If this species is one that you wish to own, I suggest that you find a reputable source that has pure stock, as I have done by buying birds out of imported lines. Being a ruffed pheasant, the golden pheasant will hybridize with the Lady Amherst’s pheasant. I cannot emphasize how important it is to keep birds pure. The irresponsible propagation of hybrid ruffed pheasants makes it increasingly challenging to locate pure stock in captivity.

Keeping golden pheasants is not very difficult. As a rule of thumb, the more spacious the pen is, the better luck you will have with them. The males can display to the females anytime of the year, so it is vital that hiding spots are provided for them. In NY, I expect eggs from golden pheasants starting in May, and they can continue to lay through July. If you pull their eggs, they will continue to lay for an extended period of time; to halt excessive egg laying, I leave their eggs untouched to promote nesting and broody behavior. The incubation period is 22-23 days. I have good luck letting my females naturally incubate, and in some cases, even rear their chicks. The chicks are able to fly at a very young age, so keep this in mind if you decide to let the female raise them. By fall time, it is quite easy to sex them based off of their plumage.