As you will see, there are good times and bad times to select and purchase good fowl. The best time of year to select broodfowl is when the birds look and act their best. Success in this area is all about timing. For example, I would purchase broodfowl only when the birds are fully grown and in good feather. Most fowl are at their best during late winter and early spring (typically in December on through to March). By purchasing fowl at this time you avoid many problems, such as, acclimating your new fowl to drastic geographical changes, especially during the molt (the dropping of old feathers and growing new ones), and exposure to fewer diseases. This includes fowl pox, external and internal parasites, and problems associated with the respiratory system.
THE AMERICAN GAMEFOWL
We covered this subject a little bit in previous pages. However, I would like to elaborate on this a bit more. The reason being is that there are some who are interested in chickens, fascinated with American Games, yet they are wondering if American Games are the right fowl for them. This will demonstrate how easy American Games are to keep and raise, and will illustrate many of their great attributes.
Ep25 – Why Starting with the Best Brood fowl is so Important
There is an old saying among breeders: “The quality of your future strain depends of the fowl you start with.”This is common sense, but very few practice this principle. They don’t try to get the best fowl possible. In most cases, they are starting out with substandard birds and then wonder why it’s not working out for them.
Knowledge is Power
For over 50 years I have raising and bred chickens and American Games, and in that time, I have had the pleasure and privilege of talking to thousands of breeders throughout the world, and what I have come to realize is this: We all share the same common interest” – to attain high quality, high caliber fowl, and to see them improve each and every generation.
Early Distribution of the Gamecock
It all started with the Wild Junglefowl: The domestication of the Wild Junglefowl set in motion an amazing transformation in the animals that exist among us. Not only were they responsible for the creation and distribution of fowl throughout the world, but they have led to the creation of a large variety of chicken breeds, many of them strikingly beautiful, most of the highly functional. What was the link between the Wild Junglefowl and the modern day chicken? The answer is the gamecock.