Saipan Jungle Fowl Thread

[saladin]

Just so you'll know: (and this is not meant to be offensive, but only to give another perspective)

There are plenty of us that have raised Orientals for years that NEVER bought the Saylor story. If it sounds like a hoax then it probably is! When did a GI in the midst of WWII have time to send chickens home? Isn't it interesting that NOW there are no chickens on Saipan that look like Saipans (even as Saylor related). What happen to them all?

 

[wood&feathers]

I think the OP said Saylor was Navy? If he was a sailor or Seabee, they were famous for wheeling, dealing and smuggling weird stuff home. Air Corps too. One of the pet obsessions of a famous Air Corps officer, Pappy Gunn, was importing Arkansas game from his home to the Phillipines. It would be no surprise if others brought birds or eggs the other way.

The poster with firsthand accounts refuting Saylor is also persuasive, especially if others could corroborate. Saipan had a huge Japanese presence, including more civilians than elsewhere outside Japan/Okinawa. So the part about the Japanese bringing in lots of other breeds makes sense.

 

[GotGame]

Quote:
You would do well to read through the oriental game thread. U want to keep them on a low protein food as they develop, low wide roosts so they dont dent their keels, etc... raising oriental fowl isn't like raising cochins or leghorns. Do a lot of research first. I would recommend talking to saladin, lollipop or cuban longtails on here.

 

[D3invertebrates]

These birds are so much different than my laying hens who despite being half there size are still being mean as hell to my saipans, bit of a surprise to me. My smallest saipan pullet who is almost 4 months recently got a taste for small birds and now any time a mocking bird or dove or whatever lands in the yard she goes nuts trying to kill it, its one of the funniest things Ive ever seen

The saipans seem to be much better foragers, theyll eat alot of stuff my laying hens dont seem to touch, maybe thats just cause there spoiled though

The saipans dont seem to care for snakes which I thought was weird, my laying hens eat them whole. I saw my youngest saipan kill a small snake today and she just left it on the ground, didnt even try to eat it. I knew that these birds would be different but Ive really been surprised. A friend was worried cause there gamefowl they would be mean, but my boy is by far the nicest most affectionate bird out there. Im real happy with them so far, now I just want more!

 

[ClintD]

What if the chickens Saylor found were oriental games gone feral or semi-feral? My grandparents had a pretty wild flock of mixed chickens when i was a kid descended from some various breeds (including OEGs). Survival of the fittest, you know? My dad has another free range mixed flock (sumatras and different layers and oeg banties.) now after several generations, the survivors of coyote predation (west tx) seem to be trending toward a certain type. They look like fayoumis. He never had fayoumis but they are from feral chickens in N. africa. What do you think?

 

[Gresh]

Quote:
It is quite possible that the chickens Saylor found were feral games. It is a proven fact that, during WWII, Japanese soldiers introduced a lot of different breeds of chicken to the islands they captured, and during their occupation of Saipan, they probably released their Shamos and other game breeds. These purebreds (theoretically) interbred with either native chickens or other imported chickens, and overtime the Saipan Jungle Fowl began to take on certain unique characteristics. I do not believe that Saipans are merely feral games, in the sense of the word. Saipans themselves are not completely game, and males can get along with each other, provided there is a good deal of space. Either the lack of selective breeding on Saipan eliminated the gameyness of the Saipans ancestors, or the Saipan is a result of games crossing with non-games.

Another theory (promoted by Saylor himself) says that Saipans began as ancient breeds brought to the island by Polynesian natives. When the Japanese imported their chickens, the native Saipanese fowl interbred with them, and the Saipan Jungle Fowl was born. This theory could also be plausible, as Oriental games are very old breeds and could've been bred by Polynesians, but it is really impossible to tell.

I think the lack of exact information on Saipanese fowl is the reason why there is a bit of controversy on their origin. They're not like the Asil, which can be found in ancient Indian documents from 3,000 years ago. Basically, Saipanese fowl could have originated in almost any way.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
It is quite possible that the chickens Saylor found were feral games. It is a proven fact that, during WWII, Japanese soldiers introduced a lot of different breeds of chicken to the islands they captured, and during their occupation of Saipan, they probably released their Shamos and other game breeds. These purebreds (theoretically) interbred with either native chickens or other imported chickens, and overtime the Saipan Jungle Fowl began to take on certain unique characteristics. I do not believe that Saipans are merely feral games, in the sense of the word. Saipans themselves are not completely game, and males can get along with each other, provided there is a good deal of space. Either the lack of selective breeding on Saipan eliminated the gameyness of the Saipans ancestors, or the Saipan is a result of games crossing with non-games.

Another theory (promoted by Saylor himself) says that Saipans began as ancient breeds brought to the island by Polynesian natives. When the Japanese imported their chickens, the native Saipanese fowl interbred with them, and the Saipan Jungle Fowl was born. This theory could also be plausible, as Oriental games are very old breeds and could've been bred by Polynesians, but it is really impossible to tell.

I think the lack of exact information on Saipanese fowl is the reason why there is a bit of controversy on their origin. They're not like the Asil, which can be found in ancient Indian documents from 3,000 years ago. Basically, Saipanese fowl could have originated in almost any way.

I think if someone had deep pockets, one could use genetic markers to determine how "Siapans" are related to other domestic / feral fowl populations. I would trust such information much better than historical records.


How do Siapans walk relative to known oriental games. To my eyes pictures of Siapans indicate a natural posture which is in contrast with most orientals where torso is held much more upright.

 

[ClintD]

I havent had any saipans yet but last year my brahma cross hen and blue sumatra hatched and raised a clutch together as a team. It was really cool. The big hen was more mothering, I guess you could say, and the sumatra was very protective.

 

[Tink.Baker]

thats the truth about the Shamo's. I have 3 and I swear sometimes I think I have young pterodactyl dinosaurs running around here!

 

[D3invertebrates]