constructing a single chicken family unit for porch

[welasharon]

Yes it is much more beneficial...at least up until they start killing each other. It also helps for them to forage for their food. They do better keeping them on the leaner hungrier side...letting them scratch about and work for the food. No wonder! With food that rich their muscles and such are outgrowing the bones. Any shamo site will warn of the need for long, slow growth on low protein feed.
sharon

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Are Shamos typically that game? I was under the impression they were among the least game of the game breeds in the U.S. Those my neighbor has are dilute enough so as not to a real problem amongst themselves although I think they would make short work of my American games that are only 1/3 their size. Those Shamo crosses are the main reason I keep the front porch flock. The front porch flock either warns them off or at least occupies the big beasts long enough so I can them before they get to where my games roosters are well behind house.

 

[welasharon]

Yes they are...or they should be. That is one of the main characteristics for which they are bred. Even the hens sometimes have to be watched. I am having to put sight barriers up as once they start they don't stop till one is dead. Here is a pic of my boy....

He is still very young and has just started crowing and showing the hens he's boss.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Interesting. One of my past students from near the the Island of Tonga indicated some very large Shamo-like chickens are feral outside villages. They were very large with the upright stance. Those engaged in chicken fighting would go out and collect such birds and use them instead of keeping the birds confined like they did their egg-producing flocks. He said the birds were very much game yet persisted as feral populations. Something about the breed appears not to be understood or the birds he related to me are somehow different.

 

[welasharon]

I have just ordered a book on oriental gamefowl, but from my readings it seems that in their native habitats they aren't as prone to the fight to the death. I do not know the specifics exactly but would guess it to be the lack of space constriction. My book is to be here the 25th..I will let you know if it covers that issue, but I think he spoke correctly.

 

[welasharon]

Check out this for more info:
Shamo
By Julia Keeling

The Shamo is a naked heel gamefowl from Japan. The breed was originally brought into Japan from Thailand in the seventeenth century – the name referring to Siam, the old name for Thailand. In Japan it was developed into a distinctive fighting bird of courage and ferocity. Its posture is very upright, with prominent shoulders, powerful bone structure, muscular athletic build and sparse hard feather, which all together make it an impressive and striking bird. The term ‘Shamo’ covers all examples of the large fowl, but they can be further divided by weight into Chu Shamo (adult male weight above 3kg/6.6lbs) and O Shamo (adult male weight 4kg/8.8lbs and above). There is a huge weight range in this breed – from a little hen of 4.9lbs to a huge cock of 12lbs or more. Breeders in Japan name their own lines after themselves or their areas, but names such as ‘Makino’, ‘Osaka’, ‘Teramoto’ etc, often used in Europe, have no relevance once the line has left Japan. Different conditions, breeding choices and breeders mean that they should not continue to carry such names. All are Shamo. The breed can be found throughout Japan and although occasionally shown they are kept there primarily as fighting birds, with character and attitude being the vital attributes. Cockfighting is legal in Japan, although betting on the outcome is not. Colour is of no importance in this breed, although the plumage colour most commonly seen is black/red (bbr) and variations; beak – yellow or horn; legs and feet – yellow (with blackish over-colour being normal in some dark coloured birds); face – red; and eyes silver or gold.




KEEPING SHAMO
The main thing to remember when keeping Shamo is that they should mature slowly. A bird of either sex is not adult until about two years old. The stag of ten months will look a different bird after another year. The problems this can bring are: • The bones can develop slower than the body mass, so if the bird is fed too much protein and/or does not have enough fresh air and exercise as he grows, his body will get too heavy for his legs and result in serious leg problems. • For the same reason, the breastbone can become bent if a young bird rests on too narrow a perch, and the legs and feet can become damaged from jumping down from too high a perch. Adult birds continue to need wide perches to accommodate long legs and bodies. • Stags and pullets can run happily together when young, but as soon as they start to mature, maybe as late as seven or eight months old in bigger birds, they can turn on each other. Stags and pullets can quickly kill each other. So – low protein food and lots of fresh air and exercise; wide, low perches, or none at all; and vigilance at all times re separating birds as soon as necessary.

Despite the aggressive, arrogant bearing, they should be calm and confident with their keepers and easy to handle. The aggression should only be towards other birds. Birds may well occasionally greet their keeper with a ‘friendly’ peck, but this is certainly not man-fighting!




