American Gamefowl

[hillbilly91]

Nice and neat! I like them.

I appreciate it

 

[TJAnonymous]

Funny that this thread should pop up today.... My husband just came home and asked if I wanted 4 to 5 "game hens." A coworker of his is giving them away. I asked if they were Cornish Game hens, and he said that his coworker told him they were large birds that lay "normal sized eggs." So I'm guessing they are American game hens....total guess on my part.

I know nothing about this breed.... I tried to look them up and see that the roosters can be aggressive. We are not getting any roosters, just hens. Are the hens known to be aggressive too?

 

[SOHC-FTW]

“Roosters can be aggressive” More along the lines of they have a deep hatred for any other rooster.

As far as people nope they are far less aggressive towards their owners than layers and usually towards hens aswell. If the above applies the majority of us cull bad habits out.

Females are not as aggressive towards each other if raised together, but you still may have the occasional beating amongst them. Separate them at a one point or another an then try to put them back together isn’t a good idea. Then again it all depends on the quality and mentality of the birds you get.

 

[TJAnonymous]

“Roosters can be aggressive” More along the lines of they have a deep hatred for any other rooster.

As far as people nope they are far less aggressive towards their owners than layers and usually towards hens aswell. If the above applies the majority of us cull bad habits out.

Females are not as aggressive towards each other if raised together, but you still may have the occasional beating amongst them. Separate them at a one point or another an then try to put them back together isn’t a good idea. Then again it all depends on the quality and mentality of the birds you get.

I'm guessing these hens were raised together....but I would be integrating them with my 35 other hens. I just want to make sure they won't attack my other hens. Normal pecking order adjustments aside.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I did ask why they were getting rid of them. Coworker said her husband bought them to raise a couple of years ago. He recently changed jobs (trucker) and is no longer home regularly. His wife (my husband's coworker) doesn't want to take care of them...so they are looking to rehome them.

 

[roosterhavoc]

I'm guessing these hens were raised together....but I would be integrating them with my 35 other hens. I just want to make sure they won't attack my other hens. Normal pecking order adjustments aside.

How do you keep your other 35 hens? Do you know how old the hens are?

 

[TJAnonymous]

How do you keep your other 35 hens? Do you know how old the hens are?

I have 35 hens & 3 roosters (2 adult, raised together; 1 juvenile). All my chickens are housed in an 8' x 10' coop but share a very large chicken yard (150' x 25'?) with my 2 Nigerian Dwarf goats. Goats have their own 6' x 8' house.

Hubby didn't know exactly how old the game hens are.... I don't think his coworkers knows exactly either. She said she thinks they are "2 or 3 yrs old." She doesn't seem to know much about chickens. She didn't think they were laying anymore but found an egg today. (My guess is that they have stopped for the winter cause I doubt they are getting any artificial light)

 

[roosterhavoc]

I have 35 hens & 3 roosters (2 adult, raised together; 1 juvenile). All my chickens are housed in an 8' x 10' coop but share a very large chicken yard (150' x 25'?) with my 2 Nigerian Dwarf goats. Goats have their own 6' x 8' house.

Hubby didn't know exactly how old the game hens are.... I don't think his coworkers knows exactly either. She said she thinks they are "2 or 3 yrs old." She doesn't seem to know much about chickens. She didn't think they were laying anymore but found an egg today. (My guess is that they have stopped for the winter cause I doubt they are getting any artificial light)

You don’t have any pictures of them do you? Honestly at 2-3 yrs old and with you already having quite a few chickens I wouldn’t take them if I were you. There’s really not much benefit to you unless you really wanted them.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I don't NEED them... But if they are still laying or broody, I wouldn't mind giving them a home if they are not aggressive.

 

[roosterhavoc]

I don't NEED them... But if they are still laying or broody, I wouldn't mind giving them a home if they are not aggressive. View attachment 2488513
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It’s totally up to you. I’m not trying to talk you out of it at all. Game hens that are 2-3 yrs old won’t lay a bunch of a eggs but you should get a few out of them for the next couple years.
More than likely they will be at least a little aggressive or somewhat flighty. They should go broody over the warmer months but I doubt you’d want to breed them. You’ll always have the option to use them as the incubator for other eggs.
I’m not sure if the one hen is molting right now but it doesn’t look like it and it’s missing the tail. The other bird has fresh blood on the wood in front of it. Just an observation but it could be from anything. Then you have the issue of introducing some sort of diseases into your flock.