The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[immyjay54]

LOL, before. Good thing Tanker can run fast or he would have been in the crock pot, lol. Not really!

Still no eggs! You ever get tired of your RC's or they want to move to the warm south, send them my way.

Penny

I got another egg today. lol Are you giving them any layer? I throw in just a little each morning and evening. I keep their feeder with grower/finisher but just a little layer thrown on the ground with cracked corn. Just a little of this Maybe a cup a day for 3 girls and 2 boys.
Penny, I feel toward mine like you do tanker. I haven't seen any that I would be ashamed to put mine up against. Even if I don't show. lol I look at them everyday and tell them how nice they are. AND, they are laying. lol

 

[melroseladi]

Jim I love my birds and boy what personalities.

No I don't use layer any more since I have been keeping the guineas and the roosters/cockerels. All my birds get Game Bird Grower. I do give them free choice oyster shell and egg shells. I rarely see my layers eating the oyster shell and the only time I have ever had soft shelled eggs is from a new layer. I think they must get enough of what they need from free-ranging.

Penny

 

[Razadia]

I'm sure not trying to be smart but just for comparison I just went out and took a few shots of my RC Underwood's. They are 6 months, 6 days old today. I took side, top etc so you can see why I'm so confused with the age of your bird IF he is pure Underwood. I don't feel that I do anything special with my birds.
The last pic is a pullet, same age. These birds are all from eggs hatched from Jim. 11/10/12
Jim

I just don't get why he doesn't look like he should.

 

[Fred's Hens]

When I first got a package of 14 Barred Rocks from KathyinMO, I kept them close and raised them out correctly. That fall, I took a dozen down to the families farms in Ky. I gave a trio to one brother's farm and 9 of them to the other brother's farm. That way, we could use the males and separate the flock into three locations to try to stave off any possible catastophic predator situation. So far, we've only lost one bird to a hawk. From those three breeding groups, we've managed to put about 50+ chicks on the ground this spring and our final batches are in the incubators now. Perhaps a hen or two will brood some chicks soon, but it is unpredictable.

We've also shipped eggs this spring to a half dozen people, to start other programs. Having partners, helping others and spreading the stock around. Now, that we feel we have some sufficient numbers, we move forward with some serious decisions and selections.

I feel the same way about Ron's Reds. We have junior flock keepers coming up and their desire for these big Red birds is pretty intense. Very satisfying. Very rewarding to see these young folks take up this husbandry with the commitment that they are showing. Having partners helps the creation of related, but separated family groups.

 

[har]

When you all are talking about game bird grower, are you talking about Purina's feed? I looked at that and did not think the protein was very high

 

[Fred's Hens]

Our local mill has GameBird grower and Gamerbird starter. Both are relatively high in protein, 22 and 28 percent, I believe. Both have animal protein listed as the third ingredient which is important to me.

Other nearby mills have similar products. I don't know if Purina GameBird is animal protein based or not, as I don't use it.

 

[immyjay54]

When you all are talking about game bird grower, are you talking about Purina's feed? I looked at that and did not think the protein was very high

Click this link and you will see what I start my chicks on. I only feed it for the first 3 or 4 weeks then go to regular chick starter DuMor. To expensive to feed it to long. lol This Showbird/Gamebird feed is one of the best things I ever started doing. I hatched 12 of these chicks from Jim and still have everyone of them. I don't think that it is animal protein but whatever it is it really works on these babies. I know I can see the difference in using it or just going with chick starter feed.
Jim

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/manna-proreg;-gamebird-showbird-feed-5-lb

 

[melroseladi]

I live in a rural area so our options for feed are pretty limited. The feed stores around here only carry medicated starter feed, mostly Purina products. I don't use medicated feed so my only option was the Game Bird feed. I found that all of my birds have done extremely well on it. I use FRM Game Bird. My birds also free-range in a heavily wooded area so they get lots of insects to eat. The FRM Game Bird starter is 28% protein and the grower is 22%.

Penny

 

[NYREDS]

Our local mill has GameBird grower and Gamerbird starter. Both are relatively high in protein, 22 and 28 percent, I believe. Both have animal protein listed as the third ingredient which is important to me.

Other nearby mills have similar products. I don't know if Purina GameBird is animal protein based or not, as I don't use it.

Purina stopped using animal protein in all their feeds several years ago. Just before I stopped feeding it.

 

[Robert Blosl]

No harm done. I'm starting to think the same thing myself on terms of diet. We're in the process of changing what we feed them (switching from scratch and sweet feed to flock raiser). I did get the eggs from Jim.

Corn and sweat feed is not a good diet for a growing chicken. Maybe with the two about 10 % protein. Unless he was on free range and eating insect.

Your bird does not have the dark color and he is smaller which could be from the lack of protein.

There is a company that may sell their feed in your area its called FRM from Flint River Mills Georgia. They have a feed called FRM game bird Pellets. This would be a great feed for your birds and they have a good chick starter about 20% with good grains and animal protein. Its the last of the old fashion good poultry feeds in the South.

Game bird feed should have animal protein in it. You can not grow southern quail with cheap feed as they will not have good feathers so they can fly.

This is a beginners mistake. Just learn from it and move on. Let me ask you could you drive from your home to Mobile Alabama and then about 50 miles from there to Foley Alabama. I am sure later in the summer we could fix you up with some good R I Reds maybe not rose combs but single combs if you wanted them. There is I think a person or two in Mississippi who have got good dark reds this year and they may have a few to spare for you. Got to look and dig around but its possible. bob