Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

Do it with passion or not at all – Jason Daniel

Mhar Delaben: Tell us about who Jason Daniel is as a gamefowl breeder?
Jason Daniel: I’m a guy that has been in love with roosters since as long as I can remember. I do not remember a time when I wasn’t around roosters. I really didn’t get involved too much in the breeding side of the farm until maybe my late teens. I am the type person that if I am gonna do something I literally eat sleep and breathe it. When I really started taking this sport serious I was mid 20’s that’s about the time that we obtained the Blueface and Yellow leg hatch. It really was the first experience I had with what I call consistent top quality fowl. From that point forward, I used them as the basis for everything I learned about feeding, breeding, care, health.

Mhar Delaben: What do you mean by using them as a basis for learning?
Jason Daniel: Well, what I mean is when we got them, they were way better roosters than I was a feeder or anything else. But once I truly trusted them and knew that if I did my part, they would do there’s then I started to see what causes what in the feeding and breeding department. I had always dreamed and told people I’d move down south and do roosters full time. I told myself and everyone else that but I don’t know if I thought it would ever happen. After a lot of years learning little by little and applying all that I’ve learned in the summer of 2015, an opportunity came that lead me to quit my job. I was at 15 years, making more money than I probably was worth to pursue a dream. The family and I moved to Alabama with the only thing for sure that I knew where I wasn’t lazy, and I would do my best to make it work. So far, with God’s blessing, it’s been 4 years now and still going pretty well. I am no different than anyone reading this article except now I have a more massive feed bill. I try to stick with the philosophy I had years ago, and that raises what I like and not sway from that. I’m almost 40 years old, and every day I learn that I don’t know much about these magnificent creatures. This is a rough sport, but if you enjoy the process, it is always worth it.

Mhar Delaben: Can you tell us a few things you have learned or were taught that made a significant impact?
Jason Daniel: Some philosophies I believe truly in my heart about breeding. Things my dad took a lifetime to learn, and he presses in me from day 1. There are producers and products in breeding and what that means is there are families and individuals that produce producers. Not just once in a while find a brood cock or hen or a wild nick but families that will consistently year after year create what you expect them to and more. They have been kept genetically where they can produce better than themselves. When you breed families like that together you usually get a product, he’s everything you want in a rooster but unable to create himself consistently. I’m sure there’s a more technical way to explain it, but that’s what I genuinely believe.

Mhar Beloved: What stands you out from the rest and how you managed to maintain it?
Jason Daniel: I have a few traits that I believe have helped me do relatively well in this sport, and the first one being I am hard-headed and persistent. I hate losing worse than anyone in the world. So I do everything daily to help my chances to be successful in the end. Hard work puts you in a place where luck can find you. I don’t concentrate on any one big goal I just try to do better every day at the small things and the big ones will fall in place. My second trait is for the organization, and it reminds me of a quote I believe Henry Wortham put in a book one time. He said that he could go to a man’s yard and tell if he could whip him a main. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but I like for things to be a certain way and things done in a particular manner. To me, it helps save time, money, and enable me to make sure all words are done on a system. When you have an order, it’s easier to do a better job at something with minimal effort. Allowing time to get more done in a day.

Mhar Delaben: Who was the most significant influence that inspires you?
Jason Daniel: That’s an easy question. My father is one that truly put this fever in me. He indeed didn’t do anything else my whole life except go to work and roosters for as long as I could remember.

Mhar Beloved: Can you name some breeder that you genuinely considered as a good Roosterman friend?
Jason Daniel: I am blessed to know and indeed have made friends with 1000’s of people in this sport. I have learned so much from so many people, and I’m sure they got tired of me calling and asking? On so many things when I first started this farm. I hate to even name any names to cause God to forbid I forgot someone that I shouldn’t. But the first few people that took the time to help me and answer all kinds of questions were Tammy Marco and Jeremy Chandler. They were both instrumental in showing me things in raising healthy chickens that helped me more than they know. Claude Vaughn helped me during the transition, and we are still friends today. Since I’ve been here now, I have more friends that are great guys in this sport than I can put in one post.

Mhar Delaben: Tell us the history of that Blue Face Gator and your YLH that you have and how did you come up with that Gator name?
Jason Daniel: I’ll first explain where the name Gator came from. When I was just a baby, I mean like eating in a high chair age. A man named Bill Greene from Florida that my dad was friends with was visiting from what I was told that they were all eating dinner, and my Mom was feeding me. Bill says to my Mom that boy “He eats like a Gator” ever since then my dad called me it and pretty much everyone else that knows me it’s what I’m known by. When I started going to Mexico, I just put it as a trying name, and it stuck. The Blueface and YLH we acquired in 2004 or 2005 from an older gentleman in Alabama. He basically told us if we couldn’t win with them to take up golf. They are the main reason that I get to do what I dreamt of my whole life. Year in year out they have been good to us. My main goal is to keep them and try to slowly improve them to keep them pertinent in today’s competition. I believe in the power of selection in maintaining families, and I try to use that to really make these 2 families mine. What I mean is their traits and style is what I have been trying to tweak slowly over the past 15 years. I’m really proud of what they are and what they bring to the table. I hope that in 15 years I can still say the same.

Mhar Beloved: What are the everyday struggles you face in your farm, and how you manage to resolve it?
Jason Daniel: The biggest struggle of running a more massive farm is to be proactive on things. Proper worming, vaccination, and general health. If you start letting the small stuff slide because let’s say it’s too much to do, then it will catch up to you in a big way. I have learned to just focus on daily regimens and small things and just let others fall in place. We try to do the right things every day and not cut corners in any way.

