Crossing my Red Ranger Hens.

[Compost King]

I am surprised that so many of your birds wound up with little to no red.

I was too but that was before I even bred them, I run scenarios through the chicken calculator and sometimes know ahead of time what I am going to get.
http://kippenjungle.nl/kruising.htm...Co/Co,Db:Db/Db&fgt=E:e^b/e^b,Co:Co/Co,S:S/(S)
I use this Calculator before I even buy chickens to help determine if I can use that pattern to get a pattern ideal for meat birds or to create sex links for my egger projects. One of the reasons why I love the Columbian Pattern is because it can be used with both Sex Linkage and ideal pin feathering.

 

[Compost King]

One of the runts of my 3/4 Dorkings is starting to show a bit of lethargy, I was able to reach into the giant brooder and grab him. This brooder is so big that I can not catch a healthy chick in it without a fishing net on a long pole. Although there are no other apparent health issues its a good indication that chick will not make it to adulthood but could live another couple months or get sick and die this week. This is very common with pure bred Dorking's. I have a few runts and I am predicting all of them will eventually get like this. I think out of maybe 30 of this crossing I have 3 runts, so 10% maybe defective. None of which came from my DorkO crossings but I did not hatch many of those. The DorkX crossing involves using the same rooster as Father and Grandfather. Not sure if thats a factor or not. This is all new to me and I am learning as I go.
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The lone surviving Red Ranger is growing a new coat of feathers after being worn down by the Naked Neck. Not sure when she starts laying again but I look forward to crossing her with more heritage breeds. My Rhode Island White is ready, I have a Jersey Giant that will be maturing in the near future. I may use a Dominique a Production Red. I also want to cross some half Red Rangers back to her. I might have to get more of these Red Rangers or another freedom ranger type. Going to read @jolenesdad 's thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...modern-broilers-heritage-and-hybrids.1295366/ and try to figure out where I go with that.

 

[aliciaplus3]

I lurk here a lot too and in some of the other meat bird threads.

I'm not especially interested in cornish x, I'm looking to make my Nn bigger for the table and still keep them as dual purpose.

I am crossing my Nn boy to my ted broiler girls for that very purpose! Just put my first red broiler eggs in last Friday so with any luck we will get some babies in 2.5 weeks.... I am excited.

 

[Compost King]

I am crossing my Nn boy to my ted broiler girls for that very purpose! Just put my first red broiler eggs in last Friday so with any luck we will get some babies in 2.5 weeks.... I am excited.

I am really liking crossing these free range meaties to Heritage breeds, Combining the benefits (like less feathers to pluck) of a Heritage breed with the rapid growth of the Meaties. I am now experimenting with 1/4 Red Rangers and seeing how those work out. So far not impressive on size and rapid growth but still better than the Heritage pure breeds. Still too soon to be a critic since I have yet to process a 1/4 Red Ranger.

 

[aliciaplus3]

I am really liking crossing these free range meaties to Heritage breeds, Combining the benefits (like less feathers to pluck) of a Heritage breed with the rapid growth of the Meaties. I am now experimenting with 1/4 Red Rangers and seeing how those work out. So far not impressive on size and rapid growth but still better than the Heritage pure breeds. Still too soon to be a critic since I have yet to process a 1/4 Red Ranger.

You are Way ahead of me! My red broilers just started laying. Give me about 6 months and I might have some ideas.... or just some big Nn? Lol I love my Nn anyway so life is good!

 

[Compost King]

You are Way ahead of me! My red broilers just started laying. Give me about 6 months and I might have some ideas.... or just some big Nn? Lol I love my Nn anyway so life is good!

I look forward to see how well they turn out. I am so glad to see others do this.

 

[jolenesdad]

She is looking great!!!

Really looking forward to my Imperial Broilers in September. They’re kind of like Kosher Kings.

My Royal Red (FR Color Yield similar) is an ABSOLUTE tank at 15/16 weeks old. I’m going to another video next week because it’s amazing how well she and the Robust Whites move!

 

[Compost King]

The Red Ranger is laying again, I found an egg in her nest last night when I was locking up coops. I doubt she has let the rooster (her son) living with her inseminate her so I doubt its fertile but I am going to incubate it just in case, not that I am in a hurry to get a chick but so I know if she is fertile or not yet. I might have to get an older more dominate Rooster to mate with her.

 

[BlueBaby]

The Red Ranger is laying again, I found an egg in her nest last night when I was locking up coops. I doubt she has let the rooster (her son) living with her inseminate her so I doubt its fertile but I am going to incubate it just in case, not that I am in a hurry to get a chick but so I know if she is fertile or not yet. I might have to get an older more dominate Rooster to mate with her.

Why don't you just crack the egg open and look for fertility?

 

[Compost King]

Why don't you just crack the egg open and look for fertility?

I may just do that tonight and have it as my bed time protein meal