Cornell Cooperative Extension

Cayuga County
pheasant chicks approximately 1 hour old
Image by CiaranG

Pheasant chicks, approximately 1 hour old

DEC Pheasant Release Program

Each year the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) makes approximately 30,000-day-old pheasant chicks available for individuals to raise and release on public lands. The program known as the Cooperative Day-old Pheasant Chick Program (DOCP) was designed to assist in revitalizing the ring-necked pheasant population in the area.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Cayuga County is a facilitator of the DOCP program and helps to order and distribute the day-old chicks to participating individuals.

  • Anyone can apply to participate in the Day-old Pheasant Chick Program, this includes 4-H members, schools, clubs, and members of the community.
  • Participants must have appropriate brooding facility and outdoor rearing pen.
  • Release sites must be open to the public for pheasant hunting.
  • Participants should be familiar with the DEC pheasant rearing guide http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/dayoldchicks.pdf
  • Chicks MUST be picked up between 8-12pm on the day of delivery which is scheduled for mid-May.
  • Pheasants must be released at 8 weeks of age or older, but no later than the end of pheasant hunting season.
  • Pheasant chicks are not to be purchased, sold or traded.

For further information regarding the DOCP program OR to order pheasant chicks for rearing and release on public lands, reach out to the contact listed below.

Last updated May 25, 2023

Cayuga County 4-H Programs

DEC Chick Program

The DEC's Day-Old Pheasant Chick Program began over 100 years ago as a way for surplus pheasant eggs from state game farms to be utilized and distributed to farmers to place under broody hens. Since then, the program has continued to grow and develop into what it is today. More than 160 applications, including thirty Cooperative Extension 4-H programs, are approved for participation in the DOCP annually. Many more clubs, individuals and youth participate in the raising and distribution of the pheasants. 

Each cooperator receives a specified number of day-old chicks to raise and release at no additional expense to DEC. All birds must be released on lands open for public hunting. Program participants include 4-H youth, sportsmen clubs and county federations, landowners, NYS Department of Corrections, and other individuals. DOCP cooperators allow pheasant hunting on hundreds of sites and thousands of acres of privately owned lands.

The program provides educational opportunities while supplementing the landscape to increase fall hunting success. Pheasant chicks are available at no cost to participants who are able to provide a brooding facility, a covered outdoor rearing pen, and an adequate release site that allows pheasant hunting access. Participating in raising and releasing pheasants is a great way to get youth involved in the outdoors while supporting New York's longstanding tradition of pheasant hunting.  MORE INFORMATION HERE.

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