What is a game hen?

[NewcomerChicken]

I looked it up on google and it says "chicken bred for fighting and poultry." That isn't a breed though. I keep asking people what my hen is, and they keep calling her a game hen, but that's not an actual breed and could mean a lot of things. What is a game hen? Why won't people tell me an actual breed?

 

[Newlove]

I'm no expert as I've just started with chickens but I assume when they say game hen they just mean a mix of game breeds.. Not one breed!

 

[jak2002003]

There are many breeds of game hens / roosters. Have a look on the breed section on this site and see which one yours looks like. She might be a mix breed.

Game chickens were created for sport. They are still used for this in many countries, but now they are also kept for their beauty (many of the roosters are lovely colours).

 

[Frizzle13]

the game means that they were originally bred to fight or breed fighters. they are now usually used for showing. if it is a game breed it may be either a mix of game types or a pure bred variety.

 

[littleoak]

Go to oakridge game farm. com and go to auction. You will see several breeds of game chickens. It's very hard to tell the breed of a certain hen by the photo. Most are referred to as American Game. There are also standard Old English Game chickens that have certain specific shape, comb, colors, and feathering. The American Games are not that specific but many are devided into different breed names.

 

[Melissa67137]

I looked it up on google and it says "chicken bred for fighting and poultry." That isn't a breed though. I keep asking people what my hen is, and they keep calling her a game hen, but that's not an actual breed and could mean a lot of things. What is a game hen? Why won't people tell me an actual breed?

This is exactly what my new hen looks like......and everyone said she was a game hen so far.......and I don't know what a game hen is either.

 

[JedJackson]

Your hen is an American game hen. They are a breed, but a variable one. There are many strains of American games, but unless the breeder knows what they are, then it is impossible to know exactly what you have other than the general term, American game.

American games can be feisty, but the hens can get along fine with other hens so long as they are introduced to each other properly. Some fighting is to be expected. The chickens have to sort out their pecking order. This is true of all breeds.

American game hens will lay mostly in spring, then usually sit on a clutch of eggs to make chicks. They are very broody. If she does go broody, you can either break her broodiness by placing her in a cage that has bottom ventilation for w couple of days, or let her sit. You could probably buy a few fertile eggs if you wanted to let her hatch chicks. This would be a good way to introduce a friend or two without fighting, but then you run the risk of getting a rooster, which can be a problem.

You did a nice thing in taking her in, and she looks pretty happy as she is.

 

[NaeNaeschickens]

I looked it up on google and it says "chicken bred for fighting and poultry." That isn't a breed though. I keep asking people what my hen is, and they keep calling her a game hen, but that's not an actual breed and could mean a lot of things. What is a game hen? Why won't people tell me an actual breed?

I have two game hens I rescued from a fighting flock. I have had them three years now. They were from Mexico and game hen is a breed. When you see listings for game hen, its for breeding fighting roosters.

 

[CheepersChicks]

This is exactly what my new hen looks like......and everyone said she was a game hen so far.......and I don't know what a game hen is either.

Did you ever find out? I found a loose game hen on my front yard, and now she lives on our property, and I bring her in at night. Tried to do so much research, very little actually found. She's under 2 lbs, so I'm not sure if she's a bantam or if she's just young. I know NOTHING except she looks 95% identical to yours!