Cherry Eggers Vs the Real Rhode Island Reds

[enel 1]

my "production reds" are a few generations from hatchery stock and I'm getting some pretty nice dark birds and I think they have a nice shape also,for being Production birds these pullets have been laying about 5 eggs a week and my breeder hens are over 2 yrs old and still lay 4 or 5 eggs a week each,BUT, they're still NOT Rhode Island reds, hatcherys have screwed up the names of these birds along with birds like the cornish rock cross,which is niether cornish or Ply.Rock.

 

[catdaddyfro]

I have to admit, I got excited about this thread when I read the name "cherry eggers",,,,I thought it was going to be a litle like olive eggers, but pink eggs instead of green. A little dissapointing.

Back in the eighties when the "Cherry Egger" fad first erupted onto the hatchery scene; Marti,Grain Belt, Windsor and probly more did have them on the front pages of their brochures with an off- color pinkish-red hue egg color pictured along beside the picture of the red layers (LOL) as a sales gimmic to promote their sales of Cherry Eggers over some of the other hatcheries production reds it was the biggest bunch of hooey I can ever remember for a ploy.

Jeff

draye I'm not knocking them around but here is just an example of how far they will go to make a dollar esp. off the average ol' Joe who doesn't have the foggiest idea of a red layer from a red egg layer.

Cherry colored eggs anybody LOL I bet there was some disappointed folk when their eggs all came out brown huh?

 

[Robert Blosl]

Its all right as nothing is going to stop they sale of Cherry Eggers. Thousands upon thousands of these chickens will be sold every yearmaybe a half a million. I like the name Cherry eggs as that is correct name for this breed. They are not Rhode Island Reds we all know that. If breed correctly by us breeders the Original Rhode Island Reds will or can live to be old old birds. These old hens that are five to eight years old that have great color and shape will produce even better chicks than younger females. I don't know if Cherry Eggers are breed for age or not. They are like Chris says they jump out of the blocks and lay fast and long in the first two years.

Here is a thought could these birds be a strain for commerical egg production and after they lay their 300 eggs their first year they are sent to the slaughter house and we buy them in the meat department. Then a new young pullet is put in there and repeats the same process. I was talking to Matt the other night and his dad works for a farm that has four chicken houses about a quarter to a half a mile long that has hens laying eggs that land on a convary belt and the eggs go right into the egg carton. Automatic Water and feeders for the hens and this is how the Leghorn type egg chickens do it for the grocery stores and Wall Marts. These chicks may be a spin off for themthe brown egg market and they don't care about how old they will live becasue they are breed for long egg laying in the pullet year only.

I often wonder about this. I have heard some of the high egg layers are sex linked. Kelly Kober wrote a article and I read it at Tractor Supply I will have to go back tomorrow and reread the article. He got from me about 20 years ago got some Reds for a youth project but I think it faded out and they went with egg production and broiler type birds.

I see ten hens every day going back and forth to work and they lay like crazy they look like Cherry Eggers to me.

I still like to see other breeds of chickens. A Friend of mine was talking to me tonight about Black Tail Jap Bantams. You hardly see them any more they are about gone. Many of the old breeds are dying out because of lack of interest or they cant find stock anymore. The pictures look good but when they get the chicks grown up they look like the birds that came over from Europe in 1880s just nothing like they should be
Anymore of you have Cherry Eggers or Rhode Island Reds to com pair. Sure enjoyed the pictures. This is a great teaching tool for the begginer. bob

 

[Robert Blosl]

Its all right as nothing is going to stop. Thousands upon thousands of these chickens will be sold every year. I like the name Cherry eggs as that is correct name for this breed. They are not Rhode Island Reds we all know that as they if breed correctly by us breeders will or can live to be old old birds. These old hens that are five to eight years old that have great color and shape will produce even better chicks than younger females. I don't know if Cherry Eggers are breed for age or not. They are like Chris says they jump out of the blocks and lay fast and long. Here is a thought could these birds be a strain for commerical egg production and after they lay their 300 eggs their first year they are sent to the slaughter house and we buy them in the meat department. Then a new young pullet is put in there and repeats the same process. I was talking to Matt the other night and his dad works for a farm that has four chicken houses about a quarter to a half a mile long that has hens laying eggs that land on a convary belt and the eggs go right into the egg carton. Automatic Water and feeders for the hens and this is how the brown egg chickens do it for the grocery stores and Wall Marts. These chicks may be a spin off for them and they don't care about how old they will live they are breed for long egg laying in the pullet year.

