The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[ronott1]

Well....After reading this entire thread...three or four times all the way through. I made my choice to order Fogle line eggs and chicks. My chicks shipped today from Arkansas and my eggs go into lockdown tomorrow. I'll be wringing my hands for the next three days. I'm really hoping all my researching, saving, and planning will get me my baby dream flock by mid week. Wish me well please. Whidbey Island, Washington is about the ends of the earth as far as getting HRIR here. Thank you Ron F. for giving me the chance to own and raise them. Let the power stay on and the USPS do their job!

 

[jaman4]

Thanks for sharing your experience with the various strains Jim.I appreciate hearing what others have learned.I have or have had some of the birds you mentioned and would agree as far as the egg laying.At least on 3 you mentioned.
Bobby

 

[sgribble]

I have Mohawk/Reece birds and one other line not mentioned and both have been very good layers and very consistent.

 

[FOGELLY]

When I started looking for HRIR to start a flock with, most of my friends told me they did not lay well.
"For Show"
For the last 10 weeks my three breeding pens with a total of 9 hens have averaged 44 eggs for every 7 days.
These pens have hens ranging from 1-4 years old.

I have only weighed my birds one time a while back and the pullets weighed 6-6.5 lbs at 8-9 months. They are all about the same size.

I am more than happy with both the hens and the roosters.

Ron

 

[immyjay54]

I have Mohawk/Reece birds and one other line not mentioned and both have been very good layers and very consistent.

I will surely be giving these girls of mine a fair chance but if they don't improve over this summer I won't feed them another winter. I fully understand that they will never reach hatchery production status. lol
Again, I sure am not trying to put down any certain blood line. I truly do love the HRIR's. I can say that every one of the lines have super dispositions. Some are a little more flighty but most I can reach down and pick up any time of the day.

Ron Fogle, Your birds seem just about the same as my Nelson girls. I can't say anything wrong about them.

Thanks for the kind comments. I was worried that I would have to get out the suit of armor. lol This is just one persons experience so far. I will know more as the summer goes along. Our winter has been terrible this year and still snowing.
Jim

 

[immyjay54]

I appreciate what you have posted.

Poking around a bit is seems like the ones I hatched from Ron Fogel might be a bit different from the lines you have. They go back to the St. Romain Family in Louisiana and the line is over 90 years old. They are beautiful and seem to have retained their egg laying abilities both in numbers and size. The pullets are very large and they did grow quickly. It seems that getting egg production up with them would not be hard, but at 180+ per year they are already pretty good for a Heritage breed.

One of them nearly laid an egg in my hand on Saturday. There was a broken egg in the nest box and a couple of the other chickens were going after it while the Red was laying hers. I was getting the broken egg out and shooing the others away when she plopped the egg out! What a good girl!

I really like this story. Not the egg eating but the egg plopping out in your hand. lol Yes, a great gift. After reading what I've read, I do feel that you made a really good decision.
Jim

 

[ronott1]

Quote: It was very cool to get that egg!

The ones going after the broken egg were not the HRIRs. One was an EE and I think the other one was a Cross.

 

[FOGELLY]

Jane (Mumsy) and Ron, Thank you for your enthusiasm! Jane I too will be wringing hands until the arrival of your chicks. It will be good to help get some good Reds out that way.
Ron, the exact age of this strain has been up for a little debate, but we do know that they came from Bob to the St Romain Family. They are a fine repensentaion of the breed a joy to work with. I have met some very nice people because of them.

Jim, the way you feel about some of your less than productive lines is how I am starting to feel about my GSBR. Gonna give them a few more months and see what happens. Might just use them for the same thing Frank Reese breed them for and raise eating birds from them.

Ron

 

[immyjay54]

Jane (Mumsy) and Ron, Thank you for your enthusiasm! Jane I too will be wringing hands until the arrival of your chicks. It will be good to help get some good Reds out that way.
Ron, the exact age of this strain has been up for a little debate, but we do know that they came from Bob to the St Romain Family. They are a fine repensentaion of the breed a joy to work with. I have met some very nice people because of them.

Jim, the way you feel about some of your less than productive lines is how I am starting to feel about my GSBR. Gonna give them a few more months and see what happens. Might just use them for the same thing Frank Reese breed them for and raise eating birds from them.

Ron

Hey Ron,
I had a trio of those that I bought last year. What you are saying is true. Enough said. lol
Jim

 

[ronott1]

Jane (Mumsy) and Ron, Thank you for your enthusiasm! Jane I too will be wringing hands until the arrival of your chicks. It will be good to help get some good Reds out that way.
Ron, the exact age of this strain has been up for a little debate, but we do know that they came from Bob to the St Romain Family. They are a fine repensentaion of the breed a joy to work with. I have met some very nice people because of them.

Jim, the way you feel about some of your less than productive lines is how I am starting to feel about my GSBR. Gonna give them a few more months and see what happens. Might just use them for the same thing Frank Reese breed them for and raise eating birds from them.

Ron

Four Day Old chicks hatched from Ron Fogel hatching eggs: