The aseel thread!!!

[fluffycrow]

@Florida Bullfrog I'm currently watching your video on quickly maturing roosters. I've not yet finished it, but when you mentioned that you've noticed through your observations that younger males will delay their maturation if in the same group with an already mature rooster, it got me thinking about aseel. Most of the stuff I'll be referring in this post are from a documentary someone did on the aseel breed, but some can be proven through my personal, yet limited experience and observations. So, usually, aseel develop their sex specific feathering way before they actually start showing signs of maturity (crowing, desire to mate, laying, etc) one hypothesis as to why this is the case is that in a group of aseel, the mature male would obviously kill all other males (since they are a game fowl after all). By expressing their sex early, young males make themselves known to the mature male, but since they have no interest in claiming a territory or mating with his hens, his reaction isn't as bad, and he might even let them be in the general vicinity of the group. By the time the young males reach sexual maturity, the older male will have gotten used to their figure, so when it is actually time to kick them out of the group, his reaction won't be as devastating to them. Again, this is just a theory though. The second point, one that I have had experience with to a degree, is the fact that aseel have the capability to differentiate their breed from others. With this point in mind, it has been observed that once an aseel rooster is added to a flock of hens and roosters of a non-Oriental breed, they seem to (obviously become leaders of the group) but also tolerate the presence of those "regular" roosters, but have put them in a place where they aren't allowed to crow nor mate with the hens at all, basically like becoming roosters that haven't yet hit maturity. Anyways, that was my big "ramble" and yes, it's just a theory up until this moment, but I haven't found it to be false, you might have a different experience , we do live in two different parts of the world though, so it might also be line dependent

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Thats so interesting! In all my years of chicken keeping I've never seen a speckled egg. Are you going to let the hens sit like the Cracker hen, or are you planning on incubating them yourself? Whatever the case may be, hope they work out for you!

I like it. In the future it will allow me to mix her with other hens and keep the eggs straight.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

I haven’t decided about letting the aseel cross hens set. They have a tendency to beat up other hens and kill chicks that aren’t theirs. I’m keeping these cooped so that would be a problem in a coop setting.

 

[fluffycrow]

I haven’t decided about letting the aseel cross hens set. They have a tendency to beat up other hens and kill chicks that aren’t theirs. I’m keeping these cooped so that would be a problem in a coop setting.

Hmm this is something I've heard of before. IMO this is what makes them the best mothers in the chicken world, but I totally understand why it would be frustrating for your situation

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

@Florida Bullfrog I'm currently watching your video on quickly maturing roosters. I've not yet finished it, but when you mentioned that you've noticed through your observations that younger males will delay their maturation if in the same group with an already mature rooster, it got me thinking about aseel. Most of the stuff I'll be referring in this post are from a documentary someone did on the aseel breed, but some can be proven through my personal, yet limited experience and observations. So, usually, aseel develop their sex specific feathering way before they actually start showing signs of maturity (crowing, desire to mate, laying, etc) one hypothesis as to why this is the case is that in a group of aseel, the mature male would obviously kill all other males (since they are a game fowl after all). By expressing their sex early, young males make themselves known to the mature male, but since they have no interest in claiming a territory or mating with his hens, his reaction isn't as bad, and he might even let them be in the general vicinity of the group. By the time the young males reach sexual maturity, the older male will have gotten used to their figure, so when it is actually time to kick them out of the group, his reaction won't be as devastating to them. Again, this is just a theory though. The second point, one that I have had experience with to a degree, is the fact that aseel have the capability to differentiate their breed from others. With this point in mind, it has been observed that once an aseel rooster is added to a flock of hens and roosters of a non-Oriental breed, they seem to (obviously become leaders of the group) but also tolerate the presence of those "regular" roosters, but have put them in a place where they aren't allowed to crow nor mate with the hens at all, basically like becoming roosters that haven't yet hit maturity. Anyways, that was my big "ramble" and yes, it's just a theory up until this moment, but I haven't found it to be false, you might have a different experience , we do live in two different parts of the world though, so it might also be line dependent

Bankivoid gamefowl will also develop sex specific feathering early. I think what you’re describing happens in bankivoids as well as orientals and is a reflection of them being a bit closer to nature than later iterations of domestic chickens.

 

[fluffycrow]

Bankivoid gamefowl will also develop sex specific feathering early. I think what you’re describing happens in bankivoids as well as orientals and is a reflection of them being a bit closer to nature than later iterations of domestic chickens.

Yes, totally agree on that. While there is a debate if aseel even have the same origin as other chickens, I won't say where I stand on it, primarily because I've not done any particular research on this matter. So it makes sense why they seem to hold more of their original characteristics than other birds, since they didn't get selectively bred for something that would negate most of those naturally occurring behaviors

 

[cubalaya]

Still waiting for eggs. I have some brown egglayer chicks coming in March so my projects will probably be April and May

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

I have a hen on 15 eggs right now. Most are my line, some should have some redquill in em' though.

 

[miss heny]

welp I found my new breed thread to lurk and comment on as I drool from afar.

 

[fluffycrow]

I have a hen on 15 eggs right now. Most are my line, some should have some redquill in em' though.

Is this the hen you mentioned last time? The young one