I often wonder about this. I have heard some of the high egg layers are sex linked. Kelly Kober wrote a article and I read it at Tractor Supply I will have to go back tomorrow and reread the article. He once about 20 years ago got some Reds from me for a youth project but I think it faded out and they went with egg production and broilers.

I see ten hens every day going back and forth to work and they lay like crazy.

I still like to see other breeds of chickens. A Friend of mine was talking to me tonight about Black Tail Jap Bantams. You hardly see them any more they are about gone. Many of the old breeds are dying out because of lack of interest or they cant find stock anymore. The pictures look good but when they get the chicks grown up they look like the birds that came over from Europe in 1880 just nothing like they should be.

Anymore of you have Cherry Eggers or Rhode Island Reds to com pair. Sure enjoyed the pictures. bob

 

[Bullitt]

You can see Rhode Island Reds, production reds, and Cherry Eggers at http://www.cacklehatchery.com/page2.html with pictures of these types.

The production reds are just Rhode Island Reds that have been bred for egg production. But it states on the Cackle Hatchery website that both of these chickens will lay 250 to 300 eggs in the first year. And they state the same thing for the Cherry Egger, which is a mix of breeds.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Why all the hatchery bashing?
That was not what this thread is about.

I for one am not bashing them Draye. I have had hatchery birds and they served their purpose well. 99.9% of the people don't really care whether their red chicken is a RIR or a red bird just being called a RIR. I was just making a comparison.

Wow look at your Rose Comb male. This is one of the best looking males I have seen in years

This is one of the best displays of what I have been trying to get across to the new beginners who think they have the real Mccoys.

Please show us pictures of these young birds as they start laying. What a great sight to see on this web site. You stain is a excellent one and one of the tops in America. bob

Thanks Bob, but I can't take the credit for the breeding as I'm just starting out. In a few years, if they get better... then I'll deserve the praise.

Junior said it was "The cornbread treats every day" that makes the male so pretty" lol

 

[holyhart]

So this thread does bring up a question for me as a somewhat newbie. My first flock of chickens were 6 golden comets. I understood that they were a cross between a RIR and WL. (although, it sounds as if it is more likely a cross between a CE and WL???). I didn't understand that it was a hybrid that wouldn't be able to further reproduce more golden comets. I guess that wouldn't have mattered much though as I was just looking for some backyard chickens and egg layers. I didn't realize that meant they would lay a ton in their first year and then virtually stop after the 2nd year (not that they made it much past that, as predators, including a neighbors dog, got them shortly after we moved into our new house).

So we are in the process of building a new flock. I still won't be breeding, however I did end up with a rooster. Not sure if I will be keeping him or not. We will try it and see how it goes. So far he is friendly, but I do have 4 small children ages 9-2, so if he is aggressive at all, out he goes!

This time around, I am trying to get heritage breeds (with the exception of my olive egger and easter egger). But as a newbie, how do I know I am getting what I think I am getting? I read all the time on the breed/gender thread about how folks thought the were buying an "abc" chick, but then they find out it really is "xyz", or only half "abc". So while I can look at some chickens and be able to identify it, I wouldn't necessarily know if it is a pure breed or something passing as the breed, as in the case of the RIR vs. Cherry Eggers.

Any helpful hints? I have bought a chicken "encyclopedia" and read on here a lot to gain more "knowledge", but other than that? Esp. since I tend to be a very trusting person by nature and believe that most folks tell the truth?

