Farm Animals

Welfare of Farmed Pheasants for Hunting

Pheasants bred for game shooting are raised in intensive conditions before release; their welfare raises questions about both farm housing and release mortality.

Key Facts

Over 50 million pheasants are released annually in the UK for game shooting
Pheasant chicks are reared in densely packed sheds before release
Post-release survival rates are low with many dying from predation and starvation
Released pheasants are naive to natural environments and struggle to meet food and shelter needs
Beak trimming is commonly used in pheasant farms to reduce injurious pecking

Welfare Considerations

Game bird welfare spans two phases: intensive farm rearing with all its typical welfare problems, and release into environments where naive birds face predation, starvation, and exposure. Neither phase has been designed around bird welfare.

What You Can Do

Support game bird welfare standards covering both rearing and release conditions
Advocate for restrictions on beak trimming in pheasant rearing operations
Donate to organizations researching more humane game bird management
Engage constructively with the complex welfare dimensions of game shooting culture