Developing My Own Breed Of Large Gamefowl For Free Range Survival (Junglefowl x Liege)

[Florida Bullfrog]

I’ve divided my terrorfowl lines in two. First line up is my red/wheaten birds with white legs. I may also add the wheaten Liege mother to this group (not pictured).

The second line is my black and blue line. I forgot to take pics of most of the pullets, but there are some good looking pullets in the group.

Between the two stags, the red stag has been the healthier on free-range. He maintained a lot more bulk than the blue stag without having to be fed cat food. Nonetheless, I’ll grow both out.

I also have two free-range stags that have stayed healthy on free range. They’re lanky but their breasts retain enough meat so as to not be emaciated.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

The freerange stags look less mature. Are they younger?

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

The freerange stags look less mature. Are they younger?

No. They’re just under the domination of a brood cock. Therefore their maturity is retarded.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Ok, I wondered. Who is the broodcock you have out?

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Ok, I wondered. Who is the broodcock you have out?

The one my wife calls Black-Eyed pea. He’s the only direct male descendant of Indo of non-Cracker influence that never seemed bothered by Marek’s. He should be something like 3/4 Liege and 1/4 aseel. There is a small possibility he may be 1/4 aseel x 1/4 Liege x 1/2 American. I considered him a cull for superficial reasons so I didn’t keep close track of him. He was disposable hawk bait. Turned out to be the most vigorous of them all except for those of Indo that also had Cracker in them.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

I’m going to try for some high-grade terrofowl pics soon. They’re filling out nicely.

 

[Az OEGB]

View attachment 3992279

I’m going to try for some high-grade terrofowl pics soon. They’re filling out nicely.

He looks great!

 

[RobG7aChattTN]

For me it seems like I’ll have a few free-range roosters that do great for a while and then some unknown predator will come through and get all the roosters that sleep in the trees and then it seems to move on. This last time I went out of town for a week and came back to find I was missing a few except one free-range rooster and the one rooster that roosts in the barn with the hens was beat up and had a black spot on his comb. The one free-range rooster that was untouched actually escaped as barely more than a chick when I was culling birds. I expected him to get picked off that night but he’s managed to survive for many months…maybe even a year? The only negative is he seems to be more aggressive towards other roosters than I like. I even managed to catch him once and was going to dispatch him but he was so strong and muscular that I decided to let him go.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

What is he?

 

[NagemTX]

For me it seems like I’ll have a few free-range roosters that do great for a while and then some unknown predator will come through and get all the roosters that sleep in the trees and then it seems to move on. This last time I went out of town for a week and came back to find I was missing a few except one free-range rooster and the one rooster that roosts in the barn with the hens was beat up and had a black spot on his comb. The one free-range rooster that was untouched actually escaped as barely more than a chick when I was culling birds. I expected him to get picked off that night but he’s managed to survive for many months…maybe even a year? The only negative is he seems to be more aggressive towards other roosters than I like. I even managed to catch him once and was going to dispatch him but he was so strong and muscular that I decided to let him go. View attachment 3992504

Coons learn where they roost and owls too and will start picking them off out of the trees.