The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[Fred's Hens]

Folks, the yellow is stored in the female's legs and she gives it up during her laying cycle. It's entirely natural. It's where the yellow of the yolk color comes from. She also stores up calcium in her long bones for the shell making. Again, entirely natural to them.

I don't pay any attention to trying to keep a heavy laying female's leg yellow. If her legs are washed out? Likely she's a good layer. If a bird that supposed to be laying heaving for you has pristine feather and yellow legs, she's very likely dogging it in the laying box. Pick her her up and check her pelvic bones and vent. Chances are good she's a lousy layer.

I had a stunning, I do mean stunning female in the breed pen last year and she never did turn ragged feather nor legs turn light. Never did get eggs from her either. She got eaten.

 

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

Folks, the yellow is stored in the female's legs and she gives it up during her laying cycle. It's entirely natural. It's where the yellow of the yolk color comes from. She also stores up calcium in her long bones for the shell making. Again, entirely natural to them.

I don't pay any attention to trying to keep a heavy laying female's leg yellow. If her legs are washed out? Likely she's a good layer. If a bird that supposed to be laying heaving for you has pristine feather and yellow legs, she's very likely dogging it in the laying box. Pick her her up and check her pelvic bones and vent. Chances are good she's a lousy layer.

I had a stunning, I do mean stunning female in the breed pen last year and she never did turn ragged feather nor legs turn light. Never did get eggs from her either. She got eaten.

Thanks for the info, Fred. Yeah, I forgot to mention my BR's look like they've been in fights with a weedeater. Barring their appearance (no pun intended), they all lay exceptionally well.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Thanks for the info, Fred. Yeah, I forgot to mention my BR's look like they've been in fights with a weedeater. Barring their appearance (no pun intended), they all lay exceptionally well.

They should. Hatchery BR aren't pure enough to be anything but good layers.

They're to BR what the production red is the Rhode Island Red. For backyard folks who don't breed? Plenty good enough, for sure. I had those production strains for years. Suit their intended purpose very well indeed.

 

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

They should. Hatchery BR aren't pure enough to be anything but good layers.

They're to BR what the production red is the Rhode Island Red. For backyard folks who don't breed? Plenty good enough, for sure. I had those production strains for years. Suit their intended purpose very well indeed.

I processed 4 of my BR cockerels at 16 weeks. No meat on the breasts, but my dogs didn't complain...

I'm thinking of using one of my red cockerels to breed with a couple of BR's in the spring. The BR's lay well, but egg size isn't that impressive. Maybe BSL's will lay slightl larger eggs?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Nowhere near finished, but I like these two little Reds. Got a bunch of these rascals to finish off and mature.




The little pullet has been coming up to the door of the grow out pen and squatting for me at feeding time, so today, I just scooped her up with one hand and carried her back to the shop and put her in a cage to take her picture. LOL All she wants to do is squat right now, but maybe by tomorrow, she'll stand up straight and relaxed and show off her real posture.

 

[rrand5]

Hi everyone,
Long time lurker, first time poster I have a bit of a story for you. Back in the 80's my dad went to university at the Uof Saskatchewan here in Canada. His prof was a man named Dr. Roy. D Crawford http://www.wpsa.com/index.php/iphf-recipients-2000/29-iphf-recipients-2000/69-roy-d-crawford-canada When Dr. Crawford retired the university of Alberta took over breeding Dr. Crawford's heritage chickens. They are now offering them for sale to the public and I purchased some this year. they are now 17 weeks and it's pretty obvious that the U of A has not been breeding them to SOP. My questions are how hard would it be to breed them back to a higher standard? Would I be better off to find some from a breeder? And also if anyone knows where Dr. Crawford's line would have come from? Thank in advance sorry for such a long post!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Hi everyone,
Long time lurker, first time poster

I have a bit of a story for you. Back in the 80's my dad went to university at the Uof Saskatchewan here in Canada. His prof was a man named Dr. Roy. D Crawford http://www.wpsa.com/index.php/iphf-recipients-2000/29-iphf-recipients-2000/69-roy-d-crawford-canada When Dr. Crawford retired the university of Alberta took over breeding Dr. Crawford's heritage chickens. They are now offering them for sale to the public and I purchased some this year. they are now 17 weeks and it's pretty obvious that the U of A has not been breeding them to SOP. My questions are how hard would it be to breed them back to a higher standard? Would I be better off to find some from a breeder? And also if anyone knows where Dr. Crawford's line would have come from? Thank in advance

sorry for such a long post!

Post a few photos rrand5 and we'll take a look. Ag Schools have bird flocks they breed for many reasons, but keeping them to the Standard isn't always a goal.

Edit to add: @rrand5 Are these the birds you posted earlier in another thread?



Yeah, while it would interesting to see how they look now that they're older, nevertheless. these birds appear to merely be typical commercial type, production reds. A current photo or two might help us to see if they display any Rhode Island Red true to type form, but the feather on these birds simply doesn't meet the breed's Standard. Again, we'd have to see the current profiles to see heads, back line, bottom line, brick shape, front protruding keels, horn color on beaks and legs, beetle green tail feathers free of red, etc, to pass any final judgement.

 

[rrand5]

Post a few photos rrand5 and we'll take a look.  Ag Schools have bird flocks they breed for many reasons, but keeping them to the Standard isn't always a goal.

I started with 20 chicks, dog attack left me with 3 pullets and 12 cockerels.
This is the best cockerel that I have, other carry tail high and have terrible combs.

One pullet has a very light chest, can't tell the other two apart.

Thanks for taking the time to have a look.

 

[waddles99]

I started with 20 chicks, dog attack left me with 3 pullets and 12 cockerels.
This is the best cockerel that I have, other carry tail high and have terrible combs.

One pullet has a very light chest, can't tell the other two apart.

Thanks for taking the time to have a look.

Those are production birds. Not real RIRs

 

[Fred's Hens]

Yeah, sorry. They're just hatchery type, production birds sold in feed stores, etc. Just being honest. These birds are concocted to be egg layers. They're often sold as Reds, but they are not. Again, sorry.

They'll make good layers for you, but NO. There's nothing there to work with in attempting to "breed them up". The DNA proper to the breed just isn't there and you couldn't pull it out of them if you spent decades trying.

There are pretty good Reds breeders in Canada. I'll send you the address of some club members, and hopefully, they might point you in the right direction. Best regards.