to grouse, which keeps their metabolism healthy and fit.
The extreme difficulty of maintaining the birds successfully in captivity has been attributed in the past, to their susceptibility to prevalent low altitude bacteria and fungi, such as Aspergillus fumigatus. Current thought, however, tends to regard previous failure as due largely to improper and inadequate dietary substitution. Bloadpheasants are primarily vegetarian, subsisting on a diet of buds, leaves, mosses, seeds and berries. Their favorite are juniper shoots. Insects are also taken in some degree.
Look at the substrate on which we keep and grow the chicks. They are not exactly sitting clean, but on mosses, grass and other similar type of vegetational matter, which is what they love to eat and digest.
Don't hesitate to contact us, if you have any further queries on the subject matter.
