Breeding "Leach Grey" Old English Game fowl - questions ?

[PuddleEndChicken]

We have a couple of "Leach Grey" Old English game fowl - in the 1900s Felix Leach a horsetrainer in Newmarket in the UK developed this breed for cockfighting (no longer legal in the UK). He was the great grandfather of my husband so we have 3 Leach Greys after the breed has been passed down to us through the family and we'd like to carry on the breed if we can for posterity, not intending to fight them

The only problem is that we've only got hens not roosters ! We've researched it and have been lucky to source an Old English Game Cockerel (Oxford standard rather than Carlisle standard) in the UK which is apparently the closest thing to breed in with our hens.

The supplier told us the OEG rooster is aged about 4 years old, I've read that they can live to about 15 years old.

Does anyone know whether an OEG rooster is likely to be fertile at 4 ? I imagine roosters would be fertile for most of their lives ?

Also, if anyone knows anything about Leach Greys generally (also known in Australia as Ditton Grey after Felix Leach shipped some out there in the 1900s), we'd be really interested.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Chookwagn]

Do you have any pics of the birds ?

 

[PuddleEndChicken]

Do you have any pics of the birds ?

 

[Chookwagn]

View attachment 3412148

They look like they might have been the start of modern game stock

Do you have pics of the hens you have?

I'm sure you would get some fertility from a 4 year old

 

[miss heny]

From personal experience roosters can still shoot until 6-7 years. As long as you even get a few hatches you can go from there to rebuild the line.

 

[PuddleEndChicken]

From personal experience roosters can still shoot until 6-7 years. As long as you even get a few hatches you can go from there to rebuild the line.

Thank you ! He may not fertilize many but our experience is that the Leach Greys only lay one clutch in a year so it's a remote chance all round !

 

[PuddleEndChicken]

They look like they might have been the start of modern game stock

Do you have pics of the hens you have?

I'm sure you would get some fertility from a 4 year old

@Chookwagn I'll send a photo - to be fair it looks just like the newspaper clipping. Do you have any local to you ?

 

[miss heny]

Thank you ! He may not fertilize many but our experience is that the Leach Greys only lay one clutch in a year so it's a remote chance all round !

No worries, I got alot of older birds that given their older kids surpise siblings

 

[Chookwagn]

@Chookwagn I'll send a photo - to be fair it looks just like the newspaper clipping. Do you have any local to you ?

I have some Old English game birds
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/some-of-my-young-flockers.1413615/post-26141158
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/some-of-my-young-flockers.1413615/post-24531335

 

[Surcutt]

I know I am late to the question but just seen this today while I could not sleep. This I learned from an old cocker and it works and have helped me throughout the years. If you have an old cock who seems to not be fertile then do not discard him. Old cocks become fertile very late in the hot summer months. Trust me it works because I did not believe it until I seen with my own eyes. Now of course you need to get him in the best shape possible to help in the reproduction. As for the part for the hens even if they are old and only laying lets say once a year or just a few eggs. To help in this matter blue stone or some call it copper sulfate is the trick. Now listen carefully to much will destroy you hens laying ability but if given right it can be a game changer. Keep the copper sulfate away from young chicks younger than 6 weeks old. 1/8 tsp level is all you need to one gallon of water for 3 days and 3 days ONLY. Then take it away for a week and during this time put vitamins in their water. After the week is done with the vitamins do the 1/8 tsp (the smallest possible) leveled off again into a gallon of water for 3 days again. After that give them all the fresh water they want and this should increase the egg production.