RIR's and New Hampshire Reds?

[call ducks]

Quote:
30 weeks


And IMO The SOP for most of these chickens, is a good thing, it gives us insite to how they looked in some cases 100 years ago. "show" birds may not lay as soon, but i think they can lay as any eggs as any other chicken over there life span

any ways...

 

[spartacus_63]

Once a pullet hits maturity and starts to lay eggs she is for the most part done growing and she is as big as she is going to get.

I have not found this to be true. I got a group of day old RIR pullets from a hatchery at the end of June and they started laying in November and were consistent by December. This was last years birds. I have three hens over seven pounds and most over 6.6 pounds. I also hatched a brood this spring (3 in June, 4 in July) that has just started laying this month. I also had four cockerels that went to freezer camp that weighed between 6.5 and seven pounds each.​

 

[spartacus_63]

To me, if someone wants a high producing bird, a Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire is not the way to go. They're supposed to be dual purpose breeds. (regardless of "show quality" or not) As I've said in another thread before - If you want egg production, get a Mediterranean breed. Or a Sex-Link.

At 250-300 eggs/year and 6.5 - seven pound dinner guest is not bad in my humble opinion. Something I am satisfied with. I do agree that if you are not interested in anything but eggs, the Mediterranean birds can't be beat. Of course I also like the personality and vitality of the RIRs.​

 

[Egghead_Jr]

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Here is where we see the actual difference in NH vs RI. The NH was breed from RIR to make a faster maturing, still dual purpose but it's purpose was more for the pot. The RIR is intended to be a prolific layer and general good meat bird. That is the real distinctin of the two breeds. NH is less egg and better meat, ie faster maturing, RIR is all purpose and for a time the best egg layer around. The Smithonian has the Malay father of RIR stuffed on display. Excellent breed was dirived from that and that breed was RIR.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

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If I were not interested in anything but eggs I would have nothing but sex-links and Mediterranean breeds and in fact I do have many of both. But the issue here is dual-purpose birds and the breeds that were once of historical importance notably the Rhode Island Red and New Hampshire. At their height as commercial working birds they laid 200-250 eggs per year in their pullet years AND grew large enough to make a good meat bird (by the standards of the day). The strains they eventually got to 300+ eggs per year were a little small relative to their slightly less prolific cousins but still grew larger than the Mediterranean breeds for the broiler market. There is no reason why they cannot do this again when focus is again put on their practical qualities rather than their cosmetic ones. It's what they were originally bred for by the hundreds of thousands and millions of birds that built the America poultry industry. THOSE were the genuine heritage birds.

 

[spartacus_63]

A.T. Hagan :

Quote:
If I were not interested in anything but eggs I would have nothing but sex-links and Mediterranean breeds and in fact I do have many of both. But the issue here is dual-purpose birds and the breeds that were once of historical importance notably the Rhode Island Red and New Hampshire. At their height as commercial working birds they laid 200-250 eggs per year in their pullet years AND grew large enough to make a good meat bird (by the standards of the day). The strains they eventually got to 300+ eggs per year were a little small relative to their slightly less prolific cousins but still grew larger than the Mediterranean breeds for the broiler market. There is no reason why they cannot do this again when focus is again put on their practical qualities rather than their cosmetic ones. It's what they were originally bred for by the hundreds of thousands and millions of birds that built the America poultry industry. THOSE were the genuine heritage birds.

Amen!​

 

[X2Farm]

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Just FYI, thats not my bird, in the picture. That was taken by another BYC member, at the Nationals in Ohio, if I recall correctly.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

That may have not been so clear...

THe NH was bred from only RIR stock to make a faster maturing bird. Selective breeding made the NH from RIR.

What we get now from hatchery is a mystery. Small combs and what not. True breed and their characteristics are a rarity and prompts one to get a heritage breed to continue it.

True heritage RIR are rare now. At one time they where in high demand. Sent to england and such to aid int their breeding programs. It's a breed that is much looked over for barred or what have you. Of my prodution reds they produce a red egg, one has a 6 color on the maran color scale....they really are over looked. What could you do with a heritage flock?

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
Here is where we see the actual difference in NH vs RI. The NH was breed from RIR to make a faster maturing, still dual purpose but it's purpose was more for the pot. The RIR is intended to be a prolific layer and general good meat bird. That is the real distinctin of the two breeds. NH is less egg and better meat, ie faster maturing, RIR is all purpose and for a time the best egg layer around. The Smithonian has the Malay father of RIR stuffed on display. Excellent breed was dirived from that and that breed was RIR.

This is a reproduction of what the Malay looked like that Captain Richard Wheatland brought to the U.S. back in 1846.

Chris

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
Just FYI, thats not my bird, in the picture. That was taken by another BYC member, at the Nationals in Ohio, if I recall correctly.

The Red in the picture was taken at Nationals and belongs to Don Nelson.

Chris