New to Gamefowl

[SOQAL]

Hey everyone. I currently raise quail, pheasants, ducks and yard chickens. I’ve recently ordered some gamefowl hatching eggs (greys and hatch). I’m trying to get some pumpkin Hulseys also. Can anyone school me some on gamefowl? My biggest issue is the breeds/blood lines. I ordered these hatching eggs off of eBay (Pine Bluff Gamefowl) they seem to be doing good so far. When I asked the seller what the breeds were he told me “Hatch family ( Johnny Jacobs) Grey family (Joe Guam x Bobby Manzel). What do these names exactly mean? Are these folks who have a signature bloodline of the greys and hatch? Thanks!

 

[centrarchid]

Go to thread below. Make sure your skin is thick when engaging the human side. I would read thread before participating.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/american-gamefowl.1307560/

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hey everyone. I currently raise quail, pheasants, ducks and yard chickens. I’ve recently ordered some gamefowl hatching eggs (greys and hatch). I’m trying to get some pumpkin Hulseys also. Can anyone school me some on gamefowl? My biggest issue is the breeds/blood lines. I ordered these hatching eggs off of eBay (Pine Bluff Gamefowl) they seem to be doing good so far. When I asked the seller what the breeds were he told me “Hatch family ( Johnny Jacobs) Grey family (Joe Guam x Bobby Manzel). What do these names exactly mean? Are these folks who have a signature bloodline of the greys and hatch? Thanks!

I definitely have not studied the lines/strains, nor am an expert in breeders. I'm pretty new to GF myself so I hope others chime in so we can learn something!

My limited understanding is "Hatch" would be a "strain" and Johnny Jacobs is the "line" or breeder/originator. Someone correct me if I'm wrong - again, I have not studied this much at all.
More importantly to me would be how are you planning on housing birds? Are you ready?
I suggest you do some reading on keeping/housing GF and be prepared now. Even if those eggs have not hatched yet, get your pens/housing ready now. They grow quickly, some let theirs loose and have more time for birds to run free without too much difficulty, while some (Like Me!) confine from the get go. Confinement for me, I had to separate stags at around 2 months of age - they could not live in the same pen period. When I did let them loose with me there, they got along o.k. for a couple of months more (sometimes with my intervention) BUT they could not live in the same pen together at all.
If you have them near one another, they need to be far enough apart where they can't get riled up or you need to have a barrier where they can't see each other on the ground. This is no joke either. Learn from my mistakes. I did put up barriers, but inadvertently left one slightly apart (about 3"!!!) and they were able to eyeball each other. They will fight each other through wire/fencing and wreck/tear up feet, toes, spurs, beaks, etc. I saw it quick and got to them but one damaged his spurs. I kept his legs wrapped for probably 3 weeks or so, doctoring them daily. He was young so healed o.k. and his spurs seem to be growing o.k. Please do some research on them, look at photos and read. (There's a video below, likely where your's came from - note how he keeps his roosters!)

That said. I love them to death. Mine are pets. GF folks don't cringe too much over that LOL I DO handle the roosters daily. I've found them friendly (to humans), intelligent and full of personality. I love watching and interacting with them. They like routine (most chickens do). Don't antagonize them.

Just my 2¢ and experience with GF so far. There are others here that have years of experience with them so hopefully they will see your thread and give you their thoughts as well.

Here's something that may help you get started https://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Games/BRKAmerGame.html
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd_V0Yt6W5YEhAWqg15sw6w