Show Off Your Games!

[sdm111]

I know she is at least half gamehen, anyone have any ideas as to what type of gamecock her sire might have been? He had long, shiny black/green tail feathers, with white at the base of his tail, and bright red/orange on his neck.

I'd guess hatch or Kelso more so hatch

 

[saladin]

There is no way on the earth to tell you the answer. Only the original owner/breeder might have known. The operative word is 'might.'

 

[mixedflockmomma]

Unfortunatly, I cant ask the previous owner. Sire was a fighting gamecock that was loose in our neighborhood, he was VERY aggressive and will kill my neighbors' roosters. His hen laid her eggs in our yard. He and his hen went missing soon after chicks hatched and I ended up having to care for them. Its actually, how I got started with chickens.

 

[childressj]

Color-type would be black-breasted red. Numerous examples are in this thread showing general appearance.

I have been around American games for many years and I believe centrarchid provides the best answer by making the observation about color. Names associated with breeders (Hatch, Kelso, etc.) are almost entirely meaningless today. We got these breeders names simply because they had good success in the pits 100 years ago and success in the pit was the only criteria of interest. Over time, these breeders names have come to be associated with particular color characteristics which in most cases have little in common with the fowl that the breeder originally produced (the originals were often quite variable in appearance) and likely have no connection with the breeder at all although it is possible the original stock came from the breeder whose name folks cite as the origin. Most cockers like to think their fowl actually can be traced to the breeder whose name is used to identify them.

The hen in question in post #6349 has characteristics associated with the "wild type". She has the dark body with salmon breast typical of the "wild type" color which produces a black breasted red duckwing cock as centrarchid correctly states. If she is also slate (blue) legged this individual would represent the "wild type" appearance quite well. These are the characteristics of the Red Jungle Fowl and it could be said such a chicken does not show any obvious appearance mutations from the wild ancestor. Every other color variation in chickens is based on mutations from the wild ancestor. Of course she may have parents which look different than she in which case she is heterozygous for those color characteristics (she could carry other color characteristics which she does not show). I have been looking for such individuals and finding them has been more difficult than I expected and Mixedflockmama has them walking up into her yard?!

Note the similarity of the Mixedflockmama photo in post #6349 hen with game hen in JShuben post#6346 which also has the "wild type" characteristics. The very light yellow in the hackle feathers in post 6346 is typical of the wild type and cockers call this "lemon" while geneticists call it "gold". Many game fowl have had this "enhanced" to "red"; cockers generally consider lemon simply the lightest variation of "red". Mixedflockmama's hen hackle color is not so clearly seen.

The Gold or lemon can be seen in this first photo of JShubin (of this site) American gamecock (courtesy of John Shubin) and Red Jungle Fowl the wild ancestor of all domesticated chickens in second photo.



How can they be so similar after more than 5,000 years? Because the wild type characteristics can still be found in game individuals if one looks hard enough (or has them stroll into your yard like Mixedflockmama) AND the games have been bred by man to promote the fittest individuals, NOT PRIMARILY to promote mutations which by definition are deviations from the wild ancestor. Mutations are responsible for all of the chicken breeds whether for exhibition, eggs or meat.

If Mixedflockmama has a cock that looks like the upper photo, she could breed him with the hen pictured and she will be breeding "wild type" games like I intend to do. She could then say they:
1. look like the original domesticated chicken or
2. although domesticated, look as close to the wild ancestor as possible
3. show no very obvious appearance mutations from the Red Jungle Fowl. (although the experts can tell the difference)

Actually our games are quite different animals from the wild ancestor but the similarity in appearance of a game with the wild type characteristics and the RJF can be remarkable.

 

[mixedflockmomma]

My hens sire looked exactly like the ones in your pics. My hen has light legs with dark splotches, looks similar to a barred rock chicks legs. All of the my hens female hatch mates looked almost identical to her and their dam, and all the males looked like the sire. Unfortunately, my hen and her sister are 3yrs old and don't lay eggs very often anymore, but they are still my best broodys. I can always tell when one of them does manage to hatch out a cockerel, they always have the gamecock traits.

Last rooster from them.

 

[froggiesheins]

Hi Game Peeps! I have been around game fowl now for 5 years (they live where I keep my horse) and I am now their caretaker. Really love them and would like to try showing a feww I THINK my be show worthy. Would you knowledgable people please give me fee back good and bad. GOTTA learn some where.... I have shown other breeds, but AGFs are a whole nother ball of wax..
Of course you are only getting stills and side views. So over all type is hard to assess, I have learned as far as type goes, the bird should have a 45 degree angle to the back and the thighs should follow that angle held close to the body with legs in a angle too. Head should be held a little bit in front of the chest....Of course nice hard feathers, good wing, no broken feathers nice tail spread (on hen) BUT I am sure there is TONS more....

Hen #1

Hen #2

Hen #3

 

[alroy82]

Does anyone know exactly what the new farm bill restricts toward gamefowl? My nieghbor said everybody is selling out because of it being illegal to tie birds out on tie outs and such and their trying to make it illegal to keep gamebirds. Has anybody else heard this or is it rubish?

 

[Urucubaca]

Not a good photo, but two pretty decent Pit Game hens I get on Sunday.
The breeder does quite well in shows, so, hopefully these guys are pretty good when I see them in person.
I think one has lost a toenail, so, she is a breeder. She's bred some crackers though, so that's great.

 

[doubleleft]

Not a good photo, but two pretty decent Pit Game hens I get on Sunday.
The breeder does quite well in shows, so, hopefully these guys are pretty good when I see them in person.
I think one has lost a toenail, so, she is a breeder. She's bred some crackers though, so that's great.

very nice birds ... enjoy them and best of luck !!

 

[Urucubaca]

very nice birds ... enjoy them and best of luck !!

Thanks mate.

Will do my best with them.