 

[Robert Blosl]

the only way you can get a Standard Breed line or strain of Chickens that you know you will be happy with with Meat, Eggs and looks is do what our friend from Mississippi did. They got Rose Comb Reds from a breeder in Minnesota who has been breeding them for over 30 years. You will not find these good strains in the back of Mother Earth News or at the Feed Store.

Tell us the breed you would like to own. Then what state you live in. We know the breeders all over the country who worth the name BREEDER. Then we can give you their name and contact information and your set. Other wise you may take two to three years of hit and miss be for you locate the right breeder.

In some breeds their may only be one or two of them left. In the case of Silver Dorkings only one person has them. In some cases you pick a weird color that's pretty but so hard to produce and their are none left on hatchery stock.

So tell us the breed we will let you know.

golden retriever, 1 chocolate lab I see you have to wonderfull dogs. I bet you did some research on these two dogs befor you went and got them. You did not just run down to the dog pound and get them. Same thing with what you just asked for. It pays to do your home work first.

 

[Chris09]

You can see Rhode Island Reds, production reds, and Cherry Eggers at http://www.cacklehatchery.com/page2.html with pictures of these types.

The production reds are just Rhode Island Reds that have been bred for egg production. But it states on the Cackle Hatchery website that both of these chickens will lay 250 to 300 eggs in the first year. And they state the same thing for the Cherry Egger, which is a mix of breeds.

Cackle Hatchery doesn't have Rhode Island Reds. What they do have is two strains of Production Reds and Cherry Eggers.
They cross Leghorn Blood in to there lines to have the ability to Feather Sex them at birth. [that now makes them a cross bred]

Did anyone other than me see that Cackle used the same show birds picture for both Rhode Island Reds and Production.
All they did is turned the birds around.


Chris

 

[BlazeJester]

Buy from people on here who are reputable, or go to the American Poultry Association website and find breeders of the breeds you are interested in. Check them out and ask around this forum. But really, there is no reason to go elsewhere when you can get birds from the wonderful people on this site. Just check out your state (and/or surrounding states) thread and see who is around and what they have.

For your information, white leghorns are not used for sex-link crosses. They are dominant white, which means when they are crossed the offspring end up mostly white (see Google images for Austrawhite). Cherry eggers CANNOT be used to produce sex-links since they are themselves sex-linked. The sexing thread is mentioned/linked/quoted on page 2 of this one if you're interested in learning more about sex-linked genetics.

So this thread does bring up a question for me as a somewhat newbie. My first flock of chickens were 6 golden comets. I understood that they were a cross between a RIR and WL. (although, it sounds as if it is more likely a cross between a CE and WL???). I didn't understand that it was a hybrid that wouldn't be able to further reproduce more golden comets. I guess that wouldn't have mattered much though as I was just looking for some backyard chickens and egg layers. I didn't realize that meant they would lay a ton in their first year and then virtually stop after the 2nd year (not that they made it much past that, as predators, including a neighbors dog, got them shortly after we moved into our new house).

So we are in the process of building a new flock. I still won't be breeding, however I did end up with a rooster. Not sure if I will be keeping him or not. We will try it and see how it goes. So far he is friendly, but I do have 4 small children ages 9-2, so if he is aggressive at all, out he goes!

This time around, I am trying to get heritage breeds (with the exception of my olive egger and easter egger). But as a newbie, how do I know I am getting what I think I am getting? I read all the time on the breed/gender thread about how folks thought the were buying an "abc" chick, but then they find out it really is "xyz", or only half "abc". So while I can look at some chickens and be able to identify it, I wouldn't necessarily know if it is a pure breed or something passing as the breed, as in the case of the RIR vs. Cherry Eggers.

Any helpful hints? I have bought a chicken "encyclopedia" and read on here a lot to gain more "knowledge", but other than that? Esp. since I tend to be a very trusting person by nature and believe that most folks tell the truth?