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- #11
It sounds like the mostly likely identification of the homestead chicks are game fowl with some degree of jungle fowl mixed in, or at least a strain of gamefowl that superficially carry RJF traits.
I can say that up until a couple of days ago, I was convinced they were true jungle fowl. I have found some obscure references to jungle fowl in the South as being common on farms in the early 1900s. I’ll try to find those references to cite them. I wonder if those sources are correct or alternatively if anything that looked like a jungle fowl was called so back then. I’m actually surprised anyone had even heard of the term “jungle fowl” then in the rural South of 1900.
I started to become skeptical only once I read about eclipse molting. I’ve never seen any rooster change its color and go into a low testosterone mode (sounds like a whitetail deer buck once the rut is over and their antlers fall off).
Thanks for the info everyone. So now I’m wondering what behavioral differences I’ll see in the Indian Red Jungle Fowl that I’m picking up this weekend. I’m hoping they’ll actually have some mixed heritage, whatever will make them more like the chickens I’m looking for.
I can say that up until a couple of days ago, I was convinced they were true jungle fowl. I have found some obscure references to jungle fowl in the South as being common on farms in the early 1900s. I’ll try to find those references to cite them. I wonder if those sources are correct or alternatively if anything that looked like a jungle fowl was called so back then. I’m actually surprised anyone had even heard of the term “jungle fowl” then in the rural South of 1900.
I started to become skeptical only once I read about eclipse molting. I’ve never seen any rooster change its color and go into a low testosterone mode (sounds like a whitetail deer buck once the rut is over and their antlers fall off).
Thanks for the info everyone. So now I’m wondering what behavioral differences I’ll see in the Indian Red Jungle Fowl that I’m picking up this weekend. I’m hoping they’ll actually have some mixed heritage, whatever will make them more like the chickens I’m looking for.