The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[redrstr29]

You guys are AWESOME!! I live in Connecticut and have all my life and we're RIR heavy around here but I still only see a few flocks that are the true Heritage RIR That Ive always seen when I was younger....Makes me want to get a few, The hatchery ones are good but when I think RIR i can only picture the heritage type!! I was actually shocked 4 years back when i saw some RIR pullets for sale somewere and I had the nerve to tell the guy I believed they were New hamps because I had that dark type in my mind...Thanks to all who are preserving this type!!!

 

[Robert Blosl]

Today coming home on a Rhode Trip my wife says look a pair of Rhode Islan Reds.

Now you ask your self which ones was she talking about.

They are not the ones that I see little chicks on this tread. The are the Production Reds that stole the name and the heritage from the Original Rhode Island Reds .

So you just got to decide if you want the most common kind that 99% of the people in North America have or the rare endangered kind like I use to raise and have converted to a bantam.

One think is for sure when it comes to Rhode Island Red Bantams I have only seen one kind.

Now for the term Mutts. That is the term my mother called her R I Reds in 1947 to 1959. In 1960 she saw some that came from a guy named George Underwood. Then she said finally in my life time I got some real Rhode Island Reds that people talked about when I was a little girl.

If I offend those using the words MUTTS I am so sorry. But just don't call them Rhode Island Reds. There is a difference and after 2 years I am sure most people on this thread that has read it from the beginning know the difference.

Type in Rhode Island Reds in Bing.com pictures and see how many real Rhode Island Reds show up. about 10% of the pictures. Heck if you go to a source a H exhibit farm or zoo the pictures they show for Rhode Island Reds are the light colored ones.

Hope more of you get the old kind however, if you want egg production more than 190 eggs per year you are wasting your time with the dual purpose kind. It just wont happen. That has been the biggest disappointment for people who want to switch from hatchery to breeder type Reds as they want high yields per year.

 

[FOGELLY]

This is one of my shipped Ron Fogle chicks. Hunkering down in the cold outdoors but gentle to handle. All eleven are growing and thriving. This is an eight day old Ron Fogle chick from shipped eggs. All eleven that hatched are also growing and thriving. Twenty two beautiful RIR chicks to enjoy watching and I'm anticipating Ron F. helping me pick out the best for my breeding pen.

I may be wrong, but looks like the first chick is a cockerel. Nice pictures. Ron

 

[BGMatt]

I haven't commented in here because I have been slowing reading the entire thread from page 1 since I joined. I just wanted to say thanks for the great read, there is so much good information and history and passion in here. Great to see. I remember saying in my early teens "I don't get what's so special about Rhode Island Reds." and I said the same about many of the old heritage breeds, Rocks, Leghorns, etc. They were all so basic, and functional, I wanted something special and flashy! Now I notice in my early 30's asI'm trying to get back in poultry and trying to choose breeds, the ones that catch my eye are those old school, simple, functional breeds. Had a customer talk to me about some RIR's today, showed me pictures on their phone...they weren't Rhode Island Reds, just more hatchery junk so i had to run back here and browse over some pictures of these gorgeous red birds.

Sorry to babble, just wanted to share my thoughts after reading 337 pages of RIR. Hah

 

[Mumsy]

I may be wrong, but looks like the first chick is a cockerel.

Nice pictures.

Ron

You are likely right about that. There are five of the shipped chicks that stand out from the others. Bigger. Darker. More obvious comb . And they are courageous on leaving the group to explore. Three of those five are feathering faster than the others so I put zip bands on them.

Tonight they all piled over my feet trying to climb into the feed dish before I had even finished filling it! Made me laugh out loud!

 

[hungry4eggs]

Talked to Steve today and should be getting my trio in May as soon as they can be sexed. Either Mohawk or Roberts Line, I can not wait.

 

[NestingHillsSC]

Today coming home on a Rhode Trip my wife says look a pair of Rhode Islan Reds.

Now you ask your self which ones was she talking about.

They are not the ones that I see little chicks on this tread. The are the Production Reds that stole the name and the heritage from the Original Rhode Island Reds .

So you just got to decide if you want the most common kind that 99% of the people in North America have or the rare endangered kind like I use to raise and have converted to a bantam.

One think is for sure when it comes to Rhode Island Red Bantams I have only seen one kind.

Now for the term Mutts. That is the term my mother called her R I Reds in 1947 to 1959. In 1960 she saw some that came from a guy named George Underwood. Then she said finally in my life time I got some real Rhode Island Reds that people talked about when I was a little girl.

If I offend those using the words MUTTS I am so sorry. But just don't call them Rhode Island Reds. There is a difference and after 2 years I am sure most people on this thread that has read it from the beginning know the difference.

Type in Rhode Island Reds in Bing.com pictures and see how many real Rhode Island Reds show up. about 10% of the pictures. Heck if you go to a source a H exhibit farm or zoo the pictures they show for Rhode Island Reds are the light colored ones.

