oriental breeds

[1Chick Magnet]

I was looking at hatchery stock and came across oriental breeds. listed were cubalaya, malay, shamo, jungle fowl, and thailand. can anybody give me info on personalities of any of these breeds? are any of them quiet,cold hearty and lay enough eggs to say so?

 

[The Chickinn]

from hat I've heard the jungle fowl are pretty wild(flighty) but lay like 200-250 eggs per year.

lay hen, lay!

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

I had one Jungle Fowl hen. She was absolutely the most incredible chicken I've encountered in 25 years of chicken ownership!

She roosted 20 feet up in a tree. She would fly into the chicken coop for conjugal visits with the roo. Lay a clutch of 15-17 eggs and hatch them all. Everytime!

4-5 clutches every year. One year she hatched them in January.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Cubalaya are lovely, love free ranging, and they lay small - medium sized white or tinted eggs. From my experience they lay mainly during the start of spring to the beginning of summer and start again in the fall and stop during winter. I do not use artificial lighting nor do I keep them in a controled climate. The meat is wonderful, and mostly white. If you purchase your birds from an established breeder, they'll be close to the right size for the breed. Hatchery cubalaya tend to be on the small size. Sandhill Preservation and Urch/Turnland seem to be the better hatcheries to buy from as they breed close to the standard.

They have a wonderful temperment and are easily tamed. They are naturally curious straight out of the shell and have little fear of anything.

If you live in an area with sub-zero temps, you'll need to shelter them accordingly. I can get away with just enough shelter to keep the rain and wind off of them, but I live in the southern US where it hardly even stays freezing for more than a couple of days in a row.

Hens seem to get along well, especially if you raise them together. Cocks, I'd say no more than two in a large flock with lots of square footage per bird, and they need to have been raised together. If you are keeping them confined, only keep one cock. Even the hatchery lines have long tails (feathers may drag the ground), so consider this when building your coop and run. They will require more space than other breeds.

If you want to know more, you can visit my BYC page (link shown under my avatar) and check out the info there, as well as the links provided at the bottom of the page.

 

[fowlafoot]

Malay and Shamo are amazing birds but not amazing layers

The Thailands are better. They lay well in spring and summer a medium tinted egg. You'll hear an occasional low pitched crow from the rooster but other than that they are almost silent. They do well here in the midwest with hay on the ground and plastic wrapped around their pen in winter. Extremely friendly and outgoing they will jump on your lap, follow you around the yard, and you bend over and pick them up when they need to go back in, no chasing no hassle. I really can't understand why anyone would trade the personality of gamefowl for egg laying capabilities... just have that many more game hens, suppliment them with some Orloffs to lay in the winter and you're good

no seriously

Shamo

Thailand Pair

Malay

 

[chickiebaby]

Now you all have me totally wanting jungle fowl. I am already so far over what I should have. I live in town and cannot just keep getting more and more birds. What am I to do?

If I could only get three game hens, what would you people in the know recommend?

 

[fowlafoot]

Quote:
I'd do three good asil hens, all sisters who had never been seperated since they'd get along the best that way. The Reza style are small, fair layers of small eggs, great broodies, are quiet, non-flighty and have great personalities.

Asil Pair

 

[Teach97]

we love our bantam shamos! They are very affectionate...my oldest buy likes to go in the coop and just sit with them...Listen to Cuban about mixing males...not a great plan and even the hens can get an attitude with other hens

 

[prariechiken]

Quote:
If you are going with hatchery stock, don't expect them to be perfect to standard. Many hatcheries use brood stock infused with a little something else to increase egg production since most oriental game breeds are not great layers. All of the show/breeder quality birds we have are super gentle and will allow you to walk right up to them and pick them up, even when out on the yard. We HAD hatchery aseels at one time, somewhat of the aseel look to them, but could definitely see other influence in them. Also the rooster was very mean towards our 3 year old, would chase him around the yard..(notice the past tense used...LOL). Oriental games are much quieter than your average yard birds. Other than the occasional deep pitched crow outta our shamo, malay, and thai, you'd never know they were there. Aseels too (bit higher pitched crow). Being they are hardfeathered birds, winter housing needs to be addressed if you are in northern regions, but do have friends that raise them in Minnesota, Michigan, and Alaska. My suggestion would be to research those breeds that interest you and start out small. Talk to a breeder and get some input as to ideas about the best direction to start. Their great personalities makes Oriental Gamefowl very unique. Even though they require a bit more care than barnyard birds, they will soon become your favorites.

 

[1Chick Magnet]

thanks everybody for all the great info and photos.
I have placed a hatchery order due in april. I live on 2 acres in new hampshire. I have standard egg layers and silkies. I do not free range. I have an insulated coop. If I was to add to my order, the birds would have to be pullets, quiet, and not mind confinment . I really like the breeds that stand upright. I do not want problems with the other chickens and the neighbors. my order is from ideal. any suggestions? trying to avoid problems!