Re: Sickly Pheasant

Hi there - quick update on this. The pheasant is still going and is increasingly tame and tolerant of me. Having got a lot closer now (he will eat seeds out of my hand) I think his feathers have actually been brutally pecked out of his skin by another pheasant - and I think I've even seen him doing it! There are clumps of feathers all over the garden and the poor chap has been subjected to more than one attack as he is getting more bald on the back of his head, neck and back as the days go on.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can help him? Also wondered if these feathers will grow back and if they will, how long it might take.

He still seems otherwise healthy and is bright eyed, grooming his remaining feathers and, other than his strange tolerance of me, is busy eating heartily and trotting around the place in usual pheasant fashion. He is getting cold though and I've noticed that he does retreat to patches of the garden where he sits with his remaining feathers all fluffed up.

I've heard of some blue liquid that can be put on to deter attacking birds who do this horrid feather pulling thing. Does it work on pheasants and if it does, will it affect him and his life in the wild? He does have lady pheasants (well, at least one) and I don't want him to be ostracised because he smells funny and is bright blue!

Any advice would be welcomed.

Thanks.