American Gamefowl

[JShubin]

I have a few questions that I would very much like clarified.
1. When you guys are choosing stags and cocks to keep for breeding what is it that you are looking for physically?
2. Same question for pullets and hens.
3. Will you guys keep a stag/cock but not use him for breeding? What determines if you will use the cock for breeding or just hold onto him?
4. Not really a question, but if any of you guys could post a picture of a bird that would get culled and one you would keep, and identify why you’re culling the one bird and keeping the other.
Thank you.

4.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

1. I look for size, body shape, leg length, wing length and muscle definition. But also many other aspects other than physical... (first to the food test, dominance, how they pose/stand, etc)
2. Same answer
3. I keep stags all the time to see how they turn out. Its not always easy to tell how good they are when they are young. I also keep them as backup brood if they are as good as parents.

Thank you for the answers Shubin.

4.
View attachment 1842836 View attachment 1842837

Am I correct in assuming that you would keep the top bird and cull the bottom bird?

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Lol, well now that you explained it to me, it t’were funny

you gots coyote brain this morning.

 

[JShubin]

No the opposite.. i would keep this guy. He is a little younger but his proportions are correct and he will be average to large size. He has strong face and an intensity in his eyes that other one doesn't have.

That other roosters comb is a little floppy and his body is too big for his legs and face/head is too small. He also not very dominant and sits outside the flock of siblings

 

[JShubin]

I dont like how that keeper stag is holding his wings though... he has them all fanned out and not tucked sharp to a point like my avatar shows

 

[roosterhavoc]

Lol, well now that you explained it to me, it t’were funny

I watched the whole thing of him introducing himself too.

 

[roosterhavoc]

I like the pea combs, less prone to frostbite...
I trained all my roosters to get along and play nice. lol I rotate older birds for time in the yard. All my pens are built with a 3 ft wall, so they can't pen fight. The cock in the pick nearly ended his life the other day with a pen swap mishap. The little guy thought he would take on a 1yr old full size stag.

I once had birds on cords and when I put them back I *may have put a cock in a pen with another cock by accident! I realized my mistake instantly! The other bird was on the roost and I was moving and shaking so I didn’t notice him. Wrong pen!! Lol

 

[SOHC-FTW]

I have a few questions that I would very much like clarified.
1. When you guys are choosing stags and cocks to keep for breeding what is it that you are looking for physically?
I'm not concerned about physical to much aslong as it's acceptable that doesn't decide if they are all business or not. In a perfect world I Don't want to long a shank with no thighs to back it up the thighs should be more rebust and where all the good comes from, well boned and not fragile, I don't want to long of a back or to high of a station, I want clear well positioned eyes that can see very well and miss nothing. Above all else if it isn't game it isn't worth feeding. If a stag hasn't shown me to be worthwhile by 8/9months meaning he shouldn't be running around with other males at all it's getting culled idc where it came from or who's names behind it.
2. Same question for pullets and hens.
You have to watch them I believe a good hen is worth quite a bit. Relates to stags in a big way.

3. Will you guys keep a stag/cock but not use him for breeding? What determines if you will use the cock for breeding or just hold onto him?
Once you've culled what you don't see fit you'll grow the stags out to cocks and reevaluate at a later time.

4. Not really a question, but if any of you guys could post a picture of a bird that would get culled and one you would keep, and identify why you’re culling the one bird and keeping the other.
Thank you.
Sure can't once a cull it's culled.

 

[SOHC-FTW]

I once had birds on cords and when I put them back I *may have put a cock in a pen with another cock by accident! I realized my mistake instantly! The other bird was on the roost and I was moving and shaking so I didn’t notice him. Wrong pen!! Lol

I've almost did that but noticed right before I let loose lol.

 

[roosterhavoc]

I've almost did that but noticed right before I let loose lol.

I ain’t ashamed. I make a mistake or two a year.