Show Off Your American Gamefowl and Chat Thread!!!

[rooster 2011]

Do any of you guys have trouble with your game hens being bad mothers iv recently had a hen hatch out 13 chicks and one of them got stepped on I think and it died and she almost buries them alive scratching and she steps on one of thems wings if another one dies I'm gonna take them from her and just raise them myself

 

[northeastDad]

When I have had a game hen be a bad mother it was cause she has killed them on purpose . Sometimes they are kinda rough mothers with chicks but usually if they have enough room they will be fine

 

[rooster 2011]

When I have had a game hen be a bad mother it was cause she has killed them on purpose . Sometimes they are kinda rough mothers with chicks but usually if they have enough room they will be fine

She has a good bit of room the worst thing is all the scratching she is doing I'm scared she's gonna burry them all alive its her first time hatching out chicks

 

[northeastDad]

For now I would just keep a eye on her and the chicks . I've had hens that kick around chicks that get in the way but she is teaching them . They usually just get back up and go back . Game hens will kill chicks that are weak or have problems tho

 

[roosterhavoc]

She has a good bit of room the worst thing is all the scratching she is doing I'm scared she's gonna burry them all alive its her first time hatching out chicks

if you want those chicks take them from her. Let her try again later maybe with a few changes to the pen set up.

 

[roosterhavoc]

I've had hens accidentally bury them scratching, step on them etc. I've also had hens intentionally kill the chicks. I don't have an answer as to why they do this on purpose. I'm talking healthy chicks. I watched it happen. I culled the hen minutes later.

 

[roosterhavoc]

The hen that accidentally stepped on the chicks ended up killing 3 out of 5. I just turned her loose last year. Since she's a good game hen otherwise. She's smart enough to keep herself alive with hawks, foxes and raccoons running around.

 

[rooster 2011]

if you want those chicks take them from her. Let her try again later maybe with a few changes to the pen set up.

Yea if something happens to another one I'll take them from her cause these are full blood standard spangled old English game and the father to them died and he was the last rooster I have of that kind now I just have two spangled hens and one of the two hens is the one that has the chicks right now she has 12 maybe at Least one will be a rooster

 

[northeastDad]

Awesome, if you have a chance post more pictures of them. I think it was around the mid 90s the last time I've seen them. Thanks for sharing.

These are Chet pullets that are cousins

 

[roosterhavoc]

It always interesting letting the hens raise chicks. I have a hen that kept her chicks until they were almost 5 months old or so. She did a great job of keeping 2 stags from going at it. Most quit way before that. I've noticed once a hen decides she's done with em though you gotta separate them otherwise she'll start getting rough with em. Obviously hens are usually better than pullets.