Hope more of you get the old kind however, if you want egg production more than 190 eggs per year you are wasting your time with the dual purpose kind. It just wont happen. That has been the biggest disappointment for people who want to switch from hatchery to breeder type Reds as they want high yields per year.

If you want eggs, get leghorns like I have also. They are egg laying machines!!

 

[NYREDS]

If you want eggs, get leghorns like I have also. They are egg laying machines!!

I'm sure Bob will benefit from your suggestion.

 

[NYREDS]

I certainly do not claim to have the depth of knowledge and background experience of breeding heritage chickens that Mr. Blosl does, but I do know for sure that the proliferation of web forums and sites over the past ten years proves that the revival of interest in backyard and small farm flocks is due to people seeking safer and more enjoyable food sources. I think this is a good thing ,and if managed well , can lead to a similar revival of interest in standard bred heritage chickens such as RIR's.........No one disputes the fact that feedstore and commercial hatchery RIR's are not show chickens....But I certainly doubt that ALL HATCHERY RIR'S are "mutts"---whatever that means....Truth is there are NO PURE BLOODED breeds. All are composites...Many of the so-called master breeders mix breeds from time to time to enhance their stock's IMITATION OF THE STANDARD OF PERFECTION...Many of you are way too hard on the average people with less than perfect flocks....Fifty years in the Grain and Feed business has taught me a few things.. First of all, most people select the breeds or crosses available to them at a price they can afford. Few average people have even heard of the Standard or know what a standard bred heritage breed is. Secondly, today's flock owners are simply not going to raise a strain or breed that doesn't perform economically....By insisting on rigidly arbitrary color and form standards a breeder confines his/her appeal to a few people interested in these considerations...This is a GOOD THING FOR THOSE INTERESTED in that, but hardly justifies a condescending attitude to everyone else.......I still have a small flock of New Hampshires that I got from Colonial Poultry Farms in 1988 . Many of them are as good as most of the Hamps I occasionally see at the few shows I attend. ... Given enough time and patience you CAN MAKE A SILK PURSE FROM A PIG'S EAR...Thanks to all the wonderful people like Mr. Blosl who have kept the RIR's and others going..God Bless.

There is no hatchery producing Rhode Island Reds that come close to adhering to the breed standard' that's just a fact.
Put your Silk Purse theory to the test. Take some of those New Hampshires to a show where one of the better known breeders is competing & see how they do. You say yours are as good as the "Hamps" you see at shows but I'm betting an actual Judge, who knew how to evaluate birds, would disagree.

 

[Robert Blosl]

Radamaher line Aaron from Texas



Bennett line Ga.


Fogerlly line Ark.

Mohawk Bantams My line four years ago.


When it comes to having a good Red or New Hamps they may look good but the proof of the budding is they got to be showed and more than one show to see if they are any good or not. Also, this is a good way to compare your birds with the other strains such as Radamaher I have yet to see one in may years. Mohawk saw a few there ok. Flanagan very nice, and the Rhode Island Don Nelson line which must be the best. Also, the Underwood line only seen pictures of them but they look good.

In Rose Combs it depends on length of body some are short and thick, some are short in body but normal in thickness, do not know about width of back if they are even or not have not seen that yet.

I am trying to get about ten Rose Combs for me and a friend. This way I can see on the ground what their type will be. Want to cross them onto a Mohawk HEN some day.

Then I can call them the Rose Comb Mohawk line.

Got a message from a newbie she asked me if I had any good pictures of birds to look at so she can compare her young chicks she got to the pictures. She really does not have a clue what to look for but want to make a honest try. So I will post some pictures of the good type birds I have seen in the last few years. They may have a few little faults but are still true to type.
No Red is perfect. But you need to be in the zone a little.

I also found a U Tube video

that has nothing to do with chickens but everything to do with having success with chickens and maybe if you watch this video a few times per year it will help you reach your goal of a successful Red Fancier or Breeder. Now when you turn it on sit back for at least five minutes before you leave it. I sat with my wife last night and watched the whole thing. All I could say is WOW.

Many don't like it when I write this but its a fact JACK. Out of all the Rhode Island Red Club members who join the red club in ten years there may be two to four who stick with them. In twenty years you may have two. The rest do not have them or got out of them because the messes up in their breeding program or had no plan.

The biggest problem is they just don't have a five year goal. If it don't work out they cross another bird into their line to see if it will pull them out of corner they painted themselves into.

So here is a few pictures I have for this nice lady. 'Edit Today Thursday am.

Mohawk line is more than OK

If I told you want I really thought of this line people would think I was promoting this line. Remember this is my old line I am the one who called them Mohawks for Mohawk V male of 1929.
Its one of the top five lines in the USA. Have nice width of backs and even.