The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[CluckyJay]

RedRidge, how many eggs a week do you think your medium RC producers churn out per bird?

 

[RedRidge]

RedRidge, how many eggs a week do you think your medium RC producers churn out per bird?

Not sure what you mean by "medium producers". I don't have any bantams, I have LF.

I have daily laying records for 3 pens... my spreadsheats calculate automatically the productivity in each pen on a monthly basis and produce an annual report at the end of the season/year.
In Feb those three pens averaged 75% productivity... one at 71%, one at 75% and one at 77%

Note the average is 75% calculated by the computer based on average number of total hens in each pen each day - which sometimes varies.
IOW, I had one hen go broody in the 77% pen the middle of Feb and pulled her out of production - she then kindly hatched a group of fertilized Rhodebar eggs for me (I just happened to have 7 from the previous few days).

She's a good momma.

 

[CluckyJay]

I meant your mid-line egg producers from the ones I am buying. Not your worst or your best. I like to look at the middle as it seems like that's what you get when you purchase any young stock. Then breed up from there. So as not to get hopes too high but not keep them low either, lol.

Keeps my mind busy while I'm plotting and planning, lol.

 

[CluckyJay]

I'm liking the broody thing, lol.

 

[RedRidge]

I meant your mid-line egg producers from the ones I am buying. Not your worst or your best. I like to look at the middle as it seems like that's what you get when you purchase any young stock. Then breed up from there. So as not to get hopes too high but not keep them low either, lol.

Keeps my mind busy while I'm plotting and planning, lol.

You are getting eggs from my breeding pens. I would never sell eggs from less than my best.

 

[CluckyJay]

Tempt me even more why don't you, lol.

Do you have single comb chicks for sale in april? I asked Katie and seeing if she wants to buy some. She probably won't want eggs to hatch.

 

[RedRidge]

Tempt me even more why don't you, lol.

Do you have single comb chicks for sale in april? I asked Katie and seeing if she wants to buy some. She probably won't want eggs to hatch.

Nope... the only SC I have is the one who went broody in pen 4... she is not laying right now.

 

[RedRidge]

Quote:
That said... I have hatched some of her chicks...
We will look at chicks when you are here the week of the 6th and see what I have if you'd like.

 

[desertmarcy]

Question for the seasoned RIR breeders here. I have two breeding groups set up, since late Jan. Pen #1 has 6 of my original Reese/Mohawk hens from 2012 with one of Matt1616's 1/2 and 1/2 Illinois/Florida cockerels from last year. Maybe cock bird by now.
The other pen, pen #2, has my original 2012 cock with three 1/2 and 1/2 hens from last year.

I'm getting 100% fertility from pen #2, but the cockerel in pen #1 must not be breeding them all, fertility has been 50% consistently.
This has caused problems in trying to hatch enough chicks for orders this spring, so now I'm thinking I should collect eggs for 2 weeks at a time instead of one week. I have one other 1/2 and 1/2 cockerel, but he is #2 and it seems a little late now to switch males, I will probably only be hatching for another month. Male #2 is fertile, I am hatching sexlinks from him. I thought about putting both in the pen, but I'm sure there would be fighting. This year, I am only breeding the 1/2 and 1/2's back to the Illinois. Even though pen #1 has twice as many hens, I am hatching more chicks from pen #2! What are my best options?

 

[Fentress]

Not sure what you mean by "medium producers". I don't have any bantams, I have LF.

I have daily laying records for 3 pens... my spreadsheats calculate automatically the productivity in each pen on a monthly basis and produce an annual report at the end of the season/year.
In Feb those three pens averaged 75% productivity... one at 71%, one at 75% and one at 77%

Note the average is 75% calculated by the computer based on average number of total hens in each pen each day - which sometimes varies.
IOW, I had one hen go broody in the 77% pen the middle of Feb and pulled her out of production - she then kindly hatched a group of fertilized Rhodebar eggs for me (I just happened to have 7 from the previous few days).

She's a good momma.

That is a higher rate of lay than I would have thought possible with a Heritage breed. Are they pullets? That is about what I get with hatchery stock. Did you have to focus on production qualities and breed them up in order to get to this point or is this in general characteristic of the Underwood line?