The American Game chickens are a breed of game chicken developed in the United States. This chicken was originally developed for the sport of cockfighting, but today it is raised and bred for purposes other than exhibition.
Many well-known American politicians made use of American Game chicken in their administrations, so the bird has historical significance. Originally, the breed was developed from a variety of European and Oriental game chickens.
In addition, Irish Game, Oriental, and Old English Gamefowl make up the majority of the ancestry of American Game chickens. Many, however, also include Spanish strains, in addition to other gamefowl such as the Sumatra breed. The American Game chicken’s popularity has been rising in recent years as a show or ornamental bird.
The American Gamefowl Society, much like the American Poultry Association, has standards for the exhibition of these birds. The American Game chicken is subdivided into strains, which is not the case with most other types of poultry.
You may have heard of some of the more well-known varieties, such as Albany, Butcher, Claret, Hatch, Kelso, Roundhead, Sweater, or Whitehackle. The names of strains were inspired by athletes who excelled in the trenches (with the birds they made themselves through selective breeding). In addition to the standard size American Game chicken, there is also a miniature variety known as bantams.
You may also want to read about the best chicken feed.
History of American Game chickens
When first introduced to the United States in the 19th century, the American Game chicken quickly became popular for the blood sport of cockfighting due to its reputation for fierceness. In spite of being illegal in every state today, cockfighting and other blood sports were once common forms of entertainment in the United States.
Characteristics of American Game chickens
The American Game hen is a stunning bird. There is a rainbow of hues to choose from. Black, brown-red, gold, blue, pumpkin, white, red quil, silver duckwings, golden duckwings, black breasted red, and a variety of other colors are common in this chicken breed.
Their comb comes in a variety of configurations, including single comb, pea comb, and hybrids of the two. Their wattles, earlobes, and combs are typically a bright red color across all coat patterns.
White or cream-colored eggs of a moderate size are laid by hens. Also, beginning in the middle of the spring and ending in the late summer, with some exceptions made into the early fall. It’s true that they get maternal and fiercely guard their young.
Behaviour
The American Game chicken, a beautiful and hardy breed, is a popular choice for many backyard farmers. They are restless and noisy creatures that don’t do well in confined spaces. The roosters also cannot be contained (otherwise they will fight to the death).
If more than one rooster is kept, precautions must be taken to prevent the birds from coming into contact with one another. Sometimes hens will attack other hens if they feel threatened. Most notably if new hens are added to the flock.
Famous for their speed in the air and ability to find food anywhere, these hens have a solid reputation. The free range system is ideal for them.
Egg Production
Broodiness causes these hens to sit on their eggs. While the hens may not be the best egg layers, they do a fantastic job as mothers. You don’t have to use an incubator to breed these chickens. They do great parenting and chicks could stay with the hen all time.
The American Game hens can produce up to 80 eggs a year on average. Their eggs are a medium brown in color and size. They are not bigg egg producers, but you can increase the number of eggs they produce by providing them with a lamp in winter.
