Jonas Clayton Barnett – Issue no.5 Cover Story

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My name is Jonas Clayton Barnett I am 43 years old, the son of Cynthia Barnett and the Bruce Clayton Barnett. I’m a Teacher/Coach at Curry Middle School in Alabama. I’m married to my high school sweetheart Angela Barnett. We have a 6-year-old son Noah Clayton Barnett. We live a simple life. One thing I try to do is live by the words of the late Jimmy Valvano, “When people say to me, how do you get through life or each day? It is the same thing, to me; there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. No. 1 is a laugh. You should laugh every day. No. 2 is thinking. You should spend some time in thought. No. 3 is you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think and you cry, that’s a full day. That is a heckuva day. You do that seven days a week; you’re going to have something special.” Now that dad has passed away I do this even more. My wife and I try to always make time family. If anyone reading this takes anything for what I have said, love your family and friends. We never know how much time we have with them.

Mhar Delaben: Tell us about growing up with the famous Bruce Barnett?
Jonas Barnett: This question is really a funny question because in my eyes he was always just dad to me. I knew he had worked hard his whole life for everything he had. He worked 37 years at the Railroad and always worked with his game fowl. He coached me and my brother in Toy bowl football. One thing dad always did was instil values in me and my brother Jake Barnett. He taught us to always work hard for what you want, respect others and never lie. He always wanted me and my brother to have more than he had growing up. As a young boy, you do understand that but now that I am a father I see it. I want more for my child just like dad did for us. His love for his family was tremendous. He always would make several trips down south to see his sister Diane, brothers Stanley and Timmy and his mother. One of his favourite things to do was to get together for a good Ole Shrimp Boil. Dad loved life and everyone he meets.

His love for his family was tremendous. He always would make several trips down south to see his sister Diane, brothers Stanley and Timmy and his mother.

Mhar Delaben: How did you manage to continue your father’s legacy?
Jonas Barnett: A lot of prayers and a wonderful family and great support. I would not be able to do what I am doing without Fredy Flores (Alabama Freyd on Facebook and Instagram) and Danny Cerezo (Danny Briar on Facebook). They both worked for my father before he passed away. They have really stepped up and helped on the farm. They help with daily things like feeding, watering, and the entire farm running. These guys are special to my family. They helped keep things going when dad was in the hospital fighting cancer. He taught both of them the way he bred and raised chickens. We are going to keep it going for as long as the good Lord allows.

Mhar Delaben: At what age did you realize that your father was a rock star in the gamefowl industry?
Jonas Barnett: Again, as I said earlier he was always dad or Papa to us. However, when he passed away I believe that is really when it sank in how popular he was. The outpour of love, letters and messages we received from all over the world was amazing. I have talked to lots of people and met many from countries. They all had nothing but wonderful things to say about my father. Dad loved his family. All the people I meet still say he always would talk about how proud he was with his boys, their wives and his grandchildren, Luke, Liz, John Kyle, Jude and Noah.

Mhar Delaben: Can you describe your father to us?
Jonas Barnett: Growing up dad worked at the railroad. He would come straight home and work with his birds. It was after he retired that he was always about family. Any chance he could get together with his brothers and sisters in South Alabama and cookout just to be with them. He lived a full and wonderful life. At the time of his death, I know that he was ready to reunite with his mother and father in heaven. I miss him dearly, I have peace knowing that he is not suffering and not hurting anymore.

Mhar Delaben: What are the bloodlines that he was able to pass on to you?
Jonas Barnett: Of course his Sweaters and his 20 grand Kelso, Radio, Stuart Hatch, Gilmore Hatch, Grey (Roy Brady), White leg Kelso, Cardinal Club Kelso, and Lacy Roundhead.

Mhar Delaben: Any special marking of a family that he entrusted to you?
Jonas Barnett: All are special because Dad and Newton Wade only breed and exchanged the best. They set the best in their families. Dad spent years on perfecting his families.

Mhar Delaben: Can you tell us more about the breeding practices he has taught you?
Jonas Barnett: He taught me a single mating line breed brood pens. One thing dad did was always raise his babies with a momma hen where some people today use a brooder. Dad believed that you got healthier babies when they are raised with a momma; I personally believe it keeps them calmer when they are out on the yard and the momma hen can call them up to her.

Mhar Delaben: What is the greatest challenge of a breeder dealing with buyers in different countries?
Jonas Barnett: One of the biggest obstacles is the language barrier. If not for Fredy Flores, it would be even harder. Having someone that is bi-lingual is huge in this industry and foreign languages is something that is very intriguing to Fredy. He speaks English and Spanish very fluently and knows several other languages.

When it comes to feeding there are no right or wrong answers or types of feed, every person is different when it comes to feeding. My dad had a certain mix that he would feed his birds and he liked it so we continue it today.

Mhar Delaben: What is the negative side of a game fowl breeder?
Jonas Barnett: One of the negatives is the diseases and the predators you encounter when raising game fowl. You have to have good pens for your birds to be in or a great guard dog to keep things, like hawks, owls, raccoons, coyotes and foxes away from your birds.

