What is the best hatchery for jungle fowl?

[imfowl]

I am geting 25 Jungle fowl for my free ranging flock. I looked at some of the pics of the birds from some of the hatcherys. They have "These are actual pictures of our birds", like they were bragging on them. They didnt look too impressive. And why such a big price difference between some of the hatcheries? Has anyone ordered any, and do you have any suggestions?

 

[birdsofparadise]

When you find out, tell me! It seems that the Poultry Show snobs take a lot of pleasure running down the big hatcheries but then people who buy from the "boutique" hatcheries are all over this message board complaining.

I think you gets what you pays for and if you want a 25 chicken free ranging flock, you should just go to Ideal or Murray McMurray as your starting point. These arenʻt going to be Show Birds are they?

 

[imfowl]

Nope. These are going to live at the deer camp with some I already have out there. The reason I am getting jung fowl is because they are supposed to be able to avoid predators. Guess I'll just get the cheapest. From mcmurray or somewhere.

 

[birdsofparadise]

We have jungle fowl that have gone native here in Hawaii and they manage to elude mongooses, cats, rats, etc and still survive & breed. Someone said that they roost up in the tree branches and thatʻs what keeps them safe.

 

[Rainbowbirds-of-a-Feather]

That is true Birdsof paradise. We have a lot of Jungle fowl or in come cases Jungle/Gamebird mixes. Mostly in Kauai and here on Maui too. But they are just feral birds that were running a muck and have reverted to living in trees and hiding their nests in out of the was locations. I have found a couple in my days. But if you want to find some eggs go for it cause they are free for the picking.. Just watch out for the mama hens they are fierce!!

 

[Old Rando]

Jungle fowl from hatcheries have some domestic chicken ancestry. This is necessary in order to produce enough eggs to produce enough chicks to sell. Probably also makes them a little more docile and eliminates the eclipse molt and other characteristics that might not allow them to be desirable to the average owner.

I've never had any but I would think any hatchery jungle fowl would be just fine for a free range flock as long as you understand they are not true wild jungle fowl from SE Asia.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

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None of them. You'd be better off finding a breeder and purchasing hatching eggs. Hatcheries generally only have jungle fowl crosses, not true jungle fowl.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

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Excuse me? We're not all snobs you know. Several of us actually give out eggs in order to perpetuate the breed.

I don't know who would be good for Jungle Fowl, but for show birds, Superior Farms seems to have the best stock around. They bought out from all of the older breeders and have beaten even the best breeders with their birds. They are also NOT "show snobs" and are glad to talk to and help out FFA, 4H and people who are just starting in poultry.

 

[WalkingWolf]

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I have to agree with the above, though from a hatchery you will not get pure jungle fowl. But from what I understand there are few if not no strains of pure fowl left in the wild.

Sorry if I agree with the show snobs statement but it get's a little old when a proud owner posts a pic of their chick with no mention of showing and the comments come "nice bird but it will never be show stock". This is like saying at a picture of somebody's daughter. "yea she is cute but she will never win a beauty pageant." JMHO no offense meant.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Would you prefer we lie to the people that are asking "will this bird win at shows" and allow them to experience the huge let down at a show?

That seems a bit more cruel than simply telling them what's wrong with the bird without writing "NSQ" or "DQ" on the tag on the cage and letting every single person that walks by know it.