American Gamefowl

[roosterhavoc]

https://trappingtoday.com/2019-2020-fur-prices-trapping-todays-fur-market-forecast/

 

[shawluvsbirds]

They aren’t that bad but wooden stretchers are easier and produce better looking pelts. Not like it matters now though raccoons aren’t even worth skinning.

Yeah. . I figured.
I'm not looking to make any money. I'm just looking to thin out the population. And maybe cape out a few for fun.
And dog training purposes.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

For your listening pleasure on throw back Thursday. .

 

[ShannonR]

Ask away. Everyone does things a little differently anyway. We only run people off that are full of it. Lol

I have questions about colors and what to select for in mine. I don't even know where to start!

A little background... I raised oriental fowl for about 5 years, they got wiped out last year in a fire. Someone gave me some American game, which truthfully I know almost nothing about. They sort of just.... run loose all over the place and procreate like crazy. I need to cut numbers down, once again, I know nothing about who to keep or cull.

These are pit bred fowl, I was wanting to breed closer to a standard of some sort (if I can find what to look for that is). But in the meantime I'm happy to let Darwin sort out the culling for me and maintain some of their original quality. In short, I just don't know what to do!

 

[SOHC-FTW]

Don't worry about colors at all, one doesn't go by looks alone or they'll end up eventually with just pretty birds. Select for Individuals and eventually if the birds are worth anything they'll come a bit more uniform in all areas.

 

[hillbilly91]

I have questions about colors and what to select for in mine. I don't even know where to start!

A little background... I raised oriental fowl for about 5 years, they got wiped out last year in a fire. Someone gave me some American game, which truthfully I know almost nothing about. They sort of just.... run loose all over the place and procreate like crazy. I need to cut numbers down, once again, I know nothing about who to keep or cull.

These are pit bred fowl, I was wanting to breed closer to a standard of some sort (if I can find what to look for that is). But in the meantime I'm happy to let Darwin sort out the culling for me and maintain some of their original quality. In short, I just don't know what to do!

If you have "game" chickens of any breed running loose then I would cull everything and go get some true "game" chickens. "Game" roosters wont be able to run loose without killing each other. Just my opinion

 

[SOHC-FTW]

If you have "game" chickens of any breed running loose then I would cull everything and go get some true "game" chickens. "Game" roosters wont be able to run loose without killing each other. Just my opinion

I know what your saying but just for those that don't lets insert a general guide line for em. Males over the age of 7-10months unless one king remains and put them all in a early grave or you have a huge body of land to keep them separated at all times like a "walk". Females can obviously run around but they can also cause havoc with ease, but no males should be Buddy's after they get just a bit of age on them.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I know what your saying but just for those that don't lets insert a general guide line for em. Males over the age of 7-10months unless one king remains and put them all in a early grave or you have a huge body of land to keep them separated at all times like a "walk". Females can obviously run around but they can also cause havoc with ease, but no males should be Buddy's after they get just a bit of age on them.

That is the truth! LOL

 

[SOHC-FTW]

Had a death at 3.5months from stags this season and another even earlier the white stag I had to cull. I pen mine around the 4-5month age because I go back to work after summer break, my point is it can start earlier but at a certain age if it ain't happening they won't live here. I also had a pullet kill another and two more beat themselves pretty good now that doesn't mean they'll be my best producers or anything, I'm just telling you what can happen and we have 8 acres but they may only travel as far as 2.

Havoc lets his go much further heck if I'd had his stag numbers I might have too, but I didn't so I usually play things by ear with the stags let em age they are clearly growing out well even penned. In the mean time I have plenty of great pullets to watch.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Had a death at 3.5months from stags this season and another even earlier the white stag I had to cull. I pen mine around the 4-5month age because I go back to work after summer break, my point is it can start earlier but at a certain age if it ain't happening they won't live here. I also had a pullet kill another and two more beat themselves pretty good now that doesn't mean they'll be my best producers or anything, I'm just telling you what can happen and we have 8 acres but they may only travel as far as 2.

Havoc lets his go much further heck if I'd had his stag numbers I might have too, but I didn't so I usually play things by ear with the stags let em age they are clearly growing out well even penned. In the mean time I have plenty of great pullets to watch.

Like I say, GF are definitely new to me. Lots to learn for sure.
Around 2 months, I separated the stags, 1 got kicked pretty hard and roughed up a bit...but, I keep mine different than others, they don't run loose, so confinement may have also contributed to that "early separation". Hard to know. I could still let them "loose" in the evenings with heavy monitoring making sure they sort of went their separate ways up until a couple of weeks ago - now...nope, they will find each other, it's inevitable.
Things may have been different if they had been loose this whole time, but I still think these 2 would have had to be penned separately at this age (almost 7mo).