American Game Bantams

         

 American Game Bantams have been around as far back as the 1890s, although at that time they were bred mainly for pitting and were usually referred to as Pit Game Bantams. They also became very popular as an exhibition breed in the 1930s, and although they were remarkably consistent in type, size and plumage colors, there was no breed standard for them at that time. They were shown with a variety of different leg colors and with both red and white earlobes. Frank Gary, of New Jersey, made the assessment that the breed was lacking too much in length of hackle, saddle and sickles to make a truly attractive show bird. He decided to work on improving the breed in this respect and in getting it listed in the Standard. He purchased a Red Jungle Fowl male in South Carolina in 1940 that was well furnished in these areas and crossed the bird with a BB Red Pit Game Bantam female. The introduction of this male's bloodline increased feather length in these sections. By selection, the desired characteristics continued to be enhanced. Approximately 5-6 years were required to bring the fowl to the state of perfection required.

Gary approached the Standard Committee of the APA in the late 1940s to see if this new bantam could be admitted to the Standard of Perfection. A mandate was made that neither yellow, willow or pinkish white legs would be acceptable because these colors would conflict with Brown Leghorn, Modern Game and Old English Game. Eventually bluish slate was developed and became predominant. After coordination with other breeders, qualifying shows were held in New York City. Shape and color descriptions were listed in the 1950 ABA Yearbook. First varieties were Black and Black Breasted Red, but other varieties have become listed in the Bantam Standard since then.

The American Game Bantam never gained the popularity of the other Game Bantam breeds during the mid 1900s, and eventually became very rare. It is not known just how many individuals were still raising American Game Bantams during the last few decades of the 1900s, but there were a few dedicated breeders who kept the breed from extinction. In 2001, the American Game Bantam Club was formed to unite breeders and promote the breed. Since that time more breeders have taken a serious interest in them, and the breed has grown in popularity, with stock being supplied to numerous Game Bantam fanciers around the country.

Burmese Game Fowl "Pama game"

                       

Pama Game are a bit smaller than Thai games. They are considered the Speedy Gonzales of game fowl, being very quick in their motions. The Pama has very colorful patterns including Gray, Red, Black, and Golden Duckwing.

Asil Game Fowl

         

"Asil" is an Arabic word meaning "pure" or "thoroughbred, and is also spelled 'Aseel'. It is a very old game breed from the INDIA/PAKISTAN area and has been bred there as a game bird for many centuries, specifically for its aggressive behaviour. The Asil gamefowl breed might well be 3,500 years old as cockfighting has been mentioned in the Indian law, religion and philosophy manuscript "Manusriti" of that date; and in one of India's oldest manuscripts the "Dharmastrastra Manu, a classic work on law, order and ethics dating back to 1,500 B.C the first remarks about them were recorded. The breed was popular with the rulers of India (Mughal emperors & some Nawabs of states in India). They established the Asil for gaming and also developed their beauty. It is recognised as the oldest established breed of gamefowl, and this family of birds is a large one with many regional variations in size and type. Asil were developed primarily as a fighting bird, and this aspect of their development has had an overpowering influence on the breed's structure, constitution, and temperament as well as influencing its role in the development of more modern breeds. They are also known for their intelligent defensive and tactical thinking to keep power for long times in a endurance fight. The oldest evidence of organized cockfighting (based on archeological finds) has been found in the Indus valley (today Pakistan but Indian territory till 1947). The breed is difficult to keep due to these aggressive tendencies.

Thai Game Fowl

                   

The thai gamefowl is a breed of domesticated fowl - ie chicken - belonging to the asian, or oriental, gamefowl group, which also includes the ga noi don breed of Vietnam, the burmese (aka. pama) of Burma, the asil of the Middle East and India (arguably the oldest of all asiatic gamefowl breeds), and the shamo of Japan.

As its name suggests, the thai gamefowl originated in Thailand. Given Thailand's native name of Siam, the thai gamefowl is also sometimes referred to as the siamese fowl. The Thais, however, prefer their native term for this breed: "Gaichon."

This breed is relatively common in Thailand and small flocks of these birds can be found on most Thai rural farms, where they are usually allowed to free range or to live as semi-feral birds. These farmyard gaichon are often treated no differently from the average egg or meat-breeds of chicken, both in terms of their uses and their value. At the other, much smaller end of this spectrum are the hyper-specialized game farms that breed highly exclusive, pedigreed lineages of these birds. As they are the product of many long years of careful breeding and selection, these gaichon tend to be far more highly valued than their farmyard cousins, with each young bird easily capable of fetching prices of ten thousand baht or more.

Saipan "Jungle Fowl"

                     

Although they are known in the trade as a "Jungle Fowl," Saipans are really one of the large game, or fighting, breeds. The true Jungle Fowl comprise four species of smallish birds which inhabit India and Southeast Asia. They include the Red Jungle Fowl, ancestor to all our domestic breeds of chicken.

Saipans were brought to the States by a Mr. B. W. Saylor during WW II. They no longer exist on Saipan. The "stags," as the roosters are called, are very territorial and always ready to attack man or beast. They stand 2 to 3 feet tall and weigh between 10 and 12 pounds. The females, in contrast, are somewhat smaller, gentle and easy to handle.

Malays Game Fowl

                           

This hard-feathered old breed arrived in England from Asia, possibly as early as 1830. It was a very popular fowl in England until it lost favor due to the popularity of the newly introduced Cochins.

BBR Malays were admitted to the APA's Standard in 1883. At present, Black, White, Spangled, and Red Pyle are also recognized, as well as Wheaten females. Cocks should weigh 9 pounds and hens 7.

These birds are very long-legged, and the broad skull and projecting eyebrows give them a sinister expression. Malays have a strawberry comb. The outline of the back, from head to tip of tail, should describe 3 convex curves. They have yellow skin and lay dark brown eggs quite infrequently.

One of the Game Fowl, originally used for cock-fighting, the Malay is quite pugnacious. It is intolerant of other roosters and may attack anyone who goes near it's hens.

Irish Game Fowl

             

Irish Game can be found with either single or pea combs. They can be found in almost any color and most of these can be either normal feathered or hen-feathered (Hennies). Males should weigh around 4.5-5lb, although they vary from 3-8, and females weigh from 3-6lb. They are broad, short-backed fowl, similar in shape to the Old English Game and differing from the longer, narrower American Games. There has been no real attention paid to color in the Irish Game, so they can be found in a great variety of colors.

These birds are very feisty and the cockerels need to be separated by 5 weeks or they may start fighting. The hens are also known to be aggressive and will take on a dog or cat that even looks at their broods (and usually win).

The hens are good layers and produce a white to tinted egg.