The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[iajewel]

Now that Im learning about strains, as are many here I would love to see some photos of different strains and see how they compare? how are the different, what makes them unique? Anyone have photos showing this? If anyone can tell me how my strain, Jimmy Swanson, is different from others I would also like to know. Im such a newbie.. thanks for bearing with me as I learn.

 

[iajewel]

I have another question. I hope you all aren't getting annoyed at all my questions. When I saw my first RIR that was not at all what I had seen before. I actually didn't even recognize it as a RIR. The size, color and rose comb through me way off. Anyway.. this bird was huge. He was the most magnificent bird I had ever seen. I was wondering how large is to large for the RIR and how small is to small? I know the production birds are tiny in comparison, however when I get my flock built up, do I need to cull for size? or is color and phenotype more important?

 

[punky rooster]

only weight
cocks should be 8.5 lbs
cockerels7.5
hens 6.5
pullets 5.5

 

[Lotsapaints]

The standard says 8 1/2 lbs for a cock 6 1/2 lbs for a hen and 1lb less for pullets or cockerels so you should keep this in mind when choosing stock a little bigger isn't bad as 1 pound over isn't a cut then it's 2 points per pound until you reach DQ size

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
You need to cull for everything as all the component considerations, including weight , comprise the bird.
Once upon a time in poultry shows all entries were weighed before they were caged. Not sure just when that practice stopped but the result is we see a lot of over & under sized birds. This is more true in bantams than in large fowl but it happens in large fowl as well.
I weigh all my breeder birds & don't use anything over standard weight in the breeding pens.

 

[iajewel]

Where would I buy a standard? Also do the standards change? I know for rabbits they review and change them every 5yrs. Im more wishing to breed to the original bird, than todays standards if they very to much from the early standards. Yes, I know progress.... I have seen the value of progress in many species, and the devalue of it as well. Even in this topic we hear people say things like, "we used to see" or we don't see anymore" in referring to traits now lost and we wish they weren't. Im hoping in breeding to the old standard that old things will come back. Its a funny thing genetics. One tiny spot could be connected to a lethal gene, or one color pattern connected to eye placement, or bone shape. The ankle bone is always connected to the knee bone. When you find one tiny thing from the past you can lock in, its amazing what else will appear.

 

[FlashPointFarm]

Jewel, I'm in the same boat as you. I had not planned on ever owning RIR's, due to the RIR's I'd seen and heard about.

Robert, I traveled to Gary Underwood's home to purchase his old incubator. He showed me the most magnificent birds running in his yard. Every single one of them looked like you could plop it in a cage and take it to a show! LOL!

 

[iajewel]

Quote:
You need to cull for everything as all the component considerations, including weight , comprise the bird.
Once upon a time in poultry shows all entries were weighed before they were caged. Not sure just when that practice stopped but the result is we see a lot of over & under sized birds. This is more true in bantams than in large fowl but it happens in large fowl as well.
I weigh all my breeder birds & don't use anything over standard weight in the breeding pens.

I agree that if there is a weight standard that all birds at a show, where standards count, should be weighed. Its odd they would get lazy on something like that.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
Weights for Large Fowl Reds are --
Standard Weight-

Cock …………8 ½ lbs Hens ………………6 ½
Cockerel ……7 ½ lbs Pullets …………….5 ½

Chris

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
APA web site but hold off for a while the new one is coming soon.