The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[Chickens run]

It's ok if he's production. I'm not looking to breed or show him, just wanted some advice on caring for him since he seems a bit thin and his feathers are poor. I did notice the long neck, perhaps he is crossed with a giraffe.

All in all, he's a good roo with a great temperament, and he is taking his role of caring for the girls very seriously. I'm disappointed that I was mislead, but I'm still happy with him, I just want to make sure he's well cared for and found this site when I searched Heritage RIR. Thanks!

 

[cmom]

It's ok if he's production. I'm not looking to breed or show him, just wanted some advice on caring for him since he seems a bit thin and his feathers are poor. I did notice the long neck, perhaps he is crossed with a giraffe.

All in all, he's a good roo with a great temperament, and he is taking his role of caring for the girls very seriously. I'm disappointed that I was mislead, but I'm still happy with him, I just want to make sure he's well cared for and found this site when I searched Heritage RIR. Thanks!

I still think he is older than a year and hopefully he will fill out and the next time he molts he may be a beautiful male. Good luck and have fun...

 

[waddles99]

It's ok if he's production. I'm not looking to breed or show him, just wanted some advice on caring for him since he seems a bit thin and his feathers are poor. I did notice the long neck, perhaps he is crossed with a giraffe.

All in all, he's a good roo with a great temperament, and he is taking his role of caring for the girls very seriously. I'm disappointed that I was mislead, but I'm still happy with him, I just want to make sure he's well cared for and found this site when I searched Heritage RIR. Thanks!

A lot of people will sell production reds as Rhode Island Reds. This is not because they are trying to scam you, but they are rather horribly misinformed. They buy and breed birds truly believing they are Rhode Island Reds, and try to sell them as such. Most people do not care about breed standards, or don't even know they exist. The person who sold you him was probably mislead also, and probably bought or bred him believing they were indeed heritage RIR. You just happened to come across him and thought he was pretty. Nothing wrong with that, you didn't know. I bought my first reds from a woman who marketed them as heritage. It took a newbie like me just about 2 seconds to believe her, too. As they matured and I gained knowledge, I could see that they were standard production reds. As mentioned above, I think that in your case, color was a very defining element in your believing your bird to be heritage. It is a classic novice ideal to believe that just because birds are dark, they must be heritage. I must admit, he does have decent coloring for a production, but as you learned there is a lot more to it than just color.

I am glad that he is working out for you. I apologize for stating in my last post that he should go to the freezer, I thought you wanted to breed him. If you just want to keep him around as a flock protector, he sounds perfect for the job.

 

[cmom]

Quote: @chickens-run , I think many of us when getting a start with our Pure Reds has gotten taken for a ride. Where do you live?

 

[Fred's Hens]

It's ok if he's production. I'm not looking to breed or show him, just wanted some advice on caring for him since he seems a bit thin and his feathers are poor. I did notice the long neck, perhaps he is crossed with a giraffe.

All in all, he's a good roo with a great temperament, and he is taking his role of caring for the girls very seriously. I'm disappointed that I was mislead, but I'm still happy with him, I just want to make sure he's well cared for and found this site when I searched Heritage RIR. Thanks!

Next time, you'll know what to look for. We live, we learn, we grow. There are two kinds of people selling scrubs as true Reds. Those who know they're not and are profiteering on other people who don't know any better and those who don't know a blessed thing about Reds and neither do those who buy from them.

Once you know? You're armed and dangerous.

Psssst. Just a whisper. He's not a "roo". We don't use that word here. Ever. He's a cock bird.

We live, we learn, we grow.

 

[waddles99]

@chickens-run
, I think many of us when getting a start with our Pure Reds has gotten taken for a ride.  Where do you live?

Very true. I wasted 8 months raising up my reds to find out they were production. In my case I think that the "breeder" truly didn't know. Kinda scary that someone who breeds and sells birds would be that misinformed, but it just goes to show that anyone can label themselves a breeder of heritage RIR and churn out hatchery junk. But everyone who bought from her suffered from her stupidity. I know I did. The important thing is that you can learn and never make the mistake of buying junky reds again. Then you can have the peace of mind of having real quality birds.

 

[Fred's Hens]

It is sobering to realize that without those handful of dedicated breeders who are keepiing the truebred, purebred Rhode Island Red alive and going, they'd cease to exist. Bob Blosl, the founder of this thread, used to say that in the dead of winter he seriously doubted there was 1000 Rhode Island Reds alive on the planet.

This is largely a hobby, a fancy and for some a way of life.

If I don't breed, then whatever a bird is, good or bad, ends with me anyhow, so it doesn't matter a whole lot. It's fine thing to enjoy beautiful birds, it truly is. There's nothing better than watching purebred birds on green grass on our own property. It's living artwork.

But the only way these living artwork pieces are preserved for future generations is by careful and skillful breeding of them. There is a lot of chatter about "preserving heritage fowl" and it is mostly for the good. But preserving means breeding and breeding requires knowledge, experience, dedication, finances and skill. Without great breeders, we do not preserve heritage fowl.

 

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

It is sobering to realize that without those handful of dedicated breeders who are keepiing the truebred, purebred Rhode Island Red alive and going, they'd cease to exist. Bob Blosl, the founder of this thread, used to say that in the dead of winter he seriously doubted there was 1000 Rhode Island Reds alive on the planet.

This is largely a hobby, a fancy and for some a way of life.

If I don't breed, then whatever a bird is, good or bad, ends with me anyhow, so it doesn't matter a whole lot. It's fine thing to enjoy beautiful birds, it truly is. There's nothing better than watching purebred birds on green grass on our own property. It's living artwork.

But the only way these living artwork pieces are preserved for future generations is by careful and skillful breeding of them. There is a lot of chatter about "preserving heritage fowl" and it is mostly for the good. But preserving means breeding and breeding requires knowledge, experience, dedication, finances and skill. Without great breeders, we do not preserve heritage fowl.

I long for the day when I can look in my backyard and see a nice flock of mature SOP RIR. That day is coming. I have the dedication, and spent countless $$$. All I lack is knowledge, experience, and skill. I'm working on those. My biggest hurdle is trying to learn this on my own. I wish I had a good mentor to show me the ins and outs...

 

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

Just turned 11 weeks old and going strong...

 

[cmom]

Quote:

If I don't breed, then whatever a bird is, good or bad, ends with me anyhow, so it doesn't matter a whole lot. It's fine thing to enjoy beautiful birds, it truly is. There's nothing better than watching purebred birds on green grass on our own property. It's living artwork.

But the only way these living artwork pieces are preserved for future generations is by careful and skillful breeding of them. There is a lot of chatter about "preserving heritage fowl" and it is mostly for the good. But preserving means breeding and breeding requires knowledge, experience, dedication, finances and skill. Without great breeders, we do not preserve heritage fowl.

I long for the day when I can look in my backyard and see a nice flock of mature SOP RIR. That day is coming. I have the dedication, and spent countless $$$. All I lack is knowledge, experience, and skill. I'm working on those. My biggest hurdle is trying to learn this on my own. I wish I had a good mentor to show me the ins and outs...

You will be fine you have a good eye. I consider myself lucky to have Matt's wisdom. Every time I see him I try to pick his brain and his father's. I learn something every time. I might be a thorn in his side at times but I am eager to learn more too and consider myself privileged to know him.