The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[ChickMagnet207]

Does anyone know where Sam Hayes got his reds?

 

[NYREDS]

Does anyone know where Sam Hayes got his reds?

Sam Hayes probably does, why not ask him?

 

[ChickMagnet207]

Do you know how to get a hold of him? Because I sure don't!

 

[cmom]

A female pullet at say 11 months old should lay a 2 1/2 oz egg or a 24 oz dozen. Dont know the conversion or the grams eggs I am to old.

I am an old retired lady. The golden years...

 

[cmom]

I just never had a pullet lay such big eggs. I weigh all of my eggs in grams.

Modern Sizes (USA)

Size Mass per egg
Jumbo Greater than 2.5 oz. or 70 g or >
Extra-Large (XL) Greater than 2.25 oz. or 64-69 g
Large (L) Greater than 2 oz. or 56-63 g
Medium (M) Greater than 1.75 oz. or 49-55 g
Small (S) Greater than 1.5 oz. or 42-48 g
Peewee Greater than 1.25 oz. or < 42 g

 

[Robert Blosl]

Quote: I never heard of him does he have reds? Who did he get them from?

 

[riftnreef]

Yes you can cross any large fowl red onto your line but you are going to pay a price in color and sometimes crazy faults will pop up in type. If you dont want to show them and just want pets go for it. If you want to breed them for say ten years dont do it. Stay with a strain like Don Nelson. Heck I would get in my car and drive to Bobby's house in North Carolina and get some of his birds which are his first year matings of Nelson line. I saw a female with a long back on her I would pay $100 for and one of his males brother to his champion male at Lucas ville. I would be happy as a cat in a litter box with his line. I however would not walk across the street to get four dozen free eggs from a strain that is crossed as I dont have enough years left to clean up the mess to get them to the level that Bobby has or Matt has. Thats the thing you have to ask your self. Am I a Back Yard Chicken collector and want pets or a person who is a Preservationist to save the breed. We need about three people to be hard core Preservationist and about 100 Back Yard Chicken hobbyist. Not all can do it so thats why I say we need hard core breeders. Out of 300 people with large fowl Reds one will float to the top and be the Breeder I always dream about. That's why I do what I do. It was a promise I made 30 years ago to the old timers I interview if they would give me their secrets I would pass them on and make them public. Now its up to the Back Yard Chicken person or lady if he or she wants to be a Preservationist. There is a difference. Its like using chemicals in Gardening or going the old fashion way Organically. Not many can go that route. Hope I made myself clear.

These are the things I need to learn more about as I get into Reds. We have decided as a family they are our breed of choice, but I've been unpleasantly surprised at how hard it is to find a quality Red. I would be perfectly content for these wonderful birds to grace our place till the end of my days. With that, we still need to find some next month when we go to the Ohio Nationals. My daughter will be showing them for the fair next year, so they don't need to be perfect, but good enogh to start a breeding program with would be helpful. How many would you recomend starting with? Would a quad be sufficient to start or rather maintain a strain with?

 

[Robert Blosl]

If I had time to do this all over again which I have invested 30 years. I would pick a family of good birds from a person who lived about400 to 600 miles from my home or closer. I would get ten started chicks or four dozen eggs and drive to their home to get them. If they would sell me a breeding trio or two pairs and help coach me and my child I would go that route. It would be faster. If I thought I would want to raise these birds for every and a day till I died I would not buy a male from Mr. Brown and a pair of hens from Mrs. Green. Why waist five to eight years cleaning up genetic faults caused by the cross of family's. You mentioned your frustrations why they are so hard to get. They are hard to breed pure and many through up their hands after three to five years because of the mistakes they make in breeding them. Its not nice to tell you this but its been a fact not only in R I Reds but colored strains of Plymouth Rocks. If they got color on their feathers they will be harder to breed. If I wanted to breed a rare breed and in ten years make a breed close to improvement it would be White Wyandottes, White R I Reds which are and have been a joke for 50 years, White Dorkings and White Plymouth Rocks which I have and have done. WHY they are so easy to breed for type. No color issues.

So can you wait till the February and get chicks or eggs from a good Breeder? Will you find birds at Columbus maybe but they will be gone in 30 minutes.

I would go with ten started chicks. I know at least five people who could help you.

That's it. bob

 

[Robert Blosl]

Found a personel message from someone and thought I would post my repose for you who are lurking this thread and want the Original Heritage Rhode Island Reds. There are very few people out there who have them and they will be sold out in no time for eggs or chicks. These are not Hatchery People or Feed Stroe People so stop thinking in the mood.

You can only get them from people who have raised them for ten or twenty years or people who bought birds from them in the past two years. Here is my message:


Never heard of any of them. They dont sound Like true R I Reds ,but hatchery stock.

There are only about 200 large fowl R I Reds breed each year in the USA in January. I know the real master breeders what state does your aunt live in? New England Area? let me know. Be carefull if you want Reds like I have (Old Fashion Standard Breed kind ) do your home work be for you buy. Did you see the R I Red that Bobby won with at Lucas ville on the Heritage Large Fowl thread of mine. If they look like him they are real R I Reds if not they are production reds. bob

 

[riftnreef]

Bob,

I think getting started chicks in Feb. would work just fine for us. As for the coming years 4-h projects...she should have plenty in Bantams that we can take our time for the Reds. I have recently completed a new coop so we can seperate our layers from a line of Reds when they are ready. I guess I just "assumed" my best chance to find some of quality would be at the Ohio Nationals, but picking up a dozen chicks from someone in Oh, Ky, or In., seems a good alternative. Feel free to PM me info for breeders in the area that are willing to share, and I will take it from there.