RIR and australorp poll

Quote:

Originally Posted by questions543 

Im allowed a limited amount of chickens and sadly have to choose one of the breeds, Which one do YOU think is best?

I say go for the Australorps, seems to be a more productive breed

Rhode Island Red and Australorp will lay about the same number of eggs, average 5 eggs a week, if you are getting chickens from hatcheries. The Rhode Island Reds from hatcheries will probably lay slightly better than the Australorp.

I had a discussion recently in the Heritage Rhode Island Red thread, and it seems that the heritage Rhode Island Reds will lay about 175 eggs a year on average, but the Rhode Island Reds from hatcheries will lay about 260 eggs a year, or 5 eggs a week. Although, the heritage Rhode Island Reds will lay eggs for more years and with fewer complications.

Rhode Island Red:

http://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/Rhode-Island-B97.aspx

http://www.cacklehatchery.com/rhodeislandrdpage.html

Australorp:

http://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/Australorp-B14.aspx

http://www.cacklehatchery.com/baustralorppage.html

Both of these breeds do well in the cold and the heat. Australorps are generally friendlier than Rhode Island Reds, because RIRs don't generally like people picking them up.

I must have a couple mutant RIR girls then... they are pretty friendly and don't seem to mind (well 80% of they time they don't) being picked up. Right now they are out in the hoop house during the day and in the brooder inside with the pekin ducks at night (yeah the pekins are out with them during the day) now the free RIR's I got as packing peanuts when I ordered some Cayuga ducklings are goobers and I forsee freezer camp for a couple and several going on craigslist or to friends <G> (I think I lucked out and have 2 or 3 girls out of the 11 packing peanuts... keep your fingers crossed!!) They are about 4 weeks old...

I've had RIR's and if you get them from hatcheries your probably not going to get  Heritage Rhode Island Reds they're more likely will be production reds. . I received my first RIR's from someone on here and they were Heritage.  My son won First, second and third place with them at the Bloomsburg Fair.   We held them a lot after I hatched them and they loved to be held.  

But my Australorps are great to.   I love the color of their eggs they are a dark brown and those are the ones I sell to people.  I'm trying to get more of them from someone, anyone on here.   The 6 on the left of the top pic are the eggs from my Australorps and they are larger then the one's from my Orpintons.

I'm going with the Australorps. 

I have RIR's Australorps and Buff orps. They are 17/18 weeks old. No eggs yet. But the australorps ar friendlier and more curious than the others. I have one out of the 8 RIR's that follows me around. Can't pick her up, but she's always close. I think Id go Australorp if I had to choose. I chose an Australorp rooster to be the flocks protector and to breed.

One is six, half a dozen the other. In other words they will both do just fine for you, there's not a dimes bit of difference between them other than the color of their plumage.  So if you like the looks of a flock of all black; all red or a mixture of the two you should be very pleased with their egg laying capabilities I'm sure. I 've had/still have both kinds and they are good layers of lots of big brown eggs.

Jeff

Quote:

Originally Posted by questions543 

Im allowed a limited amount of chickens and sadly have to choose one of the breeds, Which one do YOU think is best?

Can I ask why you can't have some of both? Just wondering.  (I have 9 pullets, all a different breed. I like variety!)

The temperament of my hatchery Australorp is very nice - calm, high in pecking order, but never bossy. Still waiting for eggs. Sorry, no personal experience with RIRs.

Edit:  Sorry, just realized this thread was started back in April!  How is it going? What did you decide?

R.I. Red is one of the best all round breeds you can get, Breeder/ Show quality birds are good Dual Purpose birds and have a excellent temperament.

There's a very good reason for the R.I. Red being the most used breed for production crosses/ hybrids. 

Chris