Is it possible to get the best of both worlds?

[SilverBirds]

I'm worried about adding the inefficiency of the gamefowl into the genepool. Don't you think this will negatively impact the performance of the original JG genes, having added gamefowl to it?

I was suggesting getting a gamefowl or another partridge/duckwing rooster and one or two gamefowl/partridge hens of the same breed for mostly ornamental purposes and just not breeding them to the JG.

Sounds like you want something like a partridge Brahma/Wyandotte/Cochin. They are all big, hardy birds that are decent layers, but with the colors you want. There shouldn't be any undesirable genes if you breed the any of these to your JG.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

That's interesting, I never realized that, what recessive genes did you have show up?

A type of recessive white and dun/khaki (not a recessive gene, it works like dlue, but male duns look just like regular gold duckwings and when you're not expecting it in the flock, it catches you off guard

I actually think about his a lot. I honestly think this is one of my best options. However they're not very broody from what I hear, can you solve this? Do hens genuinely refuse to sit on their eggs?

Some do, mainly great egg layers ( a bird can't lay 5 or 6 days a week if she's setting after all). That's why some breeds like silkies only lay 100 or so eggs a year

Jerseys are 100% my favorite breed. The second best chicken for my situation would definitely be plymouth rock. But I am a man of pretty gamefowl gosh darn it!!

Thought about this. But the nature of living so far north is that the power always goes out during the coldest weather, which is when they'd need it the most. Seems safer to just get a cold hardy breed and let them do their thing

Definitely a safer thought. I'm in both camps right now and I really am not a fan of the lights, but the birds I have are just sensitive to the cold, so I'm really risking them no matter what I choose

 

[NatJ]

I actually think about his a lot. I honestly think this is one of my best options. However they're not very broody from what I hear, can you solve this? Do hens genuinely refuse to sit on their eggs?

I've read of a few Leghorns that went broody, but it's not particularly common. That is part of why they can be such good layers: they are not taking time off to go broody.

You might consider having a few hens of a different breed, that do go broody, and let them do the hatching. Some people use SIlkies, but I don't like the feathered feet, crested heads, and silkie-type feathers. I've had several Old English Game Bantams from Ideal Poultry that made fine mothers. They would lay about 12-15 eggs and go broody. After raising chicks they would lay another 12-15 eggs and go broody again. I had a Black Tailed Buff Japanese bantam that did the same thing. A bantam cannot sit on as many eggs as a large hen, but she doesn't eat as much either. You can probably keep two bantams or one large hen for similar coop space/food cost, and have them hatch about the same number of eggs each year.

If you have a good laying breed and also a broody breed, it's nice if you can tell the eggs apart. Options include big vs. small, brown vs. white vs. blue/green, etc. That way you can choose which eggs to hatch, to get the kind of chicks you want.

Jerseys are 100% my favorite breed. The second best chicken for my situation would definitely be plymouth rock. But I am a man of pretty gamefowl gosh darn it!!

I see people suggesting a gamefowl roostesr with your Jerseys.

If you just want the color, without compromising egg production, you might use a Brown Leghorn rooster with your Jerseys. Same basic idea, but going to the other extreme on the laying/broodiness spectrum.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Another idea is you can just keep the Games, & just breed from those that lay better then another individual in the flock, & breed from better laying offspring produced?
Select for better production, rather then adding in foriegn blood. But if really needed, you can cross, then back cross.

 

[cubalaya]

Is there a chicken with the oriental aesthetic of a gamefowl, that is simultaneously a great layer, a broiler, and cold hardy?
if no such bird exists, would cross breeding a gamefowl with a more domesticated chicken (for example AGB x Jersey giant) result in a useless bird, or a perfect cross? Has anyone tried this?

they exist. its called the Cubalaya

 

[mwturn99]

I was suggesting getting a gamefowl or another partridge/duckwing rooster and one or two gamefowl/partridge hens of the same breed for mostly ornamental purposes and just not breeding them to the JG.

Sounds like you want something like a partridge Brahma/Wyandotte/Cochin. They are all big, hardy birds that are decent layers, but with the colors you want. There shouldn't be any undesirable genes if you breed the any of these to your JG.

No matter what breed I end up getting I will definitely do this. I just can't resist the appeal of a gold duckwing american gamefowl. So gorgeous.

I see people suggesting a gamefowl roostesr with your Jerseys.

If you just want the color, without compromising egg production, you might use a Brown Leghorn rooster with your Jerseys. Same basic idea, but going to the other extreme on the laying/broodiness spectrum.

Honestly this is an amazing idea. Sounds like I'd get the best of both worlds with this equation, would definitely have to do some culling over the generations to get the most ideal concoction.

How many people put this idea into action, crossing different breeds in an attempt to make their dream bird? Is it something you don't see often or am I living under a rock? and thank you for explaining how broody hens lay

Another idea is you can just keep the Games, & just breed from those that lay better then another individual in the flock, & breed from better laying offspring produced?
Select for better production, rather then adding in foriegn blood. But if really needed, you can cross, then back cross.

are you saying keep just gamefowl and cull until I get a flock with eggmaxx ability?

they exist. its called the Cubalaya

This breed definitely seems like a viable option. Do they grow too slow to be a realistic source of meat? Meat is definitely a biggie for me

 

[MysteryChicken]

are you saying keep just gamefowl and cull until I get a flock with eggmaxx ability?

Yes, selectively breed till you get the egg laying ability you are wanting.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

My standardbred brown leghorns are actually pretty dang close to what you describe. Find some heavy Rosecomb brown leghorns and you'd be in business. Add in a few white rock or Delaware hens for fast growing sex linked broilers with with more breast meat and broodies, but honestly my Leghorns have great carcasses if you're more into dark meat. These birds are quite heavy and large, nothing like their hatchery counterparts.

I have found their combs to be more resilient to extreme cold than my other single combed birds. Well lose a few points, but it never goes far into the blade of the comb like it does with my legbars. They look pretty good dubbed, too!

 

[NatJ]

How many people put this idea into action, crossing different breeds in an attempt to make their dream bird? Is it something you don't see often or am I living under a rock?

It's probably more common for people to purchase or raise pure breeds of chicken, or to have barnyard mixes with no particular plan, but there certainly are people who cross breeds in an attempt to make something new. There are several ongoing threads about projects like that, and of course you won't hear about people who do it without telling about it.

and thank you for explaining how broody hens lay

Not all broody hens are the same. There are some that lay fairly well most of the year, and just go broody once in the spring. But the broodiest ones do have a pattern much like a wild bird, where they lay just enough eggs for one clutch and then set & raise the chicks before they start laying again.

 

[mwturn99]

My standardbred brown leghorns are actually pretty dang close to what you describe. Find some heavy Rosecomb brown leghorns and you'd be in business. Add in a few white rock or Delaware hens for fast growing sex linked broilers with with more breast meat and broodies, but honestly my Leghorns have great carcasses if you're more into dark meat. These birds are quite heavy and large, nothing like their hatchery counterparts.

I have found their combs to be more resilient to extreme cold than my other single combed birds. Well lose a few points, but it never goes far into the blade of the comb like it does with my legbars. They look pretty good dubbed, too!

If you trimmed the brown leghorns combs, would they then become cold hardy? Is the only bottleneck their combs and wattles?