RIR Breed Thread

[Chris09]

Quote:
Please do I sure we all would like to see them..

Chris

 

[popcornpuppy]

Hello all you RIR lovers. I have been following this thread but nver had pics to post. Well, today was picture day at my home and so I am posting pics of my Reds. I have hatchery stock Red pullets and Heritage Reds roos. I got some pics of them side by side and thought it would be good comparison of size and color. The roos are 6 months old and the pullets are comming up on 1 year old this month. I have babies in the brooder that are heritage reds and will be replacing my hatchery girls with the young ones once they reach laying age. I wanted my flock of Reds to be pure reds, so I upgraded LOL.

So here are the pics, enjoy.
George on the left and hatchery no name on the right

two hens

George getting the girls in line

Joe, my shy guy

 

[AmberH]

Quote:
Please do I sure we all would like to see them..

Chris

Photobucket is being a pain right now. I only got a few pics uploaded. But here's my baby, Seamus.

 

[RAREROO]

Cute bird, but that just goes to show how light these hatchery RIRs can be, he actually looks more like a New Hampshire Red, is that way he is ? Did you happen to get him from TSC who like ours down here, has a bin that just says Assorted Reds and has red Sexlinks, Production Reds, and NHRs.

 

[AmberH]

He did come from TSC but he came from a bin that said Rhode Island Reds. The guy said they were in such a high demand that they had to specifically order RIR and put them in a bin of their own. I bought two, but the other one died after about a week.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Here is my RIR boy, named ... Red! Very creative, huh? LOL!

What do you think of him?

 

[RAREROO]

Quote:
Ok Yeah well he is a nice little bird and if he works for what you want him for thats great, he is just way to light for a RIR and a prime example of how hatcheries just cross them up and go for production and leave out the true color and body type, which really, not longer makes them a RIR. Hatchery RIRs ( more truthfully known as Productions Reds) are really no more a real RIR than a hatchery Ameraucanas ( mtka Easter Eggers ) is true Ameraucana. They are great for people who want productive birds, but I wish hatcheries wouldnt falsely advertise what they have as it is really a discredit to those who do put in the effort to breed to the standard and produce birds who deserve the name the standard gives them.

 

[AmberH]

Whatever Seamus is, it really doesn't matter. He's just a pet that lives the good life of roaming around the property all day, every day. I still like him.

This got me thinking, I looked up NHRs and he's not as light as them. They appear to be the same color as my sex link. I looked at pictures of RIRs and he's not as dark, but closer to their color. Now, I've got to see some production reds. Hum.... Thanks for the info.

 

[RAREROO]

Quote:
Exactly, As long as you love him and he works for what you want him for then thats all that really matters. And yep, with the Pro Reds, there are several strains, some were from crossing RIRS and NHRs, some have White Leghorn influence, and some probably have Delaware in them. Just a big mix of the best layers bred solely for producing the most efficent producers and not necessarily what the standard calls for.

 

[RAREROO]

Well yesterday was finally the day, after nearly a year since I first talked to William ( Pine Grove) and saw the pics of his amazing RIRs, then a month or so going to his how and seeing the birds for myself, yesterday was finally the day that I was privilaged to go pick up 30 chicks raised from his awesome birds. I actually said, before seing his birds, that I would never get RIRs again becuase they were so common and I didnt really care for the ones that I had had in the past, but after seeing his birds, I realized that I had never really seen a true heritage RIR before then, just all these mixed up hatchery production birds. Now I am so happy to get started with these as well as get into other old american hertiage breeds and work to preserve they few good ones we have left and keep all the hatchery birds from taking over.

I think William said he is about to shut down for the year, but when these guys are available, you all need to snatch them up, you can see pics of their parents on page 6 post 55, but until you see them in person, you cant see the enormous size and deep color that surpasses any hatchery bird.

Thanks again William.

Here the chicks, the pics arent that great becuase I took them with my phone in the dark brooder barn, but in a week or so i will take them out and get better pics.