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

[Appalachian homestead]

You mentioned Shadow has brooded chicks . Has she taught her night foraging habits to her offspring?

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

You mentioned Shadow has brooded chicks . Has she taught her night foraging habits to her offspring?

Yes, to the extent I have pics of her walking them around at 4am. Also, other chickens unrelated to her apparently learned it from her. I sent a Cracker x Easter Egger stag off farm who night forages per his new owner.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Is there any time of year that is less prone to issues?

No. It will either hit new chicks or adults the first two weeks of free ranging, or it never does. Its not something that pops up months after the fact or seems to be associated with seasons.

Also, birds sent off farm never develop it when turned out to free range. That’s why I don’t think its really a communicable disease. Its not something my chickens seem to pass to each other within the coops as I rotate chickens in and out of free range. Its something that comes from a chicken’s first encounter with my environment.

Some people I consult with suspect botulism from the shallows of my yard pond. I water coop birds from the pond but I dip deep to get water out of it. On free range chickens often drink from just a couple centimeters of water over deep mud. This winter I’ve let my water levels drop several feet to dry out the mud shallows and expose them to the cold to see if that makes a difference. Normally that mud stays warm year round.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

This is Indo’s cross to a Cracker, the only stag so produced.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

How big?

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

I didn’t ask, but I suspect no more than 4-5lbs.

 

[genesis1verse1]

I didn’t ask, but I suspect no more than 4-5lbs.

Isn't that a little bigger than the full cracker stags?

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Isn't that a little bigger than the full cracker stags?

Yes. He is larger than a pure Cracker. He was the second of two Indo x Cracker crosses that came out larger than Crackers. All the others came out Cracker sized.

The hen I posted above (I’ll repost another pic of her here) is the other one that came out larger than a Cracker. I kept her.

That brown barring on the wings is characteristic of all the Indo x Cracker crosses.

 

[Appalachian homestead]

Can or will you be using him in your breeding project?

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

No, I sent him off farm for the reason I will not be. However, realizing how well the Indo x Cracker crosses have done, I intend to make many, many, more this spring. These may be the birds I throw our into the woods to fend for themselves, and I may use them as a base to like breed Azog to.