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

[Appalachian homestead]

Have you had any trouble with your crackers or games not getting along with your laying hens? I recently turned my blueface bullstag out on free range with my layers. One hen puffed up like broody and tried to run him off. He didn't back down ,and I kept an eye on them . I thought they were settling down the second day. The third day I came home from work and he had killed that hen. The rest of the flock is slowly getting used to him.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Have you had any trouble with your crackers or games not getting along with your laying hens? I recently turned my blueface bullstag out on free range with my layers. One hen puffed up like broody and tried to run him off. He didn't back down ,and I kept an eye on them . I thought they were settling down the second day. The third day I came home from work and he had killed that hen. The rest of the flock is slowly getting used to him.

Only mildly. Not to the point of serious injury to the hens. Some of my previous Cracker stags or cocks would refuse to breed layer hens or any hen that wasn’t partridge colored. If those hens would squat for one of those roosters the rooster would usually peck her in the head several times until she got up and moved on. If in a coop, those hens will get ran around some. But never to the point of the rooster flogging the hen.

I can recall some stags fighting hens but I took it as just setting the pecking order.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Here’s an up-to-date pic of the Cracker x American stag.

 

[Appalachian homestead]

View attachment 3121112
Here’s an up-to-date pic of the Cracker x American stag.

I'm eager to see how he will look after his next molt. Are his legs blue or green?

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

I'm eager to see how he will look after his next molt. Are his legs blue or green?

Blue.

He doesn’t pose well for the camera. He’s a bit skittish of me. He just started crowing a few days ago.

He is already the size of Hei Hei so I expect him to me near twice the frame of a pure Cracker. He will be lightly built with large wings. An ideal flier.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Have you had issues with CrackerFowl hens getting into fights? They got into their first fight yesterday, bloody one. No serious injuries, just nicked combs that bled alot.
They lived together, no issues for two years, then the spurred hen decided to attack the broody(I need to break her, she's been broody for a month now), Cracker hen which is her hatch mate.

I have her separated in a doggy crate in the run right now.

 

[Appalachian homestead]

I'm curious about the mark on a few of his tail feathers. I wonder if it was caused by a change of diet or environment? Maybe when he was turned out to free range or had some sort of stress. Or maybe just mixed up genetics from the cross breeding....

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Have you had issues with CrackerFowl hens getting into fights? They got into their first fight yesterday, bloody one. No serious injuries, just nicked combs that bled alot.
They lived together, no issues for two years, then the spurred hen decided to attack the broody(I need to break her, she's been broody for a month now), Cracker hen which is her hatch mate.

I have her separated in a doggy crate in the run right now.

Yes its normal for them to get into knock-down drag outs with each other. Some of it is individual personality. Certain hens will fight any hen that doesn’t submit and won’t quit, even after the other hen starts running.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

I'm curious about the mark on a few of his tail feathers. I wonder if it was caused by a change of diet or environment? Maybe when he was turned out to free range or had some sort of stress. Or maybe just mixed up genetics from the cross breeding....

I’ve noticed it but not pondered it too deeply. I’ve been operating under the assumption he’s not molted out all of his chick feathers yet. That brown-striped spot is colored as his other feathers would be as a chick.

However, now that you mention it I think that line in his feathers would mark about the time he was turned out to free range.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Yes its normal for them to get into knock-down drag outs with each other. Some of it is individual personality. Certain hens will fight any hen that doesn’t submit and won’t quit, even after the other hen starts running.

Should I let them settle their fight, or keep separated for awhile? They went after each other again after I let one out earlier.
If they don't get along anymore, I may have to separate one into their own coop with rooster.
I got some red JungleFowl I can probably pair them with.