Onagadori - Long Tail Fowl and Long Crowing Fowl Discussion Forums

Welcome to the Long Tail and Long Crower Forums!

1) Have fun on the message boards and feel free to ask questions about the birds and post photos of your birds in the photo forums either by attachments or by linking to an image hosting service such as PhotoBucket.

2) Please do not discuss illegally importing or exporting hatching eggs or fowl into or from a country outside of your own. Many countries now have harsh laws against this. Publicly admitting anywhere on the internet to having done so or planning to do so in the future could potentially appear incriminating to your country's government. Various government agencies have been known to monitor some agriculture related internet forums.

3) Lastly, but certainly not least, this is a family safe group. So let's keep the language clean. Profanity, bashing, and slander will not be tolerated. Thank you for complying.

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Common questions about long-crowing fowl:

Q- Does every rooster crow long?
A- No, it's variable, the same as with all other genetic traits.

Q- Is every crow long?
A- No, they would hyperventilate. Approximately every fifth crow is of maximum length including a prominent inhale sound at the end.

Q- Is a cockerel's voice as good as it will get as soon as he learns to crow?
A- No, it takes a year or longer for the voice to mature.

Q- Does a rooster's crow stay the same length his whole life?
A- No, it reaches maximum length at around a year of age. Then starts to decrease somewhat by year three.

Q- Is each long crow of equal quality?
A- No. A good crow is 10-15 seconds in length and of a two-tone pitch with a prominent inhale sound at the end of every fifth, or longest, crow. Denizli may crow as long as 20 seconds, but having a gruff single pitched tone for the most part.

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Common questions about non-molting long-tail fowl:

Q- Is every rooster non-molting?
A- No, each rooster is different and one may express the trait and his brother may not.

Q- Is it possible to get non-molting offspring from a rooster if he does not express the trait?
A- Yes, the non-molting gene (mt) is recessive. It is possible that a father carrying one copy of the gene can pass on the trait to the offspring if the mother also carries the trait, which is not detectable in females except by test breeding and observing male offspring.

Q- Will roosters kept on the ground produce long tails?
A- No, they must be kept in Tomebako and walked daily, or kept in 6'x6'x8' individual stalls with thick bedding. Hens must be kept out of sight. They will prompt a hormone induced molt in the males.

Q- How long do roosters go without molting?
A- Two years or longer. Four years is preferred. During this period the coverts, sickles, and saddles should not molt. Retrices molt normally. Males have their first molt at 18-24 months of age. This first molt is to acquire adult plumage. The adult plumage is the actual non-molting growth.

Q- How long do hens' tails get?
A- Usually 8-10". Sometimes up to 12".

Q- Do they require special care apart from other breeds of chickens?
A- Yes, very much so. Both sexes must be kept above 50*F during the winter. The high concentrations of green jungle fowl (Gallus varius) genetics makes them somewhat more fragile to cold temperatures.

Q- Do they require a special diet?
A- Yes. All grains high in gluten are to be avoided. This includes corn, milo, millet, wheat, and barley.
The only grains they should be fed are whole oats and brown rice - no other kind of rice, brown rice only.

Q- Why can they not have gluten?
A- It is a long term toxin that they can not pass. It can lead to death within two years.

Q- How much protein do they require?
A- 19-20%. Plant proteins such as soy should be used in moderation. Opting for meat protein such as fish meal instead, but no more than 8 Lbs per 100 Lbs of feed. Too high of protein can lead to permanent kidney damage.

Q- Any other special foods?
A- Yes. Raw cabbage should be fed to solitary males daily. It is a goitrogen and slows the production of hormones that would induce molt.

Q- Do both sexes receive cabbage?
A- No. Only solitary males in Tomebako or those kept in individual stalls. Do not give cabbage to any breeding fowl. The goitrogenous properties of the cabbage will decrease fertility.

Q- Are they difficult to breed?
A- They readily breed and brood young on their own, but the genetics are fickle and widely variable. A basic understanding of genetics is a must. Three genes control the tail growth - one recessive, one dominant, and one co-dominant. Each must work together. Not only that, but each portion of the tail - sickles, coverts, and saddles must each contain a copy of each of the three genes. In addition to that, the retrices must contain copies of two of the three genes. This totals 11 genetic components in the tail alone that must be selected for in the parents and resulting offspring.

Q- Are non-molting long-tail fowl something anyone can raise?
A- No. They require more time than most people can afford them. Solitary males must be walked and exercised daily and have fresh cabbage blended with their feed every day for best tail growth.
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David Rogers