Gosh Gresh, if you are free ranging that bird and he's not trying to kill anyone, that's not a true test of gameness. If he's dominant and gets respect and if your other birds grew up with him and don't challenge him, he's doing what he should. He's the cock of the walk. Now, if he is confronted by a strange cock and he either won't fight, or he runs away, then he needs to go in the pot. If your Barred Rock cockeral sends him running, same thing. Eat him. Seems to me I remember that you haven't had him long. How old is he? Maybe you are just discouraged by slow maturing or lack of funds to purchase pure stock. All reasons I have heard from others. No problem, gamefowl of any breed aren't for everyone.
As for crossing with a Minorca, bad idea. The offspring will neither lay well, or be game. Just chickens. That's a waste of money and time. Pick one and put your efforts into it. One breed at a time is the best way to learn. Good luck to you, my friend. I'm rooting for ya.........Pop
Wow...and for months now I've thought a gamecock was game because he wouldn't tolerate any breathing rooster other than himself! Thanks for straightening me out on that one: I guess I've just heard a couple stories about gamecocks attacking perfectly passive free-range non-game cocks. Are there some gamefowl breeds that are more tolerant of non-aggressive roos then other gamefowl breeds?
As to the focusing on one particular breed, I would certainly like to, but my family has a lot of chickens already and my parents are understandably particular about how many we keep. Plus, we've gotten attached to some of them so that it would be hard to sell/butcher them all and start all over. Besides, my sister would hate me for it, and I wouldn't half blame her. 
Right now we have a very mixed flock, and the only bird that isn't hatchery stock is my gamecock. A few of our birds actually have good type for hatchery birds, but most of them are the kind of pet-quality mutts you get from hatcheries.
I'm getting Minorcas because they are a large, good egg-layer, and I wasn't sure if maybe an Oriental X Minorca would produce an economical bird or not. Do you know of anybody who may have done something like this and gotten good results?
Thanks for your advice: I always need more of it as an amateur chicken-keeper. In fact, this March marks my 1-year anniversary as a chicken owner....
God bless,
~Gresh~
My favorite breeds are: Kraienkoppe, Orloff, Thai Gamefowl, Leghorns
"And God said to the man and woman, 'Subdue the Earth, and have dominion over every living thing'."
My favorite breeds are: Kraienkoppe, Orloff, Thai Gamefowl, Leghorns
"And God said to the man and woman, 'Subdue the Earth, and have dominion over every living thing'."
