Game birds are mean? Seriously?

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

This is my first experience with chickens of any kind. And they are all game birds. DH says they act different then the regular breeds, but these have also been allowed to run wild for who knows how many years and generations. They are only somewhat tame. But they aren't mean.

 

[mandelyn]

Old English Game Bantams are a different bird than Standard sized American or Oriental game. I've never met a one mean to humans. Standard game, no other roosters around. Watch the hens with chicks unless you've gained her trust. I've seen a game hen launch herself 40 ft into a tree, with little effort.

They can be flighty, or sane. Decent layers. Roosters can have a heart of gold with humans and the hens.

Old English Bantams.. now those are some sweet roosters most of the time. Seems the aggression in them is genetic, after culling any with an attitude, the ones left breeding were sweet as could be to everyone, they would bicker a little amongst themselves but nothing serious. Sometimes brothers would team up for hens and pal around together in subsequent generations.

The bantam games are incredibly easy to tame. My very first hen came off the side of a mountain, born and raised wild with little contact. I caught her, took 6 hours, after my great uncle said "If you can catch it, you can keep it". I was 10. Named her Princess and bought her a couple of chicks she didn't want.

My great uncle only ever had games, they were the only breeds who managed to stay alive long enough to reproduce and live a good life on the side of that mountain. They'd roost in the old barn rafters or 60 ft up in the trees. He had everything for predators, bobcats, owls, hawks, dogs, bear, coyote, fox, you name it. Normal chickens just didn't last.

Finding your breakfast eggs was another matter. That's what all the kids were for though. You sent them all out looking for nests.

All I had were game birds for a little while. Started getting into other breeds, like now, many years later, I have Marans and the like. The difference in intelligence between... say a standard game hen and a Red Star or something... wow. Without human intervention, these fluffy butt laying hens wouldn't last long. My Marans are sweet as can be. But compared to a game hen, they're not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

You can actually carry a conversation with a game rooster. He'll respond in various clucks and mumbles of rooster speak. Then he'll try to offer you food. Don't take it, he'll wing dance your leg if you take the food. Or maybe I just spent too much time with my chickens as a kid.

 

[AHDCST]

I too cannot stand it when people say that Old English Game chickens are mean! Well let me tell you the chick in my avatar is a Old English Bantam and she is broody right now, since she has been broody she has yelled at me but NEVER tried to peck me (When the chicks come that may change). When she isnt broody she rides around on my shoulder and just loves to be given attention.

I also had a BB Red Roo and he was spunky but never ever mean. He was a great roo to his hens and to me. I loved him and hated to rehome him. (Neighbors complained....)

As the proud momma of little Gracie mentioned by Scarlett456, I can verify that everything said is true! I have 3 different breeds of Old English Game Birds. I own a pair of Self Blues(noisy but not mean), a pair of BB Reds( as tame as can be,Gracie is proof), and a trio of Barred Old English (the roo is a character but not mean and the girls are super sweet) I would take an Old English Game over any other breed standard or bantam!(just don't tell my standards I said that)!

 

[rancher hicks]

I'm still around after reviving this thread. I thought Little Bit ( the hen sent to me, to go with mr. crooked toes) got snatched but she showed up the next day. I don't know where she was hiding but I"m glad she's back.

I opened the door to let some fresh air in and she was out but I didn't worry to much. That night I couldn't find her in the back yard. It's fenced but she can jump pretty high for a chick. She's fully feathered and it's been warmer.

 

[centrarchid]

I'm still around after reviving this thread. I thought Little Bit ( the hen sent to me, to go with mr. crooked toes) got snatched but she showed up the next day. I don't know where she was hiding but I"m glad she's back.
I opened the door to let some fresh air in and she was out but I didn't worry to much. That night I couldn't find her in the back yard. It's fenced but she can jump pretty high for a chick. She's fully feathered and it's been warmer.

When small without attending adults, she is easy hawk bait. For me, each year I loose a couple juveniles to red fox before remainder before balance figure out what to do. You do not have enough for Little Bit to learn from others mistakes.

