american game fowl for near self sustaining meat and egg production? or is this crazy?

[MrSmokey]

If game hens lay 5 eggs a day, no wonder they are $200 a peice.

thanks for catching that, errrr.... that should have been week.

 

[enola]

No matter how much proofreading I do it happens to me too.

 

[MrSmokey]

There are so many breeds that would work well for you. The games are not designed for this purpose and they can be pricy. If I were you, I'd see what is available locally, otherwise order 25 chicks from a hatchery. There are a lot of breeds you can try -- Delawares, Sumatras, Red Jungle Fowl, just to name a few. You might even look at Icelandics, then you'd be preserving a rare breed, but the only hatchery I know of that has them is Sandhill and they are likely sold out already.

If you can find someone locally, you can get birds and advice. I'd recommend Craigslist and eBay (they have an advanced search that you can find local sellers) as a starting point, who knows what you'll find.

sandhill is sold out, but i did find some folks over the border in vt that have some icelandics still waiting to hear back from them though, they are about what i would be paying for the american games though...

 

[MrSmokey]

No matter how much proofreading I do it happens to me too.

my wife read through it too after i typed it, as she had wondered what the heck i sat and spent typing for so long on a chicken forum was...

 

[MrSmokey]

No matter how much proofreading I do it happens to me too.

ah, strikes again... i had been spelling bred as through it were baked...

 

[Twinkkitten]

My turkey and chickens lay an egg each day. I get weekends off, but they do not. Funny, you said they lay 5 per week.

 

[lghrnlvr]

Have you thought about getting a couple different breeds to meet your needs?
I have Easter eggers and they are great. I average 5-7 eggs a week. I have had one go broody yet but mine aren't quite a year old. Their funky color patterns make great camouflage for free ranging.
If you plan on keeping 30 hens I would suggest keeping 2 roosters. 3 might be better for protection for a large flock on such a large area.
Good luck trying to decide.

 

[Klutch]

Have you thought about getting a couple different breeds to meet your needs?
I have Easter eggers and they are great. I average 5-7 eggs a week. I have had one go broody yet but mine aren't quite a year old. Their funky color patterns make great camouflage for free ranging.
If you plan on keeping 30 hens I would suggest keeping 2 roosters. 3 might be better for protection for a large flock on such a large area.
Good luck trying to decide.

X2
Remember it will take you at least one season get you ideal home flock, A few different hens, rooster and incubator, to help speed things up (different combos)

 

[MrSmokey]

Have you thought about getting a couple different breeds to meet your needs?
I have Easter eggers and they are great. I average 5-7 eggs a week. I have had one go broody yet but mine aren't quite a year old. Their funky color patterns make great camouflage for free ranging.
If you plan on keeping 30 hens I would suggest keeping 2 roosters. 3 might be better for protection for a large flock on such a large area.
Good luck trying to decide.

Originally Posted by Klutch


X2
Remember it will take you at least one season get you ideal home flock, A few different hens, rooster and incubator, to help speed things up (different combos)

good points, thankyou. im still not set on anything yet, if these iclandics pull through i may get some of those, i know i can get EE from a friend in maine, and i can get buckeyes from a friend south of me, and i may still be able to get some doms, if i want javas i can get them but they have to be shipped. maybe ill get all those and the games... and try them. i know i will wonder about them until i actually try and have experience with them myself...
i will have figure out the rooster logistics, maybe just one game cock for now.

 

[gjensen]

You can get what you want. You can do what you want. It will just take some time to sort out how and with what. Games and their mixes was a common farm bird in the past for the very reasons that you mentioned. Most of our breeds had some game in them at some point.

Don't compromise your ideals based on our opinions. Stick to your guns and figure it out. Just do not figure running more than one male together at a time. Nothing wrong with a game mix either. What you are asking is for the bird to rustle up much of their own feed and be good mothers.

I have seen a few game mixed flocks raised just how you are describing. The mixes are often colorful and delightful birds. You can't beat them for toughness and durability.

Just do not expect anything to rustle up too much in the winter.