interested in Red jungle fowl

[Don 27]

If I were you I would probably get actual gamefowl. Cackle sells Standard OE Gamefowl which would probably work out well for what you want if you’re wanting to buy from a hatchery.

They sell old English game birds that's interesting. maybe I will try releasing my game fowl they are in need of new blood through, they are becoming a little in bread . I could try hatching eggs there cheaper .

 

[roosterhavoc]

They sell old English game birds that's interesting. maybe I will try releasing my game fowl they are in need of new blood through, they are becoming a little in bread . I could try hatching eggs there cheaper .

What kind of gamefowl do you have?

 

[Don 27]

What kind of gamefowl do you have?

Not exactly sure what kind they are exactly. I inquired them from a local farmers barn. he said that the chickens are mutts of game birds and silkies bantam cross. I always called them game chickens.

 

[Don 27]

The mother died but I was able to save her chicks and the father.

 

[roosterhavoc]

Not exactly sure what kind they are exactly. I inquired them from a local farmers barn. he said that the chickens are mutts of game birds and silkies bantam cross. I always called them game chickens.

Oh they're probably OEGB. They are bantams and couldn’t be further from actual American gamefowl.
If you get actual gamefowl you won’t be able to have multiple roosters loose in close proximity with each other.

 

[Don 27]

So if I have a more self reliant chickens in my woods and more than one roo was born they would fight ?and If so then how is one roo supposed to protect all the hens?

 

[ThracianHorse]

So if I have a wild population in my woods and more than one roo was born they would fight ?and If so then how is one roo supposed to protect all the hens?

...what do you think will happen? You want "wild" chickens, then you'll see wild. Roosters will fight, maybe badly injure or kill each other over access to hens. Hens might die from being egg-bound, or from injuries from over-zealous cockerels, or even from fights with each other. All chickens are susceptible to bumblefoot, starvation, and exposure to the elements (especially older or younger birds). I strongly suggest cracking open a book about chicken behavior and reading up about the biology of them. The idea of one rooster protecting a feral flock is impossible, as is the idea that they will all reliably utilize a barn for shelter in the winter. Every population has emigrants, and a learning curve. You'll never see those, though. Those will just disappear.

If you want wild birds, I suggest encouraging the wild native birds instead of setting loose and maintaining a feral population of chickens. That's as terrible an idea as setting loose feral cats. All it does is bring problems and disease if they aren't tended or minded on some level. You stated you don't want them for eggs or meat, or even as companions. You certainly won't be able to monitor, or vaccinate for disease in this kind of a setup, nor will you be able to control fowl mites, lice, or treat birds ailing from other common things chickens might suffer from. You also might check your local laws for feral stock ordinances. In short, why are you running this experiment at all? Wild birds can provide you with all of the things you want with none of the issues feral chickens bring - and the native birds actually belong there. The approach you seem to be interested in here tiptoes dangerously close to complete irresponsibility for your livestock.

Real red junglefowl are insanely hard to keep, as others have pointed out. But they are also treated as insanely valuable birds for those who can meet their high needs and demands in captivity. In other words, people don't turn birds that valuable loose to wander the woods. That's asking for a sudden decrease in the value of ones flock, usually down the throat of a coyote.

 

[roosterhavoc]

So if I have a wild population in my woods and more than one roo was born they would fight ?and If so then how is one roo supposed to protect all the hens?

As already mentioned I’m not sure what you’re after with a wild population? If that means to you chickens just coming and going at random with you occasionally setting a few traps in an attempt to keep them alive it won’t work.
True gamefowl cocks will kill each other. Chickens are domesticated. While I let many birds free range year round I only ever have 1 loose full grown cock and usually not even that. I do have loose hens year round though. I still feed them, treat for lice and mites and look them over every so often. Just turning them loose for good isn't the best idea.

 

[SOHC-FTW]

Just to add to what's already been said.
Your wanting what old timers had or what some think they had. Issue there is back then they were more trappers it was smiled on and a way of life nowadays it's frowned on so less are trapping which is a terrible thing as trapping is a must for free ranging anything with or without a electric fence. If you are wanting chickens just running everywhere such what they called a walk back in the day folks did with gamefowl then do it, but don't think for one second that you aren't gonna loose some or the majority to varmints or other issues if you don't put in the work and then you've always got birds of prey that can also wipe you clean. With gamefowl expect deaths from fights if you have more than one cock they will go out of their way to go after each other (at least real gamefowl) they don't have to be made to fight it's in their blood even hens can have the same mentality. Once you get past all the tree hugger nonesese about trapping and the untruthful facts about gamefowl that people with zero or very little experience like to spew you won't find a better breed of birds it's hard work keeping them alive and healthy to boot if you really want it to work it's not a set it an forget it type deal.

 

[Don 27]

As already mentioned I’m not sure what you’re after with a wild population? If that means to you chickens just coming and going at random with you occasionally setting a few traps in an attempt to keep them alive it won’t work.
True gamefowl cocks will kill each other. Chickens are domesticated. While I let many birds free range year round I only ever have 1 loose full grown cock and usually not even that. I do have loose hens year round though. I still feed them, treat for lice and mites and look them over every so often. Just turning them loose for good isn't the best idea.

No I wasn't just going to let them go and forget about them. I was just looking to have chickens that are more wild and self reliant than your average layers. And less susceptible to predictors ect. I'm not looking to cause chickens harm or anything. But chickens did come from the wild so there has to be a more wild bird out there. That's why I was interested in red jungle fowl. Because if you look at some vids of them in the wild there is multiple roos foraging together and they seem to be doing fine together. And study's have shown that some groups of red jungle fowl roosters do fine with each other. The farm we bought are rooster from had more roosters than hens. And there was no over breeding issues or fights. Sorry if I offended someone. I have had layers and meat birds for over 6years and we'll aware what care they need to survive.