Snorlaxzzz
In the Brooder
- Jun 29, 2024
- 6
- 6
- 11
*Posting as a way to keep record*
I have kept egg laying hens for a few years now and I recently (2 years ago) was gifted a gamefowl rooster. I decided to experiment and see if I could raise and hatch my own chickens instead of purchasing from my local hatchery. My laying hens have never gone broody but I have an incubator and game hens that go broody about 3x a year. Last year I hatched several chickens that were bred from my egg laying hens and my gamefowl rooster making chickens with 50% egg layer and 50% gamefowl genetics. I ended up giving most away and the ones I did kept were lost to predators while free ranging (crows, hawks, and opossums). Only one survived who ended up being a rooster and earlier this year I crossed him with one of my game hens, thus making them 25% egg layer and 75% gamefowl. This time around I kept the chickens better protected and managed to keep 3 young roosters and 5 pullets. Once they start laying (probably once spring comes around) I will start taking notes on their egg laying abilities (egg size and production) and compare them to my egg laying hens. My egg layers lay consistently from February to November and take a break every 5th or 6th day, while my gamefowl hens lay considerably less from match to August and taking a break every 2nd or 3rd day. I also want to keep track of their free ranging ability as my egg layers seem more reliant on me to feed them store feed, while my gamefowl are more curious and willing to try new things as when I let them free range they will scratch and find a variety of food sources (insects, rats, lizards, etc.). I want to see how well I can improve the two lines of chicken genetics from where I started from. I can always just buy a chicken breed that fits the qualities that I am looking for, but I think it will be more rewarding as a bird enthusiast if I am able to create my own line that I can present proudly. Although egg production and free ranging ability is what I seek most, I also wish for them to resemble the gamefowl as much as possible as they are my personal favorite in terms of appearance. I will also post pictures of my birds along with some info on them.
Original rooster
5 yrs old, pure gamefowl
golden boy sweater/ cobra aseel
First generation rooster
1 year and 3 months old
50% gamefowl, 50% egg layer
Second generation rooster
7 months old
75% gamefowl, 25% egg layer
Second generation hen
I have kept egg laying hens for a few years now and I recently (2 years ago) was gifted a gamefowl rooster. I decided to experiment and see if I could raise and hatch my own chickens instead of purchasing from my local hatchery. My laying hens have never gone broody but I have an incubator and game hens that go broody about 3x a year. Last year I hatched several chickens that were bred from my egg laying hens and my gamefowl rooster making chickens with 50% egg layer and 50% gamefowl genetics. I ended up giving most away and the ones I did kept were lost to predators while free ranging (crows, hawks, and opossums). Only one survived who ended up being a rooster and earlier this year I crossed him with one of my game hens, thus making them 25% egg layer and 75% gamefowl. This time around I kept the chickens better protected and managed to keep 3 young roosters and 5 pullets. Once they start laying (probably once spring comes around) I will start taking notes on their egg laying abilities (egg size and production) and compare them to my egg laying hens. My egg layers lay consistently from February to November and take a break every 5th or 6th day, while my gamefowl hens lay considerably less from match to August and taking a break every 2nd or 3rd day. I also want to keep track of their free ranging ability as my egg layers seem more reliant on me to feed them store feed, while my gamefowl are more curious and willing to try new things as when I let them free range they will scratch and find a variety of food sources (insects, rats, lizards, etc.). I want to see how well I can improve the two lines of chicken genetics from where I started from. I can always just buy a chicken breed that fits the qualities that I am looking for, but I think it will be more rewarding as a bird enthusiast if I am able to create my own line that I can present proudly. Although egg production and free ranging ability is what I seek most, I also wish for them to resemble the gamefowl as much as possible as they are my personal favorite in terms of appearance. I will also post pictures of my birds along with some info on them.
Original rooster
5 yrs old, pure gamefowl
golden boy sweater/ cobra aseel
First generation rooster
1 year and 3 months old
50% gamefowl, 50% egg layer
Second generation rooster
7 months old
75% gamefowl, 25% egg layer
Second generation hen
