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

[Hablo]

I never got to see your YouTube channel but am nearly done with your book and wishing I’d been able to read it before I built a coop and got coop chickens. I always thought chickens were just fragile birds and needed intense protection. But wrong chickens! That just makes all the sense in the world. I’m planning on changing course a bit - not getting rid of the coop chickens but starting a separate project of trying to establish a hardy breed that works in the Appalachian mountains. I still have my professional life which takes up a lot of time so I don’t see me doing intensive breeding, but I can do obtaining potentially good breeds and letting them survive and reproduce as they will. It’s a very exciting idea to me and I’m grateful for your knowledge.

I even found his videos more inspiring than his book because I could see the chicken run and live. Also, his attitude and behavior when one or many of his chickens died was eye-opening for me. He just saw it objective: "Only the strongest survive."
I'm very sad that he deleted the videos.
@Florida Bullfrog Would it be an option for you to upload them to an alternative website where is less rush?

 

[Appalachickens]

I even found his videos more inspiring than his book because I could see the chicken run and live. Also, his attitude and behavior when one or many of his chickens died was eye-opening for me. He just saw it objective: "Only the strongest survive."
I'm very sad that he deleted the videos.
@Florida Bullfrog Would it be an option for you to upload them to an alternative website where is less rush?

I've thought a lot about that and how different that will be compared to the more pet-like expereince of coop chickens.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Wow. I just discovered this thread. Now I have five years of it to catch up on!

 

[Carontheroad]

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I am not yet ready to release the terrofowl on free range, both because I have not yet removed the mixed free-range flock, and because my bulldog puppies have been killing several free-rangers.

The broody terrorfowl hens produced one viable chick between them. This one chick is very resilient. It roosts alone in rain and cool without issue.

I am allowing the terrorfowl to range within an electrified paddock. Even though they have the ability to fly over the net, they do not, consistent with how all of my orientals and Liege behave.

One of the terrorfowl hens in broody again, we’ll see how she does on this hatch.



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I also have 19 young F1 and F2 terrorfowl growing out and allowed to partially range in a fenced yard.

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I didn’t realize my channel was so important to people. In hindsight, I perhaps could have left up the video as an archive and simply done a goodby video.

However, I’ll explain here a little bit of what I’ve told people via PM. I’m simply getting to many messages to reply to them all.

In my career, I work for the government. I’m responsible for punishing evil doers. That almost always means depriving violent criminals of their freedom for decades or the rest of their lives. Sometimes that means actually taking their lives via capital punishment. It is a heavy burden. It is also often thankless. Its a constant war for the heart and soul of the local community.

For 3 years I took a break from the work. It was during this time I founded my Youtube channel. I returned to the war after 3 years. I kept Florida Bullfrog as an escape and posted periodically for the next decade. I even wrote my book. However, maintaining Florida Bullfrog as a side project took my farm away as my private way to recharge. Instead of enjoying my farm an animals for myself and my family, it became a job to constantly make content. Even writing my book took a lot out if me. The weekends I spent writing late into the night would have been better spent with family and resting.

I torched the channel because I had to “kill” Florida Bullfrog. I don’t think he’s me anymore. It used to be that “me the prosecutor” was a mask and Florida Bullfrog was the real me. Now its reversed. I had always hoped the channel might become a way I could leave the practice of law behind. Now its clear I’m called into this profession as my life’s duty. So I had to terminate the part of me that was holding on to a simpler life.

Your story makes me feel sad. Maybe one day you can return to the simpler life. For everything there is a season. I’ve noticed that about many bloggers. When they first start out they are just happy to share what they are doing and their enthusiasm is the drawing card. But as time and popularity increase you can see a change and their fame begins to wear them down and is like a chain around their neck. Most people don’t realize how much work it is to film and edit. Bloggers are the movie stars of modern day and my hats off to all of them.

 

[Carontheroad]

View attachment 4143775View attachment 4143776View attachment 4143782View attachment 4143781View attachment 4143779

I am not yet ready to release the terrofowl on free range, both because I have not yet removed the mixed free-range flock, and because my bulldog puppies have been killing several free-rangers.

The broody terrorfowl hens produced one viable chick between them. This one chick is very resilient. It roosts alone in rain and cool without issue.

I am allowing the terrorfowl to range within an electrified paddock. Even though they have the ability to fly over the net, they do not, consistent with how all of my orientals and Liege behave.

One of the terrorfowl hens in broody again, we’ll see how she does on this hatch.



View attachment 4143780

I also have 19 young F1 and F2 terrorfowl growing out and allowed to partially range in a fenced yard.

View attachment 4143778

What a beautiful, regal looking rooster. And those hens are seriously scary looking! Stink eye officiandos. Terrorfowl you say? Aptly named. But we see her softer side in the brood box. Chickens are so interesting. They are like cats. They allow you into their world but yet keep you at a distance.

 

[Appalachickens]

Your story makes me feel sad. Maybe one day you can return to the simpler life. For everything there is a season. I’ve noticed that about many bloggers. When they first start out they are just happy to share what they are doing and their enthusiasm is the drawing card. But as time and popularity increase you can see a change and their fame begins to wear them down and is like a chain around their neck. Most people don’t realize how much work it is to film and edit. Bloggers are the movie stars of modern day and my hats off to all of them.

I had an active blog for more than a decade. I was never famous but did have a loyal following. But towards the end, it felt like an obligation rather than the joyful creative outlet it used to be and I stopped pretty abruptly. I don't even check the email address associated with it anymore. So I get that completely.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

I even found his videos more inspiring than his book because I could see the chicken run and live. Also, his attitude and behavior when one or many of his chickens died was eye-opening for me. He just saw it objective: "Only the strongest survive."
I'm very sad that he deleted the videos.
@Florida Bullfrog Would it be an option for you to upload them to an alternative website where is less rush?

I don’t have many of my old videos saved. I would often delete them after uploading. I only have my most recent videos.

I’m open to possibly starting a new channel that only focuses on knowledge relating to my chickens and other rustic livestock. But I’m conflicted about the idea, so at least for now that probably means it isn’t the right option. If I ever start a new channel, the format will be different. I won’t likely talk about my life or show my family. I probably won’t make hunting or camping videos either. It will just be documentary-style videos about livestock, released periodically.

 

[Appalachickens]

I don’t have many of my old videos saved. I would often delete them after uploading. I only have my most recent videos.

I’m open to possibly starting a new channel that only focuses on knowledge relating to my chickens and other rustic livestock. But I’m conflicted about the idea, so at least for now that probably means it isn’t the right option. If I ever start a new channel, the format will be different. I won’t likely talk about my life or show my family. I probably won’t make hunting or camping videos either. It will just be documentary-style videos about livestock, released periodically.

If you ever do that, I'd love to see them. But the far more important thing is doing what's right for your life and taking care of yourself.