The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[bluebirdnanny]

Yep. And I am not the best judge but Fred is mentoring me and said my eye is getting good. He got me MY start trio when I was complaining that what I had been given WAS NOT RIR as I remembered them at Granny's. I had posted wanting to know exactly WHAT BREED I had as I knew they weren't what I wanted. Hence, he gets the best and I the second then, if more make the cut.... he handles for now getting them to those who would be good stewards and serious about breeding these birds to preserve and need a start. But I giggle at him now as what I used out there was a STAFF not a CANE. lol I use the cane out in public but the STAFF my neighbor made me when with the chickens, in the yard, or hiking, gardening and Morel mushroom hunting.

I would have liked to continue breeding the best I had and gave the first eggs to him to hatch. I don't have the facilities he does for holding chicks so I couldn't start as early. But since I figured out which time she laid I grabbed hotly laid right out from under her! He liked what he hatched. So I used her and two others for me so I could get the incubator filled.

She had to go when one of my kittle hens started eating eggs and she joined in. Had to do something quickly. Now most lost eggs are smashed from FOUR hens getting on top of each other and wedging into the drawer nest!!! Have to pull them out and grab good eggs before they get mashed too. Egg eating is a VERY BAD trait and disqualifies breeding OR living no matter how good she looks!! I want the eggs and can't tolerate it or the others learning it. They can have what I cook for them but NOT good raw eggs. Eggs are for one of three purposes ONLY... selling for feed money, eating, or hatching, that is it.

Next year smashed won't happen as the set up will be altered. Right now working on eliminating extras and getting the coops and yard area around them cleaned and set up for winter. Then will work on plans and saving for breeding pens I want to do. Looking forward to breeding this next year. I want LONGER backs among other things.

 

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

@cmom , you might recognize this guy. It's Dexter's boy at 15 weeks old...





He, his hatch mate, and a couple of the older chicks had a light case of fowl pox (dry), but most of the sores are gone and they're recovering nicely.

 

[Fred's Hens]

...

But I giggle at him now as what I used out there was a STAFF not a CANE. lol I use the cane out in public but the STAFF my neighbor made me when with the chickens, in the yard, or hiking, gardening and Morel mushroom hunting.

My most sincere apologies. Your STAFF..

 

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

I'm seeing a little widening of my cockerel's backs since I added poultry conditioner and mealworms to the diet, but I swear it seems like they're now growing taller faster than they're filling out. I hope they'll feather and fill out nicely, and still have these nice long backs!






Meanwhile, the pullets are looking nice and full... almost to the point of being "full-figured"...

 

[Fred's Hens]

The birds go through spurts, starts and stops. Ugly stages too. Horrid, unfeathered stages. It's just their nature. It is we, their owners, that sweat all this stuff. LOL They're slow growers. Just the nature of the Large Fowl.

If you think these Reds are slow, there are a few other breeds that would give no sympathy whatsoever.

 

[waddles99]

I'm seeing a little widening of my cockerel's backs since I added poultry conditioner and mealworms to the diet, but I swear it seems like they're now growing taller faster than they're filling out. I hope they'll feather and fill out nicely, and still have these nice long backs! Meanwhile, the pullets are looking nice and full... almost to the point of being "full-figured"...

I love the conditioner....its the manna pro stuff isn't it? Thats the closest I can get to a "show ration" where I am. That mixed in with some 16% purina layer. Maybe it's my imagination, since I cant remember what my birds used to look like when I used just straight layer, but they look so much better with the ration. The brick shape is really extenuated by the conditioner, as is the feather sheen and quality. Plus it helps them through molt Edit: the pullet in the second to last pic is showing very nice brick shape

 

[Fred's Hens]

I'm all for good feed and have pretty committed ideas about feed (even differing from my partners, those I may mentor, etc) and still? I know this. No feed or supplement can put the brick shape into a Red. Sorry.

That trade mark brick shape of the breed was put on these birds in the 1930's and 1940's when none of these fancy feed supplements were yet invented.

 

[waddles99]

I'm all for good feed and have pretty committed ideas about feed (even differing from my partners, those I may mentor, etc) and still? I know this. No feed or supplement can put the brick shape into a Red. Sorry.

That trade mark brick shape of the breed was put on these birds in the 1930's and 1940's when none of these fancy feed supplements were yet invented.

Then how come by hen went from this to this in a couple months? She was already about 12 months old, so she couldn't have matured too much more. I was thinking it was the feed.

 

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

I love the conditioner....its the manna pro stuff isn't it? Thats the closest I can get to a "show ration" where I am. That mixed in with some 16% purina layer. Maybe it's my imagination, since I cant remember what my birds used to look like when I used just straight layer, but they look so much better with the ration. The brick shape is really extenuated by the conditioner, as is the feather sheen and quality. Plus it helps them through molt

Edit: the pullet in the second to last pic is showing very nice brick shape

Yes, it's Manna Pro. I used to feed my layers Purina Layena (16% protein), but have changed over to DuMOR 20% chick starter with oyster shell offered free-choice. I can't tell any difference in egg quality or quantity, but my birds look better than before. My 19 and 14 week old reds get DuMOR 24% chick starter with Manna Pro conditioner and mealworms.

I'm all for good feed and have pretty committed ideas about feed (even differing from my partners, those I may mentor, etc) and still? I know this. No feed or supplement can put the brick shape into a Red. Sorry.

That trade mark brick shape of the breed was put on these birds in the 1930's and 1940's when none of these fancy feed supplements were yet invented.

True... very true. Usually fed grains and veggies from the home or local farms, and whatever grass, bugs, and critters they could catch. If I remember correctly, a lot of those breeders fed only buttermilk for a few days after hatching... and fermented feed was a popular chicken food.

 

[dinkyzoo]

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