Radio Kelso

In one of my earlier articles (Mitra Fowl), I stated that we bred the Mitra fowl to a Kelso fowl which resulted in the creation of one of the best lines we ever had. The specific Kelso fowl we used was an imported Radio Kelso. My father got this Kelso from a close friend who imported them as chicks. He then gifted my father with a stag, this stag was named Kit, probably named after Kitt from the old TV series Night Rider. I believe Kitt was the know-it-all super car on that show. Kitt had a nice temperament and was an awesome fighter. One distinct trait he had was the noise he made. It would seem like he was talking, he made different noises while eating, while foraging and when he sees people. This trait endeared him more to us as it was very unique for a rooster to be a chatterbox. Unfortunately, we lost Kitt to a snake bite but his progeny remained with us.

When I grew older and my interest in fighting cocks grew, I researched on the different breeds. I discovered that Kitt's noisy nature wasn't unique. The Radio Kelsos were named Radio for a reason, they were really noise makers and never stopped, just like a radio, In an article written by the founder of the Radio Kelsos himself, Johnnie Jumper. He wrote this when he was asked about the Radios:

Cecil brought me a rooster to train one time...and this rooster was very noisy. He was happy, happy all the time. So, I trained him and uh I'd exercise him and he was just so noisy. He had a great mental attitude. So, I named him Radio. I gave him the name Radio cause he talked all the time. And that...that name has stuck with those chickens since 1962. And course people call "you the man that invented or came up with the radios?" and I say well I came up with this one rooster you know and so I bred him to 1 kelso hen then I bred him back to 7/8 of him and that's how the family came about and I still have that family to this day. We call them Radios but they are red chickens with yellow legs. Their basic bloodline was 1/2 whitehackle and 1/2 murphy. They come from Mr. Murphy up in New York. That's what the rooster was made up out of, but we still have them today and they have such a great mental attitude. That's so important...the mental attitude."

Cover Cock: My father holding his Radio Kelso, Kitt. This was taken about 20 years ago.