The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[RCleghorn]

Although their standards are similar rhode island white is a completely different breed than rhode island reds. There are only 2 varieties of rhode island red. Rosecomb and singlecomb

 

[cmom]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/323514/rhode-island-white-thread

 

[waddles99]

Well, i am disappointed to say that the chickens i have been growing out for the past 6 months have not really lived up to my expectations. Their color is way too light and they are not nearly the size i wanted them to be at 6 months...oh well. Im still going to take the best one out of the batch to the show in April and see how she does. I will probably be culling them all and hopefully starting off fresh this spring with a better line to work with. Im still learning a lot about the breed and can't wait to see how my next RIR batch turns out.

 

[cmom]

Well, i am disappointed to say that the chickens i have been growing out for the past 6 months have not really lived up to my expectations. Their color is way too light and they are not nearly the size i wanted them to be at 6 months...oh well. Im still going to take the best one out of the batch to the show in April and see how she does. I will probably be culling them all and hopefully starting off fresh this spring with a better line to work with. Im still learning a lot about the breed and can't wait to see how my next RIR batch turns out.

Do you have some pictures you could post?

 

[waddles99]

Do you have some pictures you could post?

I was meaning to post some pics today but it is so hard today with all the snow we got...28" here in NJ. I shoveled out their run as best i could but they still don't want to come out of their coop. I will try to get some pics for you as soon as i can. Im not an expert by any means but i can see that these birds have flaws.

 

[mrosspitt]

Sorry if this is a basic question at 1000+ pages in to the thread, but what about the basics of the heritage RIR as a backyard flock member? I skimmed through quite a number of pages and it's generally people comparing their birds to the standard. I live reasonably near to one of the well known breeders and was looking to add a few to the flock(yes I know... ask him, but I'd like a more general opinion).


What about heritage reds in a city or suburban flock?

Calm?
Easily handled?
Good flock member?
Egg song/general noise level?


I see a lot of "My RIR's are so mean" comments online.

 

[Beekissed]

Sorry if this is a basic question at 1000+ pages in to the thread, but what about the basics of the heritage RIR as a backyard flock member? I skimmed through quite a number of pages and it's generally people comparing their birds to the standard. I live reasonably near to one of the well known breeders and was looking to add a few to the flock(yes I know... ask him, but I'd like a more general opinion).


What about heritage reds in a city or suburban flock?

Calm?
Easily handled?
Good flock member?
Egg song/general noise level?


I see a lot of "My RIR's are so mean" comments online.

Here in a bit someone will answer who are raising these great birds and tell you the skinny on them but I've gotten it on good authority that the heirloom, standard bred RIRs are as far from the hatchery bred birds as from here to the moon. Good temperaments, good flocking and social instincts, gentle when handled and no louder than any other breed as they go about their lives.

Even hatchery stock we used to raise in the 70s were not like they have today and were beautiful, gentle and excellent birds to have on the land. I tried a few of hatchery sampling the last few years and promptly killed them when they were mature enough or gave them away as juveniles. They weren't even worth the feed they had been given, the flock didn't want them around either and that's saying something...my flock are gentle and usually welcome new birds like they belong. These were raised here from day old chicks and the flock STILL didn't want them around. Neither did I.

 

[cmom]

Sorry if this is a basic question at 1000+ pages in to the thread, but what about the basics of the heritage RIR as a backyard flock member? I skimmed through quite a number of pages and it's generally people comparing their birds to the standard. I live reasonably near to one of the well known breeders and was looking to add a few to the flock(yes I know... ask him, but I'd like a more general opinion).


What about heritage reds in a city or suburban flock? No problems that I can think of

Calm? Yes, mine are very calm birds.
Easily handled? Yes, pretty much. Sometimes they don't want to be picked up.
Good flock member? I have some in my general population pen and they get along fine with the birds
Egg song/general noise level? Sometimes sing but probably not anymore than others.


I see a lot of "My RIR's are so mean" comments online. "My Heritage" are all good birds. I have never had a mean one.

Good luck and have fun...

 

[daxigait]

@cmom When will you have hatching eggs?

 

[cmom]

@cmom When will you have hatching eggs?

I just recently set up some of my pens but have to fix a few before I put birds in them. I changing from chicken wire to welded wire. Probably a couple of months I'll be getting eggs. I just put the males in with the females.