Pheasants are birds raised by flock owners for their beautiful plumage, egg and meat production.
Apart from the staple pheasant diet, you might be wondering what else to feed your pheasants and fruits, especially bananas is a perfect option that they can eat.
Pheasants love to eat bananas in any form most especially if they are mashed and it is a great and healthy way to treat your birds. If you just got a flock of pheasants then you should definitely add bananas to their diet.
Today we will discuss the health benefits of bananas to peasants and how you can feed bananas to them.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Bananas To Pheasants?
Bananas are a great healthy snack you can add to your pheasant diet and it has no negative side effects to your birds. Here are some of bananas health benefits:
- Vitamins
We cannot overemphasize the importance of vitamins to living things. Bananas are a rich source of the vitamins A, B6 and C.
These vitamins help your pheasants repair their immune systems, have glossy feathers and beaks and generally have a healthier system.
- Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral which most pheasant owners don’t incorporate into their bird’s diet.
Banana is rich in magnesium and will help bridge the magnesium deficit in your flock. It’ll help your birds bones, feathers and nerve reflexes.
- Iron
Banana is a rich source of iron for your pheasants. Iron is important for the formation of hemoglobin.
Hemoglobin is important in the bird’s body because it is the substance that carries oxygen around the body and gives blood its red color.
A deficiency of iron causes anemia which is deadly to the pheasant.
Related: Here is an article I wrote on feeding pheasants with corn
- Potassium
Potassium not only helps quicken the metabolism process, it strengthens pheasants bones and gives them an essentially healthier system.
Bananas are a rich source of potassium and it would help to feed your birds this.
- Calcium
Calcium though a micromineral is important in the development of pheasants. Calcium helps the pheasants with bone and egg formation, blood clotting and the reproduction process in general.
Bananas being rich in calcium will ensure great egg quality and healthier chicks in your pheasant flock.
How Often Should I Feed Them Bananas?
Unlike other fruits which have a tendency to cause negative side effects it is possible for hyou to incorporate feeding bananas into your pheasants daily diet.
Some fruits like apples and celery can cause health problems in the pheasants if they are given too much of it, however it is not the case with bananas.
By mixing bananas with a few other healthy fruits and seeds you can make it a part of your pheasants staple diet.
Bananas should not replace your pheasants staple diet entirely, it should be a supplement and if you are not feeding them raw bananas then the treats should only come in once or twice a week.
Can Baby Pheasants Eat Bananas?
You can feed baby pheasants bananas, however it should not be their main food.
Pheasant chicks like most chicks require a high protein so they should be fed game bird feed.
Game bird feed contains the required protein and mineral nutrients the baby pheasants require.
You can also give them fruits like bananas, they love it and it will induce them to eat the feed.
You can mix dried bananas with their feed or sprinkle it on it. You can also give them raw bananas as treats from time to time.
Can Pheasants Eat Banana Leaves?
Pheasants prefer to eat fruits, seeds and nuts over leaves and grasses however it doesn’t mean they cannot eat leaves either.
Pheasants love to peck on young leaves so if you have banana trees in your compound they are more likely to eat the leaves.
Also, if you have banana plant seedlings or any seedlings for that matter, in your homestead you might want to keep your pheasants away from it so they won’t eat it.
Can Pheasants Eat Banana Peels?
Pheasants can eat banana peels and they sometimes like to play with it.
We don’t recommend feeding your pheasants banana peels though because bananas are oftentimes grown with pesticides which are chemicals used to keep pests away from the banana plants.
Washing your banana doesn’t guarantee the total removal of the pesticides and when ingested in even small quantities, the pesticides can cause serious sickness in the pheasants.
If you want to feed your pheasants banana peels then always get them organic bananas which are grown without the use of pesticides and are totally safe for your birds.
Also check out this article on how to feed pheasants with apples
Can Pheasants Banana Whole?
Pheasants can eat bananas whole, that is fruit, peels and all.
However since non-organic banana peels can contain pesticide which are harmful to your birds it is best to peel the bananas halfway or completely and then feed it to them.
The pheasants do not mind eating everything though but you as their flock keeper know what is good for them and as such to avoid sickness give them a peeled banana if you are feeding them raw.
How Can I Feed Bananas To Pheasants?
There are several ways to feed bananas to pheasants apart from feeding them raw bananas and we will share a few recipes with you.
- Banana Split
This is a favorite recipe for the pheasants. To make banana split you need:
- 1 peeled banana
- Halved handful of grapes
- Half of an orange cut into small pieces
- 2 cherries
- Two small scoops of suet base or nutty suet
- Shelled peanuts
- 1 crushed eggshell
- 1⁄4 cup grape jelly
- Live mealworms if you prefer them
Slice the banana in half and place in a bowl or dish. Add 2 scoops of suet and place between the 2 halves.
Heat up your jelly till it melts and drip over the suet. Place your cherries, orange pieces and nuts around the scooped suet then sprinkle the eggshell and mealworms to complete the recipe.
Place the bowl outside for your pheasants to feed on.
- Boiled Bananas
This is a great one if you have a lot of unripe bananas on your hands. Simply boil the bananas for a few minutes till they get soft.
Mash the bananas in a bowl and sprinkle seeds and other nuts on it.
Serve to your pheasants when it gets cool and warm.
- Frozen Banana
Frozen bananas are great during the hot summer months. Freezing your bananas is also a great way to preserve your bananas .
After your bananas have frozen in the fridge, bring them out and slice them or mash them. Add some dried insects or mealworms to the feeder before serving to the peasants.
Things To Note Before Feeding Them Bananas
Bananas are very healthy for pheasants and provide them with the necessary vitamins, fibre and minerals they need to grow and develop.
Unlike other fruits which you have to exercise caution with, pheasants can eat bananas every day, in fact it is recommended to be part of their daily fruit intake.
To avoid making a mess you can place the peeled banana in their feeder but ensure you clean the feeder afterwards.
You can also feed both ripe and unripe bananas to your pheasants and they will even prefer the overripe type.
Keep in mind though that unripe bananas are healthier for your birds as the riper a banana gets, the more sugar content it contains.
Do not replace their staple diet with bananas. Pheasants should be raised on a game bird diet and every other thing should only be added as supplements.
Conclusion
Pheasants are one of our favorite birds and as a flock keeper it is important that you know the right things to feed to them.
Apart from their usual staple feed, pheasants can also eat bananas and this will add to their daily nutrient needs.
Bananas are great from pheasants and unlike some other fruits, you can choose to feed them bananas everyday if you want to.
And to top it all there are several ways you can prepare bananas for your birds which they would love and happily scoop up.
