Oriental Gamefowl Thread!

[cubalaya]

they look pretty good and seem to keep their tails down. if that is what he told you they were then they probably are. did you see any sumatra on his place?

asils are pretty tame and easy to catch though.

 

[wood&feathers]

When I saw the yellow soles I actually asked about Sumatras. He said they had been "ruined by the show people" years ago. I didn't really see anything Sumatra looking other than the feet. The only big long tails were on American games. There was one REALLY Asian looking cock running around, looked awful black down to his toenails. But he had this little shrimp tail - small and held down. He had dark, scaly skin showing on his keel. It was implied to be an expensive cock. Neither of my new hens has any skin showing. The feathers are really tight, like someone painted silk over muscles. In yesterday's pics you can see the water beading up on them.

He also told me if I was"going to be messing around with these you need this book" and pulled out a dogeared copy of Schmudde's Oriental Gamefowl book. It really is a shame the stigma of the "game" discourages the gathering of oral history from old timers. There were maybe 30 birds loose, and at least a hundred in pens - half barrels with welded wire mini runs. Everything was numbered with a band and toe punched, even his daughter's pet hen.

I've driven a lot of Eastern Kentucky back roads and never seen a flock remotely similar. If one is seeking American Game, there's something interesting up every holler, including next to Judge Sara Combs farm (widow of Bert T. Combs, ex governor). I've never seen all these black Asian game looking birds anywhere else. Maybe if I return to purchase a cockerel I can ask to take a few pictures. I know better than to try it otherwise!!

 

[CUDA]

The color of the feet really means nothing to be honest. From what little I can see from the pics, I'm not seeing anything jumping out at me saying they are not asil.

 

[SD_Paulo]

You basically have to take the breeders word for it. To me they look like Asil mix from the photos you have provided. But a close up of the head, body and feet/shanks might tell us more.

Alot of folks mix different asil blood to try and find the "one". The Puerto Ricans are already a mix of asil (Rampuri, Argentine, Atkinsons, Paki, etc). Your pullet tails are too long to have much PR blood. The Boricuas like short tails on the hens. Some might say, the Argentine has less of a convoluted lineage, as many lines can be traced back to the ports of export/import. The Filipino asil is a new one to me??? Most likely another combo asil or quiet possibly a grade.

The bottom line is you are happy with your purchases and they will probably help with your Black Cubalaya project. Good luck.

 

[DTchickens]

You basically have to take the breeders word for it. To me they look like Asil mix from the photos you have provided. But a close up of the head, body and feet/shanks might tell us more.

Alot of folks mix different asil blood to try and find the "one". The Puerto Ricans are already a mix of asil (Rampuri, Argentine, Atkinsons, Paki, etc). Your pullet tails are too long to have much PR blood. The Boricuas like short tails on the hens. Some might say, the Argentine has less of a convoluted lineage, as many lines can be traced back to the ports of export/import. The Filipino asil is a new one to me??? Most likely another combo asil or quiet possibly a grade.

The bottom line is you are happy with your purchases and they will probably help with your Black Cubalaya project. Good luck.

I've never heard of the Filipino either, but if I hazarded a guess I would be willing to bet it is a American grade. Every time I have seen "Asil" in the Philippines I have always seen them carrying a little American blood because they need it to make it in their shows and also because Philippines really rarely keep things pure from my knowledge.

I had a fellow contact me some time ago talking about what Filipino's look for in a cock, and most I had already guessed at anyway by the videos I saw, and the people who contacted me (though I'd never sell). From his explanation, they look for a "Full plumaged bird" (i.e. pretty) which is probably why most birds you see over there are like that.. I actually cannot think of one that was not. Asil doesn't match the requirements for that in most cases, the hackle is too short and many times the tail. But, he also mentioned that they cross a lot, mainly because they are poor breeders (except a some, no one is knocking Tonio or anyone like that which seem to have A class fowl) and once they find the crosses don't work they think the birds are useless and drop the stock and look to spend more money importing from different Americans.

I'd probably call them "Black Japs" regardless of what type of Oriental blood they carry. I grew up with American gamefowl though which is the explanation for that, any Oriental grade was automatically a "Jap". Birds that were not graded, or not supposedly graded, were called what they were supposed to be "Asil, Shamo, Malay, etc".

God bless,
Daniel.

 

[DTchickens]

Here you go friends, Filipino "Philippine" Asil, also known as Parawakan apparently. Googled it and found the links posted by Nico on Ultimatefowl. http://stonecold522.multiply.com/photos/album/14/Parawakans_
http://stonecold522.multiply.com/photos/album/22/Parawakan_Grades

 

[wood&feathers]

Well that explains why I felt inclined to try them with my cubalaya cockerel - get stronger heads without losing too much in the tail. Those Parawakan don't look as Asil as the birds here - very American faces, not as muscular. These girls are much faster than I hear pure asils would be. It is really cool how muscular they are, and they are excellent fliers. Not "flighty" though - flight is for avoiding roosters. They will dash under my legs, or our dogs' legs, to escape roosters or other perceived trouble. They run like the wind, but when foraging have a strange, wide set stance/gait. They aren't bow legged, but they stalk by swinging those big drumsticks in a low, wide arc, like a gunfighter in an old western.

I am glad my start from cubalaya got me good size, that sure will help in this project. The BBR cockerel is getting big for an 8 week old. His mother is huge, approaching 6#. I need to weigh the new girls and take better pictures. At 5 months they are the same size as our 3 mo old cubalaya hens, but they probably weigh more.

 

[SD_Paulo]

The Filipinos, to me, look alot like grades. Matter of fact, they look like a Thai grade, leaning more towards AG features. Like the long beak, narrow heads, high tail set, etc...

I am sure they are good at their intented purpose..but IMO they can have them.

 

[jak2002003]

I live in Northern Thailand and here are a few of my birds. Are they a recognised breed? They are the normal chicken everyone keeps around here in the villages.
The all get on fine free ranging and no fighting each other. They eat what they can find free ranging, and also get left over food from our meals, and dry unhusked rice in the evening to get them to come in and sleep under their bamboo baskets.
The man in charge or them all!


Him and his lady friends.


They get the left over food and scraps from the (rustic) kitchen, but never get 'real' chicken food and still do really well.

 

[CUDA]

They look to be what we would call Thai fowl here in the states. There are some bred specifically for gameness and style, and some bred specifically for the table, which they are very good for no matter their breeding...lol!