Indian River

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Parkmule

Parkmule

Songster
7 Years
Aug 23, 2012
172
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I picked up a couple of these girls from a local guy selling chickens.
They lay HUGE eggs, even if they are the smallest hens in my layer coop.
They are a cross between a New Hampshire and a Delaware, right?
Now, to split hairs, shouldn't they be about the same if I put a Hambar to my Delaware hens?

She is in with my Gold Cuckoo Marans roo now...maybe a couple of those chicks for my (hopefully coming soon) Hambar roo.
 
Parkmule said:
I picked up a couple of these girls from a local guy selling chickens.
They lay HUGE eggs, even if they are the smallest hens in my layer coop.
They are a cross between a New Hampshire and a Delaware, right?
Now, to split hairs, shouldn't they be about the same if I put a Hambar to my Delaware hens?

She is in with my Gold Cuckoo Marans roo now...maybe a couple of those chicks for my (hopefully coming soon) Hambar roo.
Click to expand...
No, most likely not, because the indian rivers may be bred for egg production. In some hybrids, the genetics between the birds will "nick" and produce a superior egg layer; this is called hybrid vigor. The hatchery knows this and produces the best egg layers this way.

Tim
 
Yes, I understand hybrid vigor.

My point is; wouldn't I get something similar with a Hambar, Delaware cross? Something similar to a an Indian River....
 
What was called Indian Rivers was Delaware males over NH females. It was a dual purpouse broiler cross, where the offspring where similar in color to the male parent. If the offspring are small, then it wouldn't be what was called Indian Rivers.
 
Ah! thanks. I do not know why, but I assumed it was a NH roo.
I have one IR, she is not "small" but she is smaller then the rest of my hens.
And she is a great layer! But I doubt i will have any more after her.
 
Indian River is not a breed I hear much about. I didn't even find a thread about them on BYC.
 
Parkmule said:
Indian River is not a breed I hear much about. I didn't even find a thread about them on BYC.
Click to expand...

Indian rivers were the original name for the Delaware breed as they were developed by George Ellis at his hatchery, the Indian River hatchery in Delaware.

The Indian rivers sold today by Cackle hatchery for one maybe Myers too can't remember right off are a just a crossing of their renditions of a Delaware colored layers/egg production type males over a New Hampshire colored(light red) production type brown egglaying hens which yields a Delaware patterned hybrid brown egglayer. They are nothing of the crosses that were first called Indian rivers(Delawares) much less of meat producing capabilities, in other words a "Knockoff" so to say. should be very good layers though withwhat they are produced from.

Jeff
 
Last edited:
Kind of late to this old topic but I had 30 or so of these birds from cackle hatchery. They were probably the best hens I ever had as far as easy going super large eggs and good production. Laid about the same amount as the red sex links I had but laid a bigger egg and were calmer. Totally out preformed anu buff Orphingtons I have ever had or Plymouth rocks and were easier going. Getting ready to get some new hens and will get them or Amber links which is the same or very similar cross I think. They were nice sized hens about 5-6 lbs. Hope this helps.
 

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