The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[AletaG]

A few are seeing he contrast to what they had last year from the feed store. Some are saying I am happy with my birds but could I do better. Should I look into another four dozen eggs from SO and So next spring. In some cases I say why not you might be able to up grade and improve your over all gene pool and then get rid of what you have that you started with. There are some very good strains out there that are three to five years a head of each other and you want to get the best you can so you can reach your personnel goals. Some folks do not want to up grade and are happy with what they have. So something to think about as move into next year. Just don't cross these strains to think you will hit the lottery. You will hit genetic diversity so hard it will nock you off the turnip truck.

Oh my g-d. Just when I think you've made that point the millionth time, you make it fun to read again...

I'm of the opinion my starting point needs to be as far along as possible. I have gotten back into showing birds after an 18 year absence and I'm a retiree. I don't have lots of years to get to a decent "starting" point. I need to take advantage of the hard work of others for a jumping off point!
That's why I'm here, to decide where to re-start.
Thanks for the advice, opinions are always welcome!

Exactly. That's why I'm not going to make any decisions regarding Delawares yet. Gathering info, more info, and more info. Mulling, weighing, thinking some more. Waiting to see how it goes with the HRIR, can't wait to toss the Prod. RIR into the freezer (realistically another year, gotta have enough eggs! My 5yr old eats 3 or more every morning for breakfast. Most of the time, he and his sister get them all... I'd like some too, dang it)

I processed our culled Red cockerels over the weekend and am very happy with the results. They dressed out between 5.4 to 6.5 lbs. We did discover that we need a bigger pot for scalding. We scalded at 130-135 degrees and the birds were very easy to hand pluck with no skin tearing. We enjoyed one of them last night for dinner when an unexpected busy day required us to do a crock pot meal. Delicious!
I have to say I am extremely happy with the Underwoods as a dual purpose bird and look forward to them being our main flock for both eggs and the table.
Penny

They were 24 weeks old. ...were not free ranged but they were kept in a 4x8 coop with a 20x15 run with a fenced in, uncovered area outside the run. Run is covered and has a dirt floor and surrounded by woods so they still had lots of access to bugs and worms even when weather would not allow them to be in the uncovered area.
All my birds are raised on free choice FRM game bird starter and then FRM game bird grower, with 3 way scratch as their treat. No vaccinations or medicated feed.
Penny

Thank you SOO much for these posts. Numbers! I love numbers. Data! I'll be aquiring Fogle birds, not Underwood, but it's nice to have a ballpark...

 

[Chris Herzog]

Can anyone tell me what I have going on here? These birds did not look like this a couple weeks ago.




I'm thinking it's the heat but open for suggestions.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[catdaddyfro]

Chris I have birds here in molt early this year too, its absolutely hot and the birds know it they are mini molting sorta. This is the first time I've ever experienced this(summer molting) and it is with my first"real" BRs and RIRs too, the New Hampshires not so much and of course the layers (Proreds and hatchery stock) they always wait till the dead of winter to shed down to their skivies <LOL

Jeff

 

[melroseladi]

Happen to get any photos of a RIR dressed for the table?

I sure didn't but I have plans for 1 to get roasted next week and I will take some pics.

Penny

 

[melroseladi]

Today I was noticing that my barnyard reds are looking like they are going into a molt, which I thought was odd. I was really worried about my Underwood Reds handling this heat since they were northern bred but so far they seem to be handling it pretty darn good.

Penny

 

[immyjay54]

Can anyone tell me what I have going on here? These birds did not look like this a couple weeks ago.




I'm thinking it's the heat but open for suggestions.

Thanks,
Chris

Chris,
I see the small mesh wire in front of the bird on the top picture but do you have any of the 2 x 4 wire that he is putting his head through to pick at grass. I had this on 3 or 4 of my large birds and found out that that is what was happening. I had to go around the bottom of the run with smaller chicken wire so they couldn't put their heads through the wire. A couple of the hens looked like turkens. lol When the feathers started coming back in, that is what mine looked like.
Jim

 

[Jharper]

Can anyone tell me what I have going on here? These birds did not look like this a couple weeks ago. I'm thinking it's the heat but open for suggestions. Thanks, Chris

They could be fighting if you have other roosters with each other.

 

[Chris Herzog]

Jim,
All the wire is 1/2" x 1/2" only.

Right now all my cockerels are split up into groups of 2 per pen. I only have this gong on with 3 birds, two in one pen and one in a different pen with a different cockerel. Everyone of my other birds looks fine. All my young reds are about 6 months old and all these birds were raised together in one pen. I thought that it could be fighting but was not sure. I guess I'll just make some temp pens and desperate these birds as well.

 

[Matt1616]

Jim,
All the wire is 1/2" x 1/2" only.

Right now all my cockerels are split up into groups of 2 per pen. I only have this gong on with 3 birds, two in one pen and one in a different pen with a different cockerel. Everyone of my other birds looks fine. All my young reds are about 6 months old and all these birds were raised together in one pen. I thought that it could be fighting but was not sure. I guess I'll just make some temp pens and desperate these birds as well.

Chris, isn't that blood feathers coming in on the bare spots. Just looks like they are molting to me.

 

[immyjay54]

Throw my thought in the water bucket. Can't be what I thought. lol Just that it looks so much like my one cock bird when the feathers started growing back in. Sorry buddy, I have no more thoughts.
Jim