Rhodebars

Is there any interest in Rhodebars in the US anymore? Or does anyone have any cool projects going?

I am interested, but it is difficult to find information or likeminded people that want or know about them.
We only have two hens, that lay extraordinary large eggs and lots of them.
We purchased hatching eggs from a breeder in Pa (we are in Ut) that got his stock from GFF when they
first started selling them.
Only two hatched and we kept them. We would love to have a properly bred rooster.

I thought I would insert a pic of our Rhodebar hen. I purchased hatching eggs from a breeder in Pa.

Only two hatched, both hens. I would like someone who knows the breed to critique her and tell me if she is typical for the breed.
I would like to get a Rooster, but if she is not a good specimen I won't bother.

cressrb said:

I thought I would insert a pic of our Rhodebar hen. I purchased hatching eggs from a breeder in Pa.

Only two hatched, both hens. I would like someone who knows the breed to critique her and tell me if she is typical for the breed.
I would like to get a Rooster, but if she is not a good specimen I won't bother.

Click to expand...

Finding any Rhodebars any more is getting tricky. I have a friend that has some, the remnants of the flock I used to have. We are a long way from you though, hopefully you could find someone closer.
I'm afraid in a few years they might be extinct in the US, replaced by Bielefelders, Legbars and Welbars.

Do you think my hen looks like a good representation of the breed? Why do you think they are less popular? I like the Cream Legbars, but my Rhodebars are better layers and
I like the temperament.
How do you think the Welbar compares to the Rhodebar?
I guess I could just enjoy the two I have for now and when they quit laying just stay with the breeds I have.
Thanks for your reply.

I'm not a show person, so I can't really judge the looks of a hen. Among my buyers (I sell a lot of chicks to local backyard chicken keepers) they think brown and white eggs are a bit boring. They can get sexed RIR or Sexlink pullets cheap and they are phenomenal layers, so the Rhodebars didn't have much to offer in comparison. I could sell some pullet chicks for $8, but Legbars bring $20 for the same effort because "blue eggs". Same with Welbars, the dark egg layers are in huge demand around here.

All my Legbars are at least 50% Jill Rees line and I find them very docile compared to my older line of CCL. My customers with Rees Legbars have been extremely happy with them.

Welbars lay ok, about like a "heritage" (non-hatchery stock) Welsummer. Not as well as my Legbars or Rhodebars, but much better than Copper Marans, which they replaced entirely in my flock. Temperment is very similar to the other breeds mentioned. I found Rhodebars to be more aggressive toward other breeds in a mixed flock, but nothing unmanagable. So my experience is a bit different than yours, I find Legbars have a better temperment than Rhodebars. I don't expect to ever have Rhodebars or Marans again. Their popularity seems to have peaked and I am a bit fickle too, I guess.

That you for that information.
My Rhodebars are laying as well as the production breed Red Sexlink. I found the Sexlink did not last into the 3rd yr with their egg production.
This is year two for my Rhodebars, we shall see if they follow the same path as sexlinks.
No comparison with the Cream Legbars though as the Rhodebar is much more consistent even into winter.
Ths again.

I posted this on another thread but no help telling me if this 4 week old looks like a pullet! The one in back looks like it has a big comb to me. The chix of the one in front will be pure rhodebar!

I hope the ones in the incubator work out. We'll know after this weekend!