American Gamefowl

[roosterhavoc]

Most birds were coming from a older man that I thought was decent. He has maybe 12 different breeds but more of some then others. I thought alot of him but in the end I let it happen. All I can do now is cull hard and restart in a year or two with whats left or have to cull all and find a more reputable person

I suppose you never know. Some people honestly may not even know. They don’t think anything of a few birds dropping dead and just shrugging it off as no big deal. Weird things happen but you’d think patterns would start to show over time. I’d imagine a lot of people buy birds, breed and resell the offspring for whatever they can get for them the very next season. There’s no way they know whether or not they hold up over time. I have one family of birds that just do not hold up well past 5 years. I expect more so they’re on their way out. Crossed a few and I’ll hold onto them for awhile to see if it helps if not they’re all gone. They are all plenty game though.

 

[roosterhavoc]

I also wouldn’t buy birds that were incubator hatched either. Anyone selling gamefowl should have plenty of hens that can hatch their own chicks. Unless it’s a big name breeder you can trust I’d pass unless they were hen hatched. I have no proof but I’d say a good percentage of shitty birds (health wise) were hatched in an incubator.

 

[Chickenman1994]

I threw mine in the trash last week lol

 

[roosterhavoc]

I’ve hatched plenty out of an incubator and the difference is noticeable. I’ve had hen hatched chicks in pens side by side with incubator hatched chicks. I watched them both closely. The hen hatched obviously learned from their mother to roost much faster, scratch and look for food on their own, avoid danger etc...plus it’s just easier to let the hen raise them. I think some people assume they can do it better. The reality is they are in more control but that almost never benefits them in the end.

 

[Chickenman1994]

I’ve hatched plenty out of an incubator and the difference is noticeable. I’ve had hen hatched chicks in pens side by side with incubator hatched chicks. I watched them both closely. The hen hatched obviously learned from their mother to roost much faster, scratch and look for food on their own, avoid danger etc...plus it’s just easier to let the hen raise them. I think some people assume they can do it better. The reality is they are in more control but that almost never benefits them in the end.

I look at it as Mother Nature always wins and always knows best. Hell these pumpkin biddies were on the roost at a little over a week old lol don’t think a bator baby would be doing that but I have no clue never used a bator and defiantly don’t plan too now if it’s meant for me to hatch I guess they’ll sit lol

 

[Wyorp Rock]

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I haven't tried to half ass it but I have done some stupid stuff. I can only move forward and hope I'm doing the best

Most birds were coming from a older man that I thought was decent. He has maybe 12 different breeds but more of some then others. I thought alot of him but in the end I let it happen. All I can do now is cull hard and restart in a year or two with whats left or have to cull all and find a more reputable person

Billy, this just really stinks. I hate it for you.

The old man may not be aware of illness. Some really don't pay it any attention. Symptoms can be treated, birds can "recover" so they think all is o.k. Never realizing that birds are still carriers.

Some are fully aware and continue on...don't get me started.

 

[hillbilly91]

Billy, this just really stinks. I hate it for you.

The old man may not be aware of illness. Some really don't pay it any attention. Symptoms can be treated, birds can "recover" so they think all is o.k. Never realizing that birds are still carriers.

Some are fully aware and continue on...don't get me started.

The man knows and dont want to admit it. Maybe it will wipe out his whole yard and open his eyes. Mine are definitely open. I will play it safer in the future.

 

[hillbilly91]

My plan is for the next 2weeks I cull everything with any sign. I move all my chickens to a different part of the yard from where they are now. Bleach everything as I move them. Wait 3 weeks before moving them back. Cull everything that shows signs in that time period and move them back to the back yard and as I'm moving bleach everything again.

 

[roosterhavoc]

My plan is for the next 2weeks I cull everything with any sign. I move all my chickens to a different part of the yard from where they are now. Bleach everything as I move them. Wait 3 weeks before moving them back. Cull everything that shows signs in that time period and move them back to the back yard and as I'm moving bleach everything again.

If everything is reasonably clean and kept up I wouldn’t move a single thing. I’d just cull every bird with symptoms and only breed birds that have never shown symptoms and seem to thrive. There’s no guarantee it doesn’t show in birds bred out of birds that showed no symptoms but it’s really the only option aside from culling everything.