Mhar Delaben: Comprehensively, tell us how you register or record your fowls starting from choosing your base material until the marking days?
Jason Daniel: How I do it here is anything that I breed has a leg band and wing band. I have a complete list of every one of them in the safe and in the computer. It will tell the year born, mother, father, toe punch, amongst other things. After I have set my brood pens up, I go through and record precisely what wingbacks are in every pen. That way, I can tell specific hens that were in certain pens. From there, I designate every pen a toe punch. For instance, Pen 12 is Both rights no nose then when I’m marking babies as they are coming out the hatcher all I do is look at the list and pen number and label accordingly. Every year that’s how I do it. So let’s say for instance I have a hen that’s wing band 242 I’ll look her up in the registry, and it will say 2016 BR then I know that she is both rights from 2016 and there are no mistakes on what year. I use leg bands as a secondary form of ID because I’ve had hens lose leg and wing bands over the years and I don’t want any mistakes.

Mhar Delaben: How big is the farm and how many handlers/employees do you have?
Jason Daniel: The farm now is relatively large we hatched 4700 babies last year. We try to pen about 1500 quality stags out of that. There are 4 of us that work the farm and keep it going daily. And I have a 5th guy that I use to do all my projects such as building pens or anything else construction wise that we need to do.

Mhar Beloved: What are your best performing bloodlines, and how would you describe each of their ability?
Jason Daniel: Blueface and the Yellow leg hatch are my base families. They perform so much alike in their styles that I’ll save time and put them together. They are not what most people think of when they hear the word hatch. My families will break with ease and aggression in the break but once on the ground, they will not swap licks with you. They will move and hit you from angles that put them in the advantage, allowing them not to get hurt too and doing what they usually do. Both families hit under the wings with extreme accuracy. Kelso is a more aggressive type fowl and puts more on you than most can handle. They throw a ton of licks and in close or at arm’s length are dangerous. They have the God-given ability to find a way to come home, which to me is most important. Greys are head back feet out overpower you type roosters. They don’t move as much as say my BF or Yl but do very well in what we have shown them in.

Mhar Delaben: When everything is a success, how do you want to be remembered?
Jason Daniel: If I can be remembered as a good man that just truly loved roosters and did what I loved doing then that will be great with me

Mhar Beloved: What is your biggest concern in this industry on a global scale?
Jason Daniel: Obviously, the ARA that is attacking us every day is the biggest concern. They are trying to destroy something they have no idea about. They are attacking culture and sport that has been around forever. They are starting in Mexico to take away the right to fight roosters and will not stop there.

Mhar Delaben: What was your greatest accomplishment and disappointment as a gamefowl breeder?
Jason Daniel: My greatest accomplishment so far as a breeder is taking bloodlines that were great and tweak them to my style. Seeing them win in so many different peoples hands. The power of genetics is incredible to see. When someone crosses them with the other, you’ll know what I’m looking for the breed that comes out of that. To me, that is my biggest accomplishment to have strains that can be successful in so many hands.
I can’t think of any disappointments cause everything is a learning experience. Learn from it can help you in the future. I don’t dwell on bad things, just learn and move on.

Mhar Delaben: The 4th Annual Gator Bbq was a massive success recently. What is the main objective of these events, and how did you come up with this concept?
Jason Daniel: The BBQ this year was a great event despite being cold and rainy we had over 1400 people show up had one heck of a good time. The BBQ started in 2015 as a close group of friends that came over to visit right after I moved here. The first year I believe there were maybe 15 or 20 people in my living room. The 2nd year we had around 100 people show up and just had a great time. Last year I hired a band and kind of stepped up the event. We had about 400 people, and it went great. Now it’s an event that people know that when they come, they will be welcome with open arms. I genuinely try to make everyone feel welcome and part of the family. The event has become more than just a date on the calendar. Still, now it’s when people plan on seeing old friends they don’t get to see and meet people they only know from social media. It’s a place where all races and cultures and ages come together over one thing, and that is friendship and mutual love of gamefowl.

Mhar Delaben: What is your message to those just starting a breeding program?
Jason Daniel: It’s straightforward, breed what makes you happy, don not chase names and find what you like and what works for you and stick with it.

Mhar Delaben: What do you think of this Purebred Warrior digital magazine and your final message to our readers?
Jason Daniel: I think it’s an excellent publication. Your passion as a gamefowl enthusiast shows in what you write, and I’m proud to be a part of it. I’d love to thank everyone that’s been a part of getting to where I am and if I can help anyone just shoot me a message and I’ll do my best to help if I can.

Mhar Delaben: On behalf of our team Purebred Warrior, would you be kind to donate something for our Breeder’s Heart program? Where we give back to those people who are most marginalized and less fortunate?
Jason Daniel: I’ll do my best to help if I can just get with me and we will definitely make something happen. A man never looks as strong as when he bends over to help someone in need.

Our efforts are aligned with Cong. Sonny Lagon’s Party List to cater the poor, these events are well documented and posted on our magazine recognizing all donors. Rest assured your story will come with class and elegance; our team is always hard at work to give justice to your account.


Disclaimer
Purebred Warrior reserves the right to accept or refuse materials for publication or advertising. Perspectives expressed by the authors and contributors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Purebred Warrior. No materials may be reposted or reprinted from this website without obtaining prior written consent from the publisher. Facts contained in the articles referred only to circumstances when the sport of cockfighting was still legal in the United States. Articles were written to recognize a past American cultural heritage. We’re not sending gamefowls to countries where cockfighting is illegal. Please take note that cockfighting is legal in the Philippines. It is your responsibility to assess whether or not cockfighting is permitted in the country where you stay.


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