The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[ronott1]

While in KY last week, one of our partners hatched out our first chicks of the year.

Nice looking Reds!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Thanks Ron. These were Kittle females under an unemployed Fogle male. We expect perhaps a bit of flaky results on the F1, but the thought is to put the resultant females back under their sire next year and nail it down. Unless some awesome male results, the plan is to eat the cockerels. We'll see how it goes.

 

[ronott1]

Thanks Ron. These were Kittle females under an unemployed Fogle male. We expect perhaps a bit of flaky results on the F1, but the thought is to put the resultant females back under their sire next year and nail it down. Unless some awesome male results, the plan is to eat the cockerels. We'll see how it goes.

That is a good plan!

I might to something like that here--For the Egg Farmer. He has my Fogle males at his place and they are getting big and pretty!

I will be going out there soon and will get pictures.

 

[Fred's Hens]

To be fair, our Kittle birds were from quite awhile ago. What Dick Horstman has done with them lately up there has been really, really nice to see. Dick's really improved the birds color and type, from what I can tell. But, Mr Kittle blended Reds that laid eggs. So, I am not up to date on what their birds are currently laying, but they sure look good.

Our old Kittle females needed some help and I had no male to put over them and wasn't even sure whether I wanted to bother with, what with having the Nelson's, but our partner wanted to give it a go. My gut says they'll be pretty good, we shall see.

 

[ronott1]

To be fair, our Kittle birds were from quite awhile ago. What Dick Horstman has done with them lately up there has been really, really nice to see. Dick's really improved the birds color and type, from what I can tell. But, Mr Kittle blended Reds that laid eggs. So, I am not up to date on what their birds are currently laying, but they sure look good.

Our old Kittle females needed some help and I had no male to put over them and wasn't even sure whether I wanted to bother with, what with having the Nelson's, but our partner wanted to give it a go. My gut says they'll be pretty good, we shall see.

I have two and they are outlaying the Partridge Penedesencas that they are housed with. One of the Kittle pullets is laying Xlarge eggs already.

Funny thing, since I put a PP Cockerel in with them, the Kittle Reds are fertile!

I am not hatching them though! It is just something to see since the Reds are much bigger then the Pene...

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Thanks Ron. These were Kittle females under an unemployed Fogle male. We expect perhaps a bit of flaky results on the F1, but the thought is to put the resultant females back under their sire next year and nail it down. Unless some awesome male results, the plan is to eat the cockerels. We'll see how it goes.

For your plan of eating the roos, did you have a processing age in mind? So far my hatching has been quite a few roosters. I know I will need to process some this summer / fall.

 

[ronott1]

For your plan of eating the roos, did you have a processing age in mind? So far my hatching has been quite a few roosters. I know I will need to process some this summer / fall.

16 weeks to 24 weeks.

They usually do not gain much more weight after 24 weeks and start getting very tough.

 

[RedRidge]

Right before pol is when my final cuts are made and the last batch slaughtered. Pol is right at 26 weeks.
I've kept laying records for each pen since Jan 1 and am quite thrilled with the numbers. Would be glad to share them if anyone is interested. These are Underwood RC.
I set my first batch of eggs on Jan 1st, have set every 5 days since then and will hatch through april to fulfill the last of the spring orders. Even with the cold winter it was a good season so I can't complain.

 

[Fred's Hens]

For your plan of eating the roos, did you have a processing age in mind? So far my hatching has been quite a few roosters. I know I will need to process some this summer / fall.

Well, Sally, as you know as well as I, these Fogle based Reds are slow growers and since we actually like to eat larger birds, as we're pretty spoiled by these huge Rocks we raise. We age them for a few days and they relax nicely. We want a Red K to be 8 lbs live and a Rock K to be 9 lbs. We like a big carcass.

Otherwise, you may as well take them at 6 pounds when they're really tender.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
They are slow growers, sure are pretty right about now though at a year old. And calm as can be, even around my over hyper toddlers. I can wait till they are larger, most of our chickens end up as roasts or crockpot cooked. I'm just not big on frying them. But there are a few that get tossed on the grill. I can use the younger ones for that.