Emma Posted June 11, 2005 Share Posted June 11, 2005 When I got home from shopping today I had half the neighbours kids run up to me in excitement exclaiming "a pheasant jumped over your gate out of your garden". My girls were in their run but my rabbit was free ranging- everybody seemed to be ok, but my Jasper was a bit nervy when I tried to pick him up. Anybody have any experience with pheasants and chickens/rabbits Do they get on or are they mortal enermies Not sure where it could have come from. We have a main road and a railway line/station separating us from the South Downs and the nearest farm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katie Posted June 11, 2005 Share Posted June 11, 2005 yes we used to have a pheasant come in all the time, until we properly chicken proofed all the garden. it used 2 be pretty happy, stealing chicken food and the girls didnt mind! it probably thought it was 'one of them' somehow cos it used to stay with them for ages! i still hear it all the time from a few gardens away squarking away, but it cant get in now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katie Posted June 11, 2005 Share Posted June 11, 2005 yes this one probably came from round the woods near to me.we dont have a game keeper anymore so we get loads of rabbits and pheasants etc! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 13, 2005 Share Posted June 13, 2005 hey emma :) i live next to a pheasant farm and its never been a problem as they come in all the time and my chooks dont seem to mind! i do think its best not to let the pheasent near their house though as i have heard pheasants carry some diseases that could be dangerous to chickens my dog sophie used to keep them out but she died lasst spring so now they come in my garden most days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyndz Posted June 13, 2005 Share Posted June 13, 2005 by the way that last post was me i forgot to log in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katie Posted June 13, 2005 Share Posted June 13, 2005 wow a pheasant farm! what are they bred for? are they bred for meat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 (edited) We get escapees over here and they sometimes visit the chickens. Edited June 15, 2005 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 The escapees are trespassing so I would regard them as up for the pot - better quick painless trip to your casserole dish than the trauma of going through a shoot I have a simple recipe for what I call my 'poachers casserole' - do you want it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 I'll take that as a 'yes'. Take a selection of game - venison, pheasant, rabbit, grouse, pigeon, road kill etc. Chop into chunks. If you can get hold of any, get some venison and port sausages. If not then a good meaty, herby sausage will do. (I get venison ones from Wallington Farm Shop, Northumberland) Chop sausages into about 3-4 pieces. Brown everything. Chop and brown whatever you have filched from where-ever or lovingly picked from your garden - onions, carrots, leeks etc. Stick everything into large casserole dish. Now the ecxiting bit - add vast quantity of cider or red wine . You can add some passata (posh sieved tomatos) as well. Bung in some herbs - bouquet garni type, whatever available. Make sure you do the fancy thing with a bit of wine in the browning pan to get all the yummy bits into the casserole. Bring it all to the boil and season. If you want a bit of zing, add some Lee & Perrins or mushroom ketchup. Put into oven for about 3 hours at a lowish heat (150 - 160 celsius). Meat should be very tender and it avoids the dryness you can get with game of questionable age. Wonderful with buttery mashed potatos. Use serious amounts of butter and creamy milk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 wow a pheasant farm! what are they bred for? are they bred for meat? yea i think so, although we never hear them being shot i used to take my dog 4 walks up on the pheasent farm as she loved all the smells and in spring there are little babies everywhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 Thanks Jane - how much wine would go in the casserole I don't know as Carl's middle name is Floyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 The only problem with game, speaking from painful experience, is that a stray bit of lead shot can crack bits off molars This means an extra visit to dentist and wielding of drill Should have added in recipe to check for shot while cutting up meat. Also re amount of alcohol - open bottle and what doesn't get drunk straight away (cooks perk) gets put in casserole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 Take a selection of game - venison, pheasant, rabbit, grouse, pigeon, road kill etc. ... Jane, are you suggesting instead of shooting, I should just drive over them . I suppose a road kill saves on the tenderising with a wooden mallet stage of preparation. . Also re amount of alcohol - open bottle and what doesn't get drunk straight away (cooks perk) gets put in casserole .. ahh, now theres the VERY important bit, thanks Jane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted June 16, 2005 Author Share Posted June 16, 2005 I love the thought of the pheasant casserole. Would have to get hubby to cook it though as I'm not that great at culinary delights If we spot the pheasant again I'm going to try catching it(Licking my lips at the thought of eating it ) I know that sounds a bit mean but that's what they are bred for. Has anyone got a recipe for fox pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted June 16, 2005 Share Posted June 16, 2005 An easy way to catch a pheasant is to put some mixed corn in a plastic cup with some honey in the bottom in theory the cup sticks to the pheasants beak and the pheasnt thinks it is night time and like the chickens becomes docile and you can catch it............ Not sure if it works because I havent tried it, but a farmer friend said it works and you don't get shot in the bird, not sure how you go about killing it though, I don't think I could pull it's neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katie Posted June 16, 2005 Share Posted June 16, 2005 the last time i had pheasant was when some friends brought one round that they had shot themselves. but there was still one pellet left in that no one knew was there, and i got the bit with the pellet - didnt realise until i bit into the meat, jarred my teeth on the lead and there was a pellet rattling around in my mouth it wasnt nice at all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted June 16, 2005 Author Share Posted June 16, 2005 Don't fancy the wringing it's neck part Maybe I'll just buy a peasant sometime to try the recipe and shoo the one in the garden away to live somewhere else. My hubby says I'd probably end up catching it and making it into a pet I think he's right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted June 16, 2005 Share Posted June 16, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted June 16, 2005 Share Posted June 16, 2005 Maybe you ought to speak to the Omlet guys, I mean, have they got plans for an Eglu for pheasants yet? Could be a market there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyndz Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 the last time i had pheasant was when some friends brought one round that they had shot themselves. but there was still one pellet left in that no one knew was there, and i got the bit with the pellet - didnt realise until i bit into the meat, jarred my teeth on the lead and there was a pellet rattling around in my mouth it wasnt nice at all! about two years ago i had to have an operation on my neck as there was something stuck in it when the surgeon got it out he said it was an airgun pellet or something like that!! well i've never knowingly been shot in the neck so have blamed it on eating some pheasant and the pellet getting logded in my neck!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steph & alex Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 you've been abducted by aliens, they leave 'things' imbedded in their victims don't they? have you ever 'lost' any time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 I have a crown and 2 teeth that have great chunks of fillings in them thanks to lead shot - I do enjoy eating game but it can have it's hazards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popcorn Posted July 5, 2005 Share Posted July 5, 2005 Oh My Life Lyndz! What an experience! It's a wonder you didn't go 'off' if you ever went though customs at the airport Being a city girl, it was a long time before I ever saw a pheaseant, and I've never eaten one..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
