Historic Presence of Jungle Fowl in the American Deep South

[Florida Bullfrog]

Just to show how tame my games are, here’s a hen that surprised me by flying up on my shoulder.

The only birds I have that act wild are the OEGB. They go nuts when I’m near their run and won’t tolerate me at all. When they get out they fly all over and it takes a butterfly net to catch them. I had to put the hound on one hen that flew to the top of the house then across the yard into a 5 acre field of wiregrass. The hound scent trailed her down a creek bed and flushed her, then found her in the field and held her down unharmed until I retrieved her. And the little self blue rooster that’s the size of a large soda can flogs me mercilessly but he has no spurs so its impotent rage. I hand raised him after he was given to me so I have no idea why they’re so flighty. I’d call them wild before my so called “RJF.”

 

[Don 27]

Can you post a google map of your place? That would provide insight into how much your semi-feral chickens can expand.

At some point you will get hit by owls.

Sure, I have about 25acres and the neighbors didn't mined the chickens because they eat the ticks that would other wise bite their dog.

this is an older picture a lot of this has been mowed. The road is my only concern. The white line was for someone else who wanted to know how much the original farmer owned. I own a portion of this . I would like to buy more to keep it from growing up and farm it like it was originally. but no one is selling and I don't have the money at the moment.

 

[Don 27]

Can you post a google map of your place? That would provide insight into how much your semi-feral chickens can expand.

At some point you will get hit by owls.

I don't like the sound of owls. .

 

[centrarchid]

I don't like the sound of owls. .

If you are in Ohio, then you will have issues with owls at some. When we kept games in larger numbers, we culled owls. That approach not legal and when you have only a small number of birds, not practical either.

Be watching for headless birds in the morning.

 

[Don 27]

That is my understanding, yes. In the poultry world and among the gamefowl community “gaminess” equals rooster on rooster aggression to the death with no backing down due to injury.

Now among my people the Florida Crackers, there is an understanding that “game” in relation to the name of the breed is a reference to the wildness of the birds. To say one had “game chickens” on the farm meant one had semi-feral, free ranging chickens of what we are now calling wild or RJF coloration. Chickens used for cockfighting were just called “fighting roosters.” To say one raised “game chickens” meant something different than one raised “fighting roosters.”

I see now I know what people are talking about when they say gaminess. I didn't know game chickens were considered feral Or semi wild chickens in Florida. Must have been more common to have feral chickens back in that time. I wish it was more common now. Those were the good old days when most of America was made up of farms.Thanks for the history!

 

[centrarchid]

Sure, I have about 25acres and the neighbors didn't mined the chickens because they eat the ticks that would other wise bite their dog. View attachment 2001042 this is an older picture a lot of this has been mowed. The road is my only concern. The white line was for someone else who wanted to know how much the original farmer owned. I own a portion of this . I would like to buy more to keep it from growing up and farm it like it was originally. but no one is selling and I don't have the money at the moment.

Looks more like 40 acres. Where are the birds ranging?

 

[centrarchid]

Image below best I can do on short notice. House in center of image and my barn to west (left) of that. One flock currently based around house. Another based along walkway between house and barn that also goes south into thicket. Final group centered on barn. Group around house covers a couple acres across road, not my property.

Owls work the entire area at night. The owls come in every couple of weeks or so for a few days then hunt somewhere else. I think they are nesting to south at least 1/4 mile away.

 

[centrarchid]

Just to show how tame my games are, here’s a hen that surprised me by flying up on my shoulder.

The only birds I have that act wild are the OEGB. They go nuts when I’m near their run and won’t tolerate me at all. When they get out they fly all over and it takes a butterfly net to catch them. I had to put the hound on one hen that flew to the top of the house then across the yard into a 5 acre field of wiregrass. The hound scent trailed her down a creek bed and flushed her, then found her in the field and held her down unharmed until I retrieved her. And the little self blue rooster that’s the size of a large soda can flogs me mercilessly but he has no spurs so its impotent rage. I hand raised him after he was given to me so I have no idea why they’re so flighty. I’d call them wild before my so called “RJF.”

You can go a long ways towards training those birds to come to you by using treats. My games all have capacity for being flighty, but with a little work I have gotten them so even the season gamefowl guys take notice. Their interest in dental work is beyond my skill set.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

I’m covered up in great horned owls. All of my chicken roost in covered and fenced coops except my guineas. The guineas sleep in the open on top of a small coop. Why a great horned howl hasn’t popped one yet, I cannot say. Unless the group of them together is intimidating. Last night in the light of the full moon I watched one fly into the top of the closest pine to the guineas. Thought for sure he was lining up on a run on them. But I still had all 5 today. I do know the owl would have to deal with my dogs if it couldn’t fly off with a guinea. The guineas roost about 20 yards from where my dogs sleep. I am not sure that the owl can reason that out though.

 

[centrarchid]

You can go a long ways towards training those birds to come to you by using treats. My games all have capacity for being flighty, but with a little work I have gotten them so even the season gamefowl guys take notice. Their interest in dental work is beyond my skill set.

Here is a video showing some that would come to me. I have a couple hens that fly further each day as I feed penned cocks. Trimmed out flight, not the flap like mad flights of heavier ornamental breeds.

Everyone, without exception that I have seen that works with gamefowl, is a little bit nuts.