Pheasant problem!!!

[HotPepperQueen]

I have a few brave pheasants that seem to think that my ripe tomatoes are their daily meal. They go out there about 4:30 every morning and then bail around 7:00am when my hens start getting restless and want out. I never had this problem when my Cuckoo Maran rooster, Cogburn, was around. I've tried blood meal and leaving my dog out but she can't see the difference between chicken tv and pheasant tv. What are my other options? Besides spending hundreds of dollars on covering my garden with netting (my square footage is a little too big for that).

 

[lesa]

Do you think they would be scared off by moving things- like cd's blowing in the wind, chimes, etc? I think I would at least invest in a few pieces of netting to put over the tomatoes ... you don't want them enjoying your entire harvest!

 

[HotPepperQueen]

I'll give the CDs a try! I have a feeling that would work. I have 58 tomato plants so netting all of those would be REALLY expensive

 

[Carol Dee]

58 PLANTS !!!! Do you use them all or sell the surplus? I find our 12 to 18 plants more plenty.
MY DH says hunting season will take care of the pheasats, but it doesn't start for MONTHS.

 

[lesa]

Sometimes you can find tulle at a fabric store for cheap... Maybe in some weird color, that no one wants??

 

[thistlebloom]

There is a netting I use that isn't all that expensive, it's lightweight, 6' x 150'. I get it from a big box store. Or try digitS method of a stuffed cat that gets moved every day.

 

[ducks4you]

I'd try fox urine, or, if you can stand it, put some of your dog's poo next to the plants. I wouldn't have this problem, just the problem of harvesting the pheasant bc my dog, Rose would beat me to it!

 

[digitS']

Yes, the cat works for sparrows in seed beds.

I think that the toy cat might work for pheasants. Maybe a stuffed dog . . .

The quail eat some of my ripe tomatoes each year but they have never been much of a bother.

Steve

edited: to change "that" to "cat."

 

[desertlady]

I will just go out and chase them with a broom ! Just kidding. You got a problem, they will not stop unless its covered up. Maybe string up a bunch of soda cans?

 

[HotPepperQueen]

We use all of our 58 tomato plants! We can juice, salsa, sauce, whole tomatoes, seasoned tomatoes.....we also freeze the really nice ones to make tomato soup through out winter.

I put up some cds and haven't noticed any damage from them today. I have been letting the chickens out earlier in the morning and I think that is throwing off the pheasants schedule they had going on, but that doesn't mean they can't develop a new one...