BREEDING SHAMO
Shamo take so long to mature that it doesn’t really matter what time of year they are hatched. They will eventually reach their potential, even if they develop slowly over the winter. Shamo are a broody breed, but as hens are heavy and bony they can be clumsy with eggs. Usually better to remove eggs and let another hen hatch them. Running loose, a hen and cock can have their own space and live in harmony. However, if confined, they may fight. More than one hen with a cock may well fight each other, as well as it then being impossible to maintain accurate breeding records if not breeding one to one. Even if they live in apparent harmony, a heavy cock may seriously damage a hen with his spurs/claws. She should be examined regularly under her wings as she will show no signs of being hurt until wounds are really serious or become badly infected. This is a breed developed to fight and it is the most important characteristic of the breed, and this is what they will do!

 

[centrarchid]

When I see references to naked heal, the abilities to dump heat and tolerate a lot of impact related damage come to mind. The heavy bone structure might also impart stronger bite. Overall they do not seem all they physically capable. In a running race I think my games are faster and when flight is needed to keep you out of Mr. Foxes jaws, the Shamo is going to require a lot more predator protection. Running speed is extremely important outside pit when many birds are bred and reared on walks which was standard for our games until about 25 years ago.. The neighbor did have some "pure Shamos" whe I first moved in and their flying capacity was very interesting. They could go fifty feet horizontal but they had to have after-burners going the whole way and they could only muster one such performance before resting a good bit. The breast muscles may be strong but not well suited for flight. I would have to dissect for better comparison but relative to overal size of bird the Shamos seem to have relatively small breast.

 

[welasharon]

Mine don't fly much at all. They will run along flapping their wings at a pretty good speed when spooked but don't get much air. They do jump higher than I would have thought...up three or four feet without a lot of flapping. The bite is noticeably harder than my other chickens. Frequently they will tear through finger skin if I am not careful about how I hold food out to them.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
To be honest, I think the megaloid look of Orientals is in selection response (to the pit) for stronger biting force. The upright stance would deal with a fatigue problems chickens of normal stance have problems with. Typical birds when exhausted tend to pitch forward and have to expend more effort to stand up. The upwright posture, despite limiting speed may make standing under duress easier since center of gravity would be more directly above the pelvis. Same thing operates in chimps versus humans. We may not be as fast but when it comes to endurance, chimps can not touch us. Still, these adaptions for pit compromise survival during the free-range rearing phases which used to be so important with American and Old English game stock that may not have enjoyed predator exclusion zones like provided by the more advanced oriental keepers of gamefowl. Our games always had four types of selection operating on them. First was the pit. Second was based on breeders hand and eyes. Third was abilty to thrive in keep and cockyard. Fourth was ability to survive the walk. Many people have managed to remove number four from the selection regimen and many under estimate the second and third. Number two made for the different looks, whether importance of coloration is acknowledged in selection process or not.

 

[centrarchid]

EDUARDO GROWING BACK FEATHERS LOST FROM DOG ATTACK

Up looking at Eduardo's tail this morning I found new flight feathers coming into his tail. Sicle feathers will be watched for closely.



FOX VISITED AND SCOOB EXSCORTED HIM OUT

Last night at about 0030 (12:30 AM) a red fox was messing about in front yard not 30 feet from where the front porch flock has been roosting each night. Scoob is staying inside at night since most birds are now penned for winter. None-the-less Scoob goes outside at least 3 times nightly to walk down area. He usually indicates his interest in such by growling and walking to door. This time he was a little more aggressive and really wanted out fast. Upon his bouncing out the door I saw why, the red fox was near rear of car and started bolting away with Scoob in hot pursuit. Scoob is easily faster in straight line but fox does the zig-zag once Scoob tries to chomp. One chomp and all will be over for fox. Fox will probably stay away for another month and process will be repeated. Once a second fast dog is in place the fox very unlikely to be able to use the zig-zag escape method for getting away. Same fox cleaned neighbor out of his barred Plymouth rocks about a month ago. Scoob found the fox's cache of barred rock and has been bring parts up into yard.

I wonder how Scoob knows the fox is outside? Can he smell it or does fox make sounds that can be heard by Scoob inside?