Developing My Own Breed Of Large Gamefowl For Free Range Survival (Junglefowl x Liege)

[Florida Bullfrog]

So that I do not lose track of my set date this time, I note that I set 32 more eggs tonight (8 are Crackers). Even though I culled one Liege, her loss is replaced by the wheaten Liege which just started laying for the first time since I’ve had her. She is being crossed to Erik the Red (Cracker x American game).

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Next batch due in a week are 20 Sherman-fathered terrorfowl. I candled them last night. 16 look to be in good shape. 4 were duds and were disposed of.

Of the several chicks already in the brooder, I found one of the new terrorfowl dead on its back on day 2 after it hatched. The rest appear to be fine and growing. The older chicks are ready to have access to the run but I am going to wait for the newest ones to catch up before releasing them from the brooder box.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

The batch of 16 only produced 8. Of the 8 that didn’t make it, 2 were duds I misidentified during candling, 1 pipped and I had to help out (it died a few day later), and the remaining 5 were fully developed and never pipped. The 8 that hatched normally seem fine.

32 are due Monday.

 

[Appalachian homestead]

How are the chicks doing that took an extra week to hatch? Did you do any troubleshooting on the incubator?

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

How are the chicks doing that took an extra week to hatch? Did you do any troubleshooting on the incubator?

I checked the incubator’s thermostat against another thermometer. Seems correct. It was 99.5°F vs 99.2°F when I stopped the test. Had I let it continue it may have equalized more.

The other chicks are doing fine. I may be able to get some pics tomorrow.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

This last pic is an improved Cracker and one of the Sherman terrorfowl of the same age/brood, showing the size difference:

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Hey bullfrog, in a batch that size my stags could start fighting at 5 weeks. Not saying its gonna happen just that it has.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Also have you seen any physical changes in Sherman's chicks compared to the regular birds?

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Sherman's brother. He is 7 lbs even, at 15 months. He will likely cock out at 7 and 1/2 lbs. ETA: his tail is still coming in.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Sherman's brother. He is 7 lbs even, at 15 months. He will likely cock out at 7 and 1/2 lbs. ETA: his tail is still coming in.

Was Sherman his broodmate?