Rhode Island Red Strains

[SunnySideUpGUAM]

I have two strains of RIR in seperate pens. One is a hatchery stock backcrossed 2 generations. The other is hatchery stock. This far they both are very productive as far as egg laying goes. What do I get out of crossing the two strains and then selecting for breeders? would i be better off picking one strain and selectively line breeding them? I have heard one opinion that crossing strains is a waste of time. Advice from experienced breeders please?

 

[PD-Riverman]

I have two strains of RIR in seperate pens. One is a hatchery stock backcrossed 2 generations. The other is hatchery stock. This far they both are very productive as far as egg laying goes. What do I get out of crossing the two strains and then selecting for breeders? would i be better off picking one strain and selectively line breeding them? I have heard one opinion that crossing strains is a waste of time. Advice from experienced breeders please?

Interesting. Following!

 

[SunnySideUpGUAM]

Im most interested in maintaining or improving egg production from these RIRs I have. Any advice is appreciated!

 

[PD-Riverman]

Im most interested in maintaining or improving egg production from these RIRs I have. Any advice is appreciated!

I know what you want but do not know how to direct you to get it. I was breeding heavy for 2/3 years and I wanted dark red RIR so I pulled the darkest/biggest from my hens, and bred them with the darkest RIR rooster I found---different blood line from mine---I would grow the chicks from their hatched eggs and again pick out the darkest/biggest and breed them again with a dark RIR rooster from another line. I ended up with some nice dark red hens. I do not know how that would work with what you are doing and do not know how to breed them to lay any more than 1 egg a day---their usual number?????

 

[SunnySideUpGUAM]

I know what you want but do not know how to direct you to get it. I was breeding heavy for 2/3 years and I wanted dark red RIR so I pulled the darkest/biggest from my hens, and bred them with the darkest RIR rooster I found---different blood line from mine---I would grow the chicks from their hatched eggs and again pick out the darkest/biggest and breed them again with a dark RIR rooster from another line. I ended up with some nice dark red hens. I do not know how that would work with what you are doing and do not know how to breed them to lay any more than 1 egg a day---their usual number?????

ok so new blood(rooster) every generation. Did you maintain egg production? and you say you got dark hens, what about roos? How many culls in each generation?

 

[Beer can]

Im most interested in maintaining or improving egg production from these RIRs I have. Any advice is appreciated!

Not a seasoned experienced breeder here but I've done a lot of reading on the subject. If your goal is not SOP or showing, which I don't think so with hatchery stock, and you want egg production, close line breeding is not necessary. Closed line breeding is more to keep the birds as close to SOP as you can, and crossing strains can have the potential of ruining all your time, work. Bringing in new blood only if there is fertility issues.
Crossing of strains in your case will likely keep or improve egg production. Breed just the best layers.

 

[SunnySideUpGUAM]

Not a seasoned experienced breeder here but I've done a lot of reading on the subject. If your goal is not SOP or showing, which I don't think so with hatchery stock, and you want egg production, close line breeding is not necessary.

ok so I can mix in new blood and maintain egg production? Like I said before both strains lay well, maybe I might see some heterosis if they strains are completely unrelated?

 

[Beer can]

ok so I can mix in new blood and maintain egg production? Like I said before both strains lay well, maybe I might see some heterosis if they strains are completely unrelated?

My phone's acting up :-D keyboard disappearing and hitting reply, I actually added to that post :-D
Yes, if your goal is laying mixing in new blood and only hatching from your best layers is perfectly fine and recommended from what I understand.

 

[PD-Riverman]

ok so new blood(rooster) every generation. Did you maintain egg production? and you say you got dark hens, what about roos? How many culls in each generation?

Roosters were sold as soon as I could tell they were rooster---but I did let a couple grow out with the rest. Yes they were dark. Keep in mind before I was getting hens, chicks that were a lighter red, some seem a little smaller, I felt they were mixed "some" with something or in breed or something, so I just started breeding to get dark hens----playing kinda. Yes they kept the egg production up. Good Layers. Then when I had some beautiful RIR the bird-Flu scare caused me to sell most all my chickens. I only kept naked necks and another breed I was experimenting with.

 

[SunnySideUpGUAM]

ok thanks thats encouraging info!