RIR Breed Thread

[Chris09]

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I think they meant biddies. Biddies are another way of saying chicks.

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Show Quality Rhode Island Reds.

Chris

 

[IggiMom]

Oh, sure. How embarrassing.

Show quality.

As I have mentioned before, I am very active in purebred dogs, and honestly, oftentimes the show quality ones are not as healthy. Mind you, many people who show dogs would argue that, but I think it is probably true, unfortunately. (And it is also not true of every breed or every breeder, either--disclaimer here.) What do you think? Would this be true of chickens also?

I do like my chickens to be pretty, even though I don't show, but I am more interested in having them display the traits that they were originally bred for, which in RIR's would be good egg laying, good foraging ability, and good winter laying, enough meat that it could be eaten. I would call them Heritage R.I.R.'s. I do NOT mind if they take longer to lay than a hatchery bird might, so long as they then lay longer and remain healthier.

Another disclaimer. I seldom eat them. I just think it should be possible, if you wanted to.

Catherine

 

[Chris09]

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Catherine,
If you are looking for a Red that will make a good "table bird" and still lay good and have a good foraging instincts you might want to go with Reds from a breeder..
The Reds that you get from hatcheries do lay well and forage OK but they lack in the meat department..

Chris

 

[IggiMom]

Chris, I have an incubator full of eggs from Taterschickens, that I am just SURE will be tops in all those departments!

I think they are going to hatch well, too.

I am no where near as expert on the RIR's as many of you are, but I fell in love with the pictures of her birds.

I am feeling so enthusiastic about these RIR's.

I will let you all know how they do! In time, of course.

I have some two year old hens from a hatchery, and honestly I don't remember which one, as I got from several that year, and they did lay well. However, they quit around July of last summer, and have not picked up, and they look like old birds.

I really think a chicken should not be old at two. And I do feed them well, and they free range, I really do take good care of them.

Those are not bad birds, they just didn't stay the course.

All of which is to say, I'll bet you are just exactly right.

Catherine

 

[IggiMom]

I promised myself that I would wait until Tuesday and they had been in the incubator for 10 days before I candled them, but I just HAD to look at a couple tonight...or six...I could see veining in every single one that I looked at! And a little movement.

Now I WILL wait until Tuesday to look at any more.

These are nice eggs and I believe that I have gotten incubating down better, too.

Although I guess I better not count my eggs before they are hatched!

Catherine

 

[greathorse]

that is a great sign but shipped eggs can begin and not finish. I have experienced 0% hatches from shipped eggs but veins and movement is good.

I hope you get some nice one's Tater has nice birds for sure.

My heritage roosters took even longer than the pullets. I have had the pullets laying for sometime now and the roosters are just now beginning to breed and I am seeing some fertility

 

[MAllen]

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I have 15 of Imogene's RI Reds that I hatched about 3 months ago. They are AWESOME birds, they put on size quickly, and are that really nice dark red color. You'll really like them!!

 

[IggiMom]

MAllen, good to hear! Thanks for the encouragement!

Catherine

 

[millebantam]

Does anybody have any pics of their Bantam RIR's? It seems like nobody ever posts pics of them. Can it be that there just aren't many breeders out there?

 

[greathorse]

IN many ways RIR bantams are easier to find than large fowl. Post your intereset for RIR bantams on Crohio.com go to the Rhode Island Red forum and there are some very good breeders over there.

I am sure they exist here as well but that site is exclusively RIR Large fowl or bantam and rose comb or single comb.

Good Luck