The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

. Thanks. What I hoped for is kind of an evaluation of several of the better ones, and a list of obvious culls. I am hoping to learn from and to see what others see. I hope then to compare that to what I saw to help me learn what I am seeing and not seeing to evaluate my picks if that makes sense.

#1: Appears to have good length to back, but lacks girth at the tail. Doesn't have dark glossy and waxy hackles/back/saddle feathers. Seems to be carrying wing a bit low.

#2: Narrow, short back.

#3: Pinches in at tail, but not a bad looking bird.

#4: Fluff appears a bit orange.

#5: Not a bad looking bird.

#6: Black on hackles is on the edge of the feathers, instead of being edged in red.

#7: Narrow back. Little-to-no ticking in hackles. Poor feather condition.

#8: Appears to have good girth in back. Tail isn't overdone. Can't see ticking in hackles.

#9: Too many points on comb.

Based on what I can see, I think the best four are #3, #5, #8, and #9. Of course, this observation is only based on what I can see in the pictures... which rarely capture the the full essence of the birds. If any of these points are accurate, you should use them in your evaluation. You get to observe the birds in 3 dimensions, so some of the things (or everything) I mentioned may or may not be correct. It's ultimately up to you to decide which birds you think best represent the breed. Try not to over-complicate the situation... take out the worst birds and be comfortable with your decision(s)... and you'll do fine.

 

[Matt1616]

Good morning everyone, I hope you all had a good Independence Day.
Please feel free to ignore this post, but as these birds make my foundation group, and I am a bit visually slow I thought I would ask for help.
If it is not too much trouble, I would truly appreciate your help evaluating my nine cockerels. I got 9/13 males, and need to make a first thinning down to four or so with a final goal of two. I tagged and chalked (green) them to help me. These guys are from March 25(one is s few days older), and the only order was how I grabbed them.The lighting was a mess, but here goes.
Number one

Number two

Number three

Number four

Number five

Number six

Number seven

Number eight

Number nine

@Fred's Hens@cmom@Ur-ur-ur-urrr

My thoughts on these birds is that they are not even close to being old enough to evaluate. I literally don't pay any attention to my birds until they are 6-8 months old. I have learned some valuable lessons in the past about trying to sort through them to early. I don't see anything in any of those birds that really catches my eye but I wouldn't expect to at that age. The Red Cockerel that I showed last season was not even on my radar until he was about 7 months old. I picked out the bird that I thought would be the best one at 5 month and he ended up in a feed bag at 12 months.

Matt

 

[daxigait]

@Matt1616@Ur-ur-ur-urrrThank you gentleman so much for your time. I unfortunately, only have room in a grow out pen for half of these guys so I have to make some early choices. The other four or five have to go soon as they will not all go in the 8x8 pen.

 

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

@Matt1616 @Ur-ur-ur-urrr Thank you gentleman so much for your time. I unfortunately, only have room in a grow out pen for half of these guys so I have to make some early choices. The other four or five have to go soon as they will not all go in the 8x8 pen.

You're welcome, daxi. While I completely agree with Matt, I know space and time are causing you to make some tough decisions. Many young birds go through the "Ugly Duckling" phase and become beautiful adult birds. The problem is... you don't know which ones will and which ones won't. If I had to choose at this early stage, I'd choose the best looking, fastest developing boys that show the best type from the group. I wish things didn't have to be the way they are, but it is what it is...

Then again... are you sure you can't just make the pen a little bigger???

 

[Fred's Hens]

@daxigait The birds are way too young. They're going to change GREATLY over the next 8 weeks. They don't even have their adult feathering yet. Many an ugly 15 week old cockerel moults in a set of feathers at 22 weeks you just never see coming. Tails change radically. The tails shown are not their "real" tails, not yet. They don't have their bloomed combs yet either. The width and protruding chest can come out of nowhere and totally surprise you. Meanwhile, "pretty boy fancy pants" at 15 weeks can turn into a poor dumpy thing.

I see 3 or 4 of them I'd probably cull to make space if absolutely forced to do so. Sometimes reality gets in the way of the way we had previously imagined how things would go. Suddenly, those "vast" pens and infrastructure we made while dreaming about these birds while setting fertile eggs in February now those pens look absurdly small and inadequate. We live, we learn, we grow, and we must adapt.

Another 3 weeks, and they'll make excellent fryers.

 

[cmom]

This was a double post

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I agree. Every year I seem to be adding more coops and pens but this year is absolutely the last time. I actually have to think about downsizing. I'm getting too old and it's getting much harder, right Fred?

 

[Fred's Hens]

I agree. Every year I seem to be adding more coops and pens but this year is absolutely the last time. I actually have to think about downsizing. I'm getting too old and it's getting much harder, right Fred?

Yes, it is getting harder. So much so that I have actually contemplated letting the large fowl go. I hate whiners so I won't, but the body is shot and worn out. Don't have a joint left that doesn't need replacing and I do not wish to go down that path.

I'm about ready to disperse the LF to younger folks who'll take good care of them and push them on down the road. The bantams are much easier keepers and now better understand their popularity. Something I never foresaw, just being honest.

 

[GruveyChickens]

Just starting out in chickens and chose Rhode Island Reds for my flock. What wonderful birds they are! We just added a cockerel this past week - he'll be our first rooster. I'm enjoying reading all of the knowledge and experience that has been posted here and am looking forward to seeing what becomes of our new little guy as he matures.

Charles Emerson Winchester III



Charles Emerson Winchester III



Charles' coop mate, Olive.

 

[cmom]

Just starting out in chickens and chose Rhode Island Reds for my flock. What wonderful birds they are! We just added a cockerel this past week - he'll be our first rooster. I'm enjoying reading all of the knowledge and experience that has been posted here and am looking forward to seeing what becomes of our new little guy as he matures.

Charles Emerson Winchester III



Charles Emerson Winchester III



Charles' coop mate, Olive.

They look like Production Rhode Island Reds from a hatchery.