Everything Asil Thread ( show off those Asil )

[JRNash]

from accounts that I've read Lucky was never at risk. He was In the house.And asil seem to have a lot better immune system

 

[ccassidy18]

The asils along with any other game breed like them and even birds like old English games are all birds with ry strong immune systems,because their ancestry has exposed to blood from MANY different birds and bloodlines. As well as the usual different areas that make immune more diseases. Because of the fighting nature,they have built up their immune systems through surviving birds after cockfights.

 

[cubalaya]

The asils along with any other game breed like them and even birds like old English games are all birds with ry strong immune systems,because their ancestry has exposed to blood from MANY different birds and bloodlines. As well as the usual different areas that make immune more diseases. Because of the fighting nature,they have built up their immune systems through surviving birds after cockfights.

not really. it was the selection of the breeders or cockers. the strongest, living to breed the next generation of fowl. any sign of sickness is a reason to cull. any fault, another reason. some of these birds being kept pure for many generations(asil meaning purebred) and others being family bred and inbred (american games) with no signs of depression and vigorous and healthy for decades.

 

[ccassidy18]

But that kind of also runs along the general idea. They were bred for their immune strength along with he fighting nature. But I think American Games and Old English Games were ultimately bred for quick fighting as well as high energy and very aggressive fighting in short time bursts. But that was always my opinion on it. I will say though,that I really like standard old English games...tailed and henny. I really have an attraction to them. But finding them pure is a different story...though I think Jim Zook has them.

 

[varidgerunner]

Think of it this way, a game chicken that was prone to catch a disease was not a winner. A game chicken that was not a winner didn't get to pass on genes. Over many generations of this process of selection, you could end up with birds with stronger immune systems. Contrast this to birds that have been nursed along because they had the perfect color or plumage or comb type that would have died if left to their own devices. Yet they were used in a breeding program. Most game chickens never even made it to the proving stage if they had something wrong with them. Most were traditionally raised loose and had to fend for themselves until coming of age. Hard for survival of the fittest to come into play in a predator free pen with free choice feed and water. Human selection can never come close to natural selection.

 

[JRNash]

I disagree with the way you stated that Ridgerunner.
You have it backwards Imo, nature would have NEVER gave rise to the asil. Without the selective breeding for the aggressive traits and stamina these birds would not exist.
As proof of this statement I offer the following, Jungle fowl only gave rise to the chicken AFTER we selected for traits WE wanted. The aggressive nature of the asil would not allow a wild population to flourish. At least not if they all act like "Lucky"

 

[ccassidy18]

Asils are bred to fight. At least in the old days of when they were being purified by the ancients. I agree that natural selection and human selection both played important roles. Nature programmed a bird with more immune strength. That's a natural thing is the immune system. But humans selected the weaker birds to cull them,and the stronger birds to survive. Those stronger birds were then put in the pit with another rooster and either survived or died. The hens were just being bred and picked up traits from the roosters DNA. The hens get relatively aggressive with each other. They can get nasty. But that is why we house them separately with one rooster. Or we only keep two hens and a rooster together. The hens can also give the rooster a good beating too,so that is generally why we house asils as pairs...so the rooster can keep the hen in line. If the ancient breeders saw a rooster get beat up by the hen,the rooster would be put down. Human selection played a huge role in the breed's creation.

 

[cubalaya]

i would think with natural selection and birds running free all the time, that true gameness , over time would disappear from the flock. runners would survive to mate some birds and chicks would be born that were less game. survival of the fittest, not the gamest. the very name asil meaning thoroughbred and the oldest breed on earth, does not describe a non game bird. if it is not game then it is not asil. I knew of a flock of old English games that were left to roam and forage and never penned. over time, they literally killed themselves off, with one cock and two hens left out of 25. then the hawks and coons got those because they were not protected. human selection being the reason we have healthy gamefowl today.​

 

[varidgerunner]

I'm talking about leaving broods free range until they come of age. They go through one round of natural selection. The dumb, weak, and sickly don't make it. Then, when selected again, it is still natural selection. They are being selected by another asil, not a human. Another asil will spot weaknesses we can't. All that man has done is select the winners. This is why they are improved to the point that they are.

 

[varidgerunner]

Asils are bred to fight. At least in the old days of when they were being purified by the ancients. I agree that natural selection and human selection both played important roles. Nature programmed a bird with more immune strength. That's a natural thing is the immune system. But humans selected the weaker birds to cull them,and the stronger birds to survive. Those stronger birds were then put in the pit with another rooster and either survived or died. The hens were just being bred and picked up traits from the roosters DNA. The hens get relatively aggressive with each other. They can get nasty. But that is why we house them separately with one rooster. Or we only keep two hens and a rooster together. The hens can also give the rooster a good beating too,so that is generally why we house asils as pairs...so the rooster can keep the hen in line. If the ancient breeders saw a rooster get beat up by the hen,the rooster would be put down. Human selection played a huge role in the breed's creation.

In asil homelands, hens were selected the same way as cocks, they didn't just pick up traits from the cocks. They were purposely matched and evaluated based on performance. Relatively aggressive is an understatement regarding hen interaction.