 

[hennypenny99]

I love my little game hen. She is not mean at all. When I first picked her up at our local flea market she had three little babies with her. She was such a good momma! My kids wanted to catch her babies and I do believe she would have flogged them good if she could have got to them. The chick they were catching had gone through a small hole in the fence and momma couldnt get to them. She did put the hurt on one of our dogs that was a little too curious one day. I was a little afraid of her at first, not because she was aggressive, but because she had spurs on the back of her legs just like a rooster and they were nearly an inch long! She was such a good mom. She slept with them in the nesting box when they were little and when they were old enough to fly she would roost with them in a tree.

She is much more tame now that we have had her for almost a year. She comes up to me and begs to be fed and hangs out with the other chickens now. Oh and she is such a good layer. She gives us at least 4 to 5 white eggs a week. Here is a pic. Does anyone know what breed she is? I have always just heard of them called game chickens. Her legs are a grey/greenish color. She may be a mix.

 

[centrarchid]

I love my little game hen. She is not mean at all. When I first picked her up at our local flea market she had three little babies with her. She was such a good momma! My kids wanted to catch her babies and I do believe she would have flogged them good if she could have got to them. The chick they were catching had gone through a small hole in the fence and momma couldnt get to them. She did put the hurt on one of our dogs that was a little too curious one day. I was a little afraid of her at first, not because she was aggressive, but because she had spurs on the back of her legs just like a rooster and they were nearly an inch long! She was such a good mom. She slept with them in the nesting box when they were little and when they were old enough to fly she would roost with them in a tree.

She is much more tame now that we have had her for almost a year. She comes up to me and begs to be fed and hangs out with the other chickens now. Oh and she is such a good layer. She gives us at least 4 to 5 white eggs a week. Here is a pic. Does anyone know what breed she is? I have always just heard of them called game chickens. Her legs are a grey/greenish color. She may be a mix.

Colored eggs is not usually associated with games. Coloration typical of black breasted red although that color pattern goes with many games breeds / strains.

 

[hennypenny99]

She lays white eggs, she just has grey/green legs. I bet she is a mixed breed of some kind.

 

[centrarchid]

Colored eggs is not usually associated with games.  Coloration typical of black breasted red although that color pattern goes with many games breeds / strains.

My mistake. Even leg coloration can not be used to nail down breed / strain. It can sometimes be used to limit possibilities. Best to ask breeder as such might know.

 

[Lollipop]

This has been a fun read. Glad so many folks are standing up for gamefowl and the bad rap they have. The reason you don't have manfighters among gamefowl is that any manfighter has always been culled as soon as it came out of the closet. Can you visualize what could happen if an old time cocker would attach artificial spurs (called "heels") to a manfighter and set him down in a pit? Could have the same effect as getting your body caught in a chain saw, or worse. Consequently, manfighting seldom raises it's ugly head in game breeds, in stark contrast to standard barnyard fowl. A little piece of trivia for ya, and this is nit picking, game chickens are referred to as gamefowl, or game chickens. Gamebirds are pheasants, quail and the like. Just trivia, but if you're talking to an old time gamefowl breeder, ya wanna at least sound like you know what you're talking about. Many breeds under the "game" monicker, are no longer "game", except in name and appearance. As someone said earlier in this thread, the difference is that a "game" rooster won't quit. They are the true athletes of the chicken world. I never minded a hen that would protect her nest, or her chicks. Once had a Shamo hen that could drill through a leather work glove, if you bothered her nest, Then there was the Little 3 lb Spanish Game hen thet would fly up and hit my elbo if I got close to her chicks. Any rooster that would not come to tha resque of a sqawking hen isn't worth his feed. Point is, pick up the rooster first so he can't get in your face when you mess with his hen. Other than that, gamefowl are the most civil fowl you can keep. Just don't let another rooster, especially a strange one, intrude on their space. Thanks for sharing all your experiences.........Pop