Mhar Delaben: What advice could you give on pointing and feeding?
Jonas Barnett: When it comes to feeding there are no right or wrong answers or types of feed, every person is different when it comes to feeding. My dad had a certain mix that he would feed his birds and he liked it so we continue it today. The feed we use has 22% pellets, 3 or 5-way scratch, 28% dog kibble, Calf Manna (like a vitamin), Pigeon Grit, Sunflower Seeds, Wheat Germ Oil(to help with dust) and Red Cell (Vitamin), and Oat Groats. When it comes to pointing, we just specialize in the brood fowl side of gamefowl.

Mhar Delaben: How many times do you deworm your fowl and what solutions are you using?
Jonas Barnett: We deworm at 4-5 weeks old when they are small. Then at 10 days after that then once a month. We use LA-200, which can be picked up at local Tractor Supply stores, and the worm pill we use is called Wormal.

Our feed we use has 22% pellets, 3 or 5-way scratch, 28% dog kibble, Calf Manna (like a vitamin), Pigeon Grit, Sunflower Seeds, Wheat Germ Oil(to help with dust) and Red Cell (Vitamin), and Oat Groats.

Mhar Delaben: Is your family supporting you on this and how do you balance your family and your farm?
Jonas Barnett: Yes, my wife is my biggest supporter, and she has always been. Being the wife of a Football and softball coach is very tough. I spend a lot of time away from my family coaching and at games so you have to have the support of a good wife. I always say behind every good coach is a better wife. My wife Angela of 21 years is my rock without her I would not know what to do. My mother is also supporting me in this adventure. Both of them know that when I am at the farm I feel at peace, it’s like dad is walking with me with a hand on my should telling me you’re doing a fine job son keep it up. He uses to always tell me I raise these birds for you guys so everyone has something an I tell people now he is still taking care of us and he is not even here. But I know in my heart he is always with me.

Mhar Delaben: Is there a particular mentor or person that inspires you to become who you are right now aside from your father?
Jonas Barnett: Throughout my life I have had several people come in and out of my life that has helped me be the person I am, whether it was when I was a young high school football player my head coach Mike Bates instilled a good work ethic in me as well as my high school basketball coach Barry Peoples. Later in life, Wayne Steadman was my boss where I worked and he was like another father figure to me. In the chicken world, so many have been willing to offer help to me from Jerry Atkins, Carol and Chris NeSmith, Jimbo Cox, Steve Landers, Allen Hines and the late Jason Campbell, they all have been supportive and have given me good advice through it all. I even hear from Sonny Lagon of Blue Blade Farm from time to time. My dad thought of him as another son.

Mhar Delaben: Have you experienced someone stealing your fowl?
Jonas Barnett: If yes, how did you manage it? I myself, NO, and I hope we never have to experience it. From the pictures in the articles, it boils down to having a great guardian dog and Bo is the best. We call him Big Money Boy. Once he had to go to the vet for 16 days and we lost 10-15 roosters during his absence due to hawks, and other varmints. I have witnessed him catch a hawk trying to get our babies, he has caught I believe five since we have had him and I am in the process of training his daughter now. Dad did many years ago, but that is a story that Mama Sue would have to tell you! LOL.

I have discussed plans with my family and I would like to continue to raise and grow my dad’s fowl and keep the name Bruce Barnett cemented in the Game Fowl industry.

Mhar Delaben: How do you train your rooster on a daily basis?
Jonas Barnett: I would not call what we do training we specialize in brood fowl. The main thing is quality, not quantity. If you take care of your birds with fresh water, clean jugs, good feed and good vitamins you will have a good product. Also, stick to what you know, don’t try and raise too many different types of game fowl.

Mhar Delaben: What vitamins do you normally use on your farm?
Jonas Barnett: We use Wheat germ oil and Red Cell in our feed. When they are babies we use different things, Vitamins and Electrolytes, Probiotics in the water as well as Vitamin E. If they do not need it we keep it natural the biggest thing is clean jugs. For Coccidia, we use Amprol and Textroxi 25.

Mhar Delaben: Do you have any future plans or are your preparing for something in the coming years or so?
Jonas Barnett: I am going to try to continue teaching and coaching as well as raise game fowl, I have 13 years teaching and 17 coachings. As long as the good lord lets me do both I will. I have discussed plans with my family and I would like to continue to raise and grow my dad’s fowl and keep the name Bruce Barnett cemented in the Game Fowl industry. This past year I went to California to the California Association for the Preservation of Gamefowl and received a plaque in my dad’s honour and it was wonderful to meet all the fine people out there that had nothing but kind words about my father.

Mhar Delaben: What advice would you give to those who just starting breeding gamefowls?
Jonas Barnett: Do not try to be someone else, be your own person, get you some gamefowl work hard with them and make them your own. Quality over quantity any day of the week, you have to remember to really stay on top of your birds, looking for colds and other things they come down with and keep your water jugs clean and disinfected. Work hard, be honest and always have good help.

Mhar Delaben: What can you say about this new digital magazine Purebred Warrior?
Jonas Barnett: I think it is awesome what you are doing getting peoples stories out there and in today’s world, everything is online and digital. I look forward to seeing the article and many more different gamefowl breeders in the months and years to come. God Bless and Thank you for considering me for your magazine. ~PW