The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[FOGELLY]

Sally,
You beat me in replying.
It is our human nature to look a lot more closely at the non hatchery birds. We have more invested in them in both time and money, we want them to be the best.

I am glad you are enjoying them. Don't stress to much, it will rob you of the fun in raising them.
This is very hard for me, I am a little obsessive.

Ron

 

[FOGELLY]

Fred,
Yes it has been my experience that the pullets feather faster.
Some of the pullets feather much earlier than the rest, and look like small versions of adults right down to the teepee tails.

Ron

 

[ronott1]

Sally,
You beat me in replying.
It is our human nature to look a lot more closely at the non hatchery birds. We have more invested in them in both time and money, we want them to be the best.

I am glad you are enjoying them. Don't stress to much, it will rob you of the fun in raising them.
This is very hard for me, I am a little obsessive.

Ron

With the chicks I hatched from Ron's line last year, I was not paying too much attention to them and one day at about 20 or so weeks old they jumped out at me from the layer pen! They literally blossomed over a very short time into amazing looking pullets.

 

[cmom]

I just took all of my cockerels out of the chick coop and pen and put them in the bachelor pad. There are a few I'm not sure of yet so they can stay in the chick coop.

 

[RedRidge]

I just took all of my cockerels out of the chick coop and pen and put them in the bachelor pad. There are a few I'm not sure of yet so they can stay in the chick coop.

Pictures Pictures!!! pretty please

 

[melroseladi]

I just took all of my cockerels out of the chick coop and pen and put them in the bachelor pad. There are a few I'm not sure of yet so they can stay in the chick coop.

What age are your cockerels in the bachelor pad and do you have a cut off age that you keep them together?

I have had my cockerels and pullets separate for some time now only because of space issues. I have 7 HRIR cockerels and 1 Rhodebar cockerel together and really am wondering how long I can keep them together before there are any real issues.

Penny

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I have had several of them in a bachelor pen after they have started crowing. There have been some squabbles but nothing serious. If I have added any females then they get a little more aggressive. They will establish a bachelor pen pecking order.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Here's what we've done. Draw from it what you will.

Let's say you hatch chicks from February through late April. As those chicks mature, in June or July, the pullets all get sold or saved and kept in the pullet pens. They are allowed to mature. Some may reach point of lay around late August. In any case, all will be in lay by the first of the year. We can then see them as adults and decide which chosen few are intended for the breeder pens in late January.

The cockerels get put up in the bachelor pads. Same. Same. We find the cockerels in the bachelor pad fuss a bit, but far less then one might think. We can look them over and see if there is a breeding quality bird among them. Remember, we only need two or perhaps three at most. The process of selection has been going on in our heads since they were in the brooder.

By deer season in late October, lots of older hens, a deer or two (hopefully) and any cockerel who is not a finalist all help fill the freezer and lesson the amount of mouths to feed over winter. Hope that helps you in your planning and thoughts.

 

[tdhenson86]

Are there any Heritage RIR breeders in the Southwest Michigan/Northern Indiana area?

 

[SallyinIndiana]

It is going to get into the 40's tonight and tomorrow. Should I get a light on my 7 week olds? I'm thinking no but want to be sure.