Not sure what breed and what sex my chickens are

[cstronks]

Check your area to see if you have poultry shows in the spring, summer, or fall. That is where I always get my birds. The birds are usually very healthy, and the breeder is almost always accurate with the sex and breed of chicken. There is no doubt that the 2nd and 3rd birds are roosters. The RIR in pic 3 is actually a very nice bird. However, none will lay eggs, so you should boycott tractor supply, because they sell a misleading product, and they don't own up to their mistakes.

 

[Bullitt]

Not all of the birds on this site are show quality, but if you scroll down, most of the dark colored birds would be considered show quality. The standard calls for a dark mahogany colored bird.

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Reds/BRKRIR.html

Thank you for the information and link. I have read a lot about this subject. I looked at that website. The colors vary a lot, and it also changes whether the picture was taken inside, outside, and under what conditions.

I know not all the birds are show quality.

"Dark mahogany" is subjective. I would like to have something like a swatch of color to show me what color it is supposed to be. And I have a feeling that the "standard" has become darker over the years than the original.

I think the Rhode Island Red owned by the original poster looks good. But, we can't see the rooster well, the picture is at an angle, and we don't know what the light conditions were at the time.

 

[Bullitt]

If you want to see pictures of Heritage RIRs that meet the standard there is a thread on here somewhere.

heres a link discussing the differences
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/410956/heritage-rir-vs-production-rir

Heres a link tp the heritage RIR thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/407294/the-heritage-rhode-island-red-site

ANy thing you get from a hatchery isn't going to meet the SOP for any breed period. Hatchery don't breed to Improve the breed, they breed to make a profit and sell low quality versions of the breeds they carry. You aren't going to get heritage rhode island red from a hatchery.

Thank you for the information and links. I have read those threads before, though.

I would agree that most of the time hatchery birds will not meet the APA standard of perfection.

I would not say the chickens from hatcheries are low quality, though. Hatchery chickens are often better if a person wants eggs rather than a show bird. And that is because hatcheries breed for egg production, not color and body conformation.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Thank you for the information and links. I have read those threads before, though.

I would agree that most of the time hatchery birds will not meet the APA standard of perfection.

I would not say the chickens from hatcheries are low quality, though. Hatchery chickens are often better if a person wants eggs rather than a show bird. And that is because hatcheries breed for egg production, not color and body conformation.

When I said hatchery birds were low quality I meant as far as type and standard for the breed. You are not going to get a show quality bird from a hatchery. Hatchery birds are bred for egg production. Therefore they are low quality when it comes to meeting the standard. The only thing they are high quality for is for production. I did state in my previous post that hatcheries don't bred to the SOP.

 

[TheChips]

Looks like you have the same problem I do. I have 8 chickens and 2 are hens!
4 Cochin roosters and 2 Isa roosters.

You will have to give each one a girlfriend

 

[chooks4life]

Yikes. The RIRs I remember from my childhood were spectacular. The birds in the links people provided are a sad and sorry shadow of those hens.

(Absolutely no offense intended to the people who provided the links, or the sites, or the breeders, I know you're just providing information and the breeders are doing the best they can with what was left after the breed lost popularity and a lot of its population).

I did not realize standards had fallen so far. I'm a bit dismayed, I must say. Australia at least still has some fine looking RIRs, unless since my youth they've been left to go to ruin... I will have to check up on this.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

The links I posted were simply given to show the differences between PRIRs and RIRs. Not to show case the breed. There are some people that do have really good birds out there wether it be Australia or America. Infact there is a breeder that lives 2 and a half hours from me. Hers have some really nice color to them.

 

[Chicken Happy]

While getting chicks at TSC or any feed store may be convenient - or an impulse buy when you are picking-up feed (very guilty of this), I suggest finding local breeders instead. Sorry that they all turned out to be roo's. Pretty boys though.

 

[chooks4life]

Quote: I know, I was just so aghast is all. Good to hear you also have some good ones near you, it's always a crying shame when a great breed fades into extinction.

Today I read a poultry book claiming it was supposed to be some kind of definitive guide for the beginner, and I was also aghast at the poultry in it --- only about half of them were recognizable as the breed they were named as, and some looked near death, they were in such terrible shape. Many had bumblefoot and scaly leg mite infestations, many had blue or black-edged crests and wattles, some were lying on their sides, one rooster was missing most of his toes with severe and advanced bumblefoot that had him walking on stumps... Plenty of them were deformed too. None had healthy looking faces, plumage, etc, plenty had their eyes closed.

All of them looked like they lived in permanently darkened cages on wire floors, and I'd bet the majority of all the pics were sourced from the one place. It was easily the worst poultry book I have ever seen. In the back, it referenced this site as a good place to get info. At least it did that right!

Bah, sorry to babble on, anyway. I didn't intend to offend you, I know you were just supplying info. When I picture any breed I picture the best specimens I've seen of it, so it's a bit of a leap for me to see low grade versions.

Best wishes to all.