The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[cmom]

Mr. Bob,
All of my LF Reds are from "up North", but seem to be handling the heat and humidity considering the 100 degree days. Do you have any suggestions to keeping them cool besides a good old fashioned shade tree with plenty of cool water?

I have some sprinklers as well as shade. The sprinklers wet the ground and make it cool for the birds. They love to run around under the sprinklers too.

 

[catdaddyfro]

Yes I too have 16 RIRs from up north(Pa.)Horstman stock too and they are doing fine down here in this southern sultry Louisiana heat. I'd think it would surely be harder on maybe already grown birds that were acclimated to that type environment. These were hatched there but reared down here since they were a couple of days old. They are hanging right in there with the GSBRs from Alabama, step for step, LOL

Jeff
Oh might I add too they are so pretty I'm still amazed at the color of these dark red reds. These are my first ever "real" RIRs and man o' man is there ever a significant difference, I tell you
Sweet huh?

 

[monnie662]

Well, if I am upset big time. Something got my big old SC RIR today about 12:30 pm. I am on the way out the door to see if I can build a pen for the "girls", they are all hiding underneath the cedar tree so they won't go back to the hen house until I do. I'll be waiting for this critter since I know what time it is sneaking through.

 

[NYREDS]

Well, if I am upset big time. Something got my big old SC RIR today about 12:30 pm. I am on the way out the door to see if I can build a pen for the "girls", they are all hiding underneath the cedar tree so they won't go back to the hen house until I do. I'll be waiting for this critter since I know what time it is sneaking through.

This is why you never keep just one male. If you keep two they'll both be fine but if you keep just one something always happens to him.

 

[catdaddyfro]

This is why you never keep just one male. If you keep two they'll both be fine but if you keep just one something always happens to him.

Oh yes a plan "B" is a good thing to have around to fall back on just in case plan "A" don't work out, on my "real McCoys" I even have a plan "C" just in case plan A and B both go down the tubes for some reason. and when dealing with critters such as chickens/poultry there are numerous things that can come by and change things around in a hurry.

Jeff

 

[monnie662]

This is why you never keep just one male. If you keep two they'll both be fine but if you keep just one something always happens to him.

Well my problem was I only had him and a hen hatch from eggs about 3 years ago so that is when I realized they were "different" from my other RIRs and started looking and found this thread and now if one of the little newbys that hatched appears to be a rooster so I'm in business again. My neighbor hatched some eggs I gave him and he has a big fine RIR rooster he'll let me have but I am not sure he is a heritage/production red cross or would be out of my rooster and my hen. I'm not sure I would be able to tell the difference. I may just wait and maybe see about buying some LF RIRs this fall when everyone starts culling theirs out and I can drive and buy some but want to be sure I keep my Don Nelson line. I'm hooked on these heritage birds.

 

[monnie662]

Oh yes a plan "B" is a good thing to have around to fall back on just in case plan "A" don't work out, on my "real McCoys" I even have a plan "C" just in case plan A and B both go down the tubes for some reason. and when dealing with critters such as chickens/poultry there are numerous things that can come by and change things around in a hurry.

Jeff

I've been working on the new facilities they'll have to stay in unless I am out there with them. I lost a hen last week around Wednesday and then I heard yesterday when the rooster was grabbed but I was not running fast enough to see what it was. But I have the schedule down pat and I have the gun loaded to sit starting tomorrow. It has a full belly and knew it would not show up today but possibly tomorrow or next day. I've lost chickens and have even lost a cat before so I need to stop whatever it is in its tracks so I won't lose my cats. Makes me very unhappy with the whole situation.

 

[docdandc]

Did you figure out what got your rooster? I hope.

 

[dinahmoe]

I've been working on the new facilities they'll have to stay in unless I am out there with them.  I lost a hen last week around Wednesday and then I heard yesterday when the rooster was grabbed but I was not running fast enough to see what it was. But I have the schedule down pat and I have the gun loaded to sit starting tomorrow. It has a full belly and knew it would not show up today but possibly tomorrow or next day. I've lost chickens and have even lost a cat before so I need to stop whatever it is in its tracks so I won't lose my cats.  Makes me very unhappy with the whole situation.

i am right there with you.i have "something"on schedule and kills in the same spot.it has gotten 2 birds and there will not be a 3rd.i will be sitting and waiting every morning until it comes back.

 

[cmom]

I put a traps out. Once I caught a Bobcat. Something was getting my birds and killing several at a time. It didn't come back the next night after a killing but did the following night and that is when I caught it. Could be most anything but I would guess fox, coyote or raccoon. You could put leg traps out where you know the critter was getting in at or a have-a-heart trap with a little canned cat or dog food. I also caught a possum in a trap. I found a place where something dug under my fence and killed one of my birds so I put some traps out. It came back the nest night. The next morning when I checked the traps there was a possum in a trap. Good luck at catching your critter. Curious as to what it is.