Malay Asil Chicken Breeding Program / Finding New Homes / Viggo Versus Chicken
As we continue refining our chicken breeding program this year, one of our main focuses is breeding our American Malay chickens into our Asil population. Many of our Asil chickens have been raised outdoors and rewild to be more self-sufficient, and our goal is to bring that same hardiness, vigor, and independence into our American Malay chickens while preserving their beauty and type.
This work is part of our long term effort we call the MIGHT Project, Malay Invigoration Gene Hybridization Team. It started as a father and son project and continues to guide how we think about balancing strength, health, and traditional breed characteristics in our chickens.
Our focus on Malay chickens is intentional. Malays are one of the rarest traditional chicken breeds, and in our experience, that rarity has sometimes come with challenges. Smaller breeding pools can lead to inbreeding over time, which may impact overall vigor. Part of our goal is to thoughtfully strengthen these birds while preserving the classic Malay look that makes them so remarkable.
For those less familiar, Asil chickens are an ancient breed known for their durability, intelligence, and resilience. They tend to be very aware birds with strong survival instincts, which is exactly what draws us to incorporate them into our program as we work toward more self-sufficient flocks.
Recently, we had the pleasure of meeting a wonderful father and son team who traveled all the way from Oregon to visit us. Jose and his son Joshua came to see our chickens and ended up purchasing two chickens as part of our effort to place our chickens with other fellow fowl enthusiasts while we organize the program.
Jose has a real affinity for Asil chickens, particularly his Ramprui line, a classic Asil lineage known for its resilience, strong build, and spirited temperament, and it was a pleasure talking with someone who shares a deep appreciation for these birds. It meant a great deal to us that he made such a long trip, and even more that he was so complimentary of our flock. That kind of encouragement goes a long way.
One of the highlights of the visit for me was watching Viggo in action. When it came time to catch the chickens, he first went straight into the pens after a very large Mukathur / Shamo rooster. With birds scattering everywhere, he stayed focused and came out just minutes later with the rooster in hand. Shortly after, he ran down one of our long-time Mukathur hens that has spent a year roaming freely through the woods on our property. Watching him track and running down this very wild bird was something else, and I think it surprised both Jose and Joshua.
Moments like that are especially meaningful. Seeing Viggo step up with confidence and skill, and being able to share this work with others who appreciate it, is incredibly rewarding.
We are excited about the direction of our Malay Asil chicken breeding program this year and grateful for opportunities to connect with others who share this passion. It is a real joy to raise these chickens and to share that experience with others and especially with my son ❤️