The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
I was reading that the XL egg trays had to be trimmed too. It is a reason for me not to buy them as I'm really not good with trimming plastic. It cracks or there are sharp edges. Plus it says the trays are great for collecting eggs and I'm really would want them all to be the same size for stacking and just a nice uniform look.

 

[desertmarcy]

I was reading that the XL egg trays had to be trimmed too. It is a reason for me not to buy them as I'm really not good with trimming plastic. It cracks or there are sharp edges. Plus it says the trays are great for collecting eggs and I'm really would want them all to be the same size for stacking and just a nice uniform look.

The plastic is soft and flexible. Not as hard as the chicken egg trays. I did not have any trouble with them cracking when I cut them. Edges are a little irregular, but I handle them from the sides anyway. I think you will be fine if you just stagger the eggs with smaller eggs if you have some extra large eggs.

 

[bluebirdnanny]

So Fred and Jimmy is the one I have a third brother or son to Jimmy's?
He is crowing fully now too! And being quite the stud! Sunday I was gone all day so when I got home to feed the before roost rations and collect eggs....
he was mating with all the hens over and over except one that got up on the rafter roost area over the chick quarters I prepared and hid behind a box I had set up there. Usually that one was his favorite hen too!

There were NO eggs Sunday for the first time..... Guess he had them all stressed out and busy keeping his libido satisfied or avoiding him. But every hen had ruffled shoulder feathers. He made the round TWICE while I was putting the food down!!!! When I told him let them eat Mr Macho and recoup would you..... He grunted before he stopped, hopped on the perching wood near waterer and crowed over and over while they ate! First hen to walk off from feeder he was chasing again until she jumped up to the high rafter roost too and stuck her rear in the corner with the first hen!

Bet the five eggs I got today were 'super fertile'

Can't wait till I get some pure Nelson young from him on the ground!

 

[immyjay54]

So Fred and Jimmy is the one I have a third brother or son to Jimmy's?
He is crowing fully now too! And being quite the stud! Sunday I was gone all day so when I got home to feed the before roost rations and collect eggs....
he was mating with all the hens over and over except one that got up on the rafter roost area over the chick quarters I prepared and hid behind a box I had set up there. Usually that one was his favorite hen too!

There were NO eggs Sunday for the first time..... Guess he had them all stressed out and busy keeping his libido satisfied or avoiding him. But every hen had ruffled shoulder feathers. He made the round TWICE while I was putting the food down!!!! When I told him let them eat Mr Macho and recoup would you..... He grunted before he stopped, hopped on the perching wood near waterer and crowed over and over while they ate!

First hen to walk off from feeder he was chasing again until she jumped up to the high rafter roost too and stuck her rear in the corner with the first hen!

Bet the five eggs I got today were 'super fertile'

Can't wait till I get some pure Nelson young from him on the ground!

Well now, quite the story. ha,ha I don't know the answer for sure to ;your question but if he is that age I'd say he is a brother to Fred's and that they both came from my birds but I could be wrong. Fred will have to say for sure. lol

 

[Fred's Hens]

Yup.

He's the larger, earlier maturing male, for sure.

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Yep he is pretty big now.

And if I had an incubator and what I need to have I might try and figure out how to hatch these Nelson eggs I have right now regardless of these two cats.

Alas no basement or place to brood them. I do have a light fixture but the bulb broke out in it and the ceramic came lose. Would have to fix it first then find something to brood in the cats couldn't get in. Tomorrow will be day 14 for the oldest one so I'll have to eat it.

 

[informative]

Yep he is pretty big now.

And if I had an incubator and what I need to have I might try and figure out how to hatch these Nelson eggs I have right now regardless of these two cats.

Alas no basement or place to brood them. I do have a light fixture but the bulb broke out in it and the ceramic came lose. Would have to fix it first then find something to brood in the cats couldn't get in. Tomorrow will be day 14 for the oldest one so I'll have to eat it.

shouldn't the cats be outside chasing the mice? what are they royal house cats?

 

[bluebirdnanny]

They do not go outside period. There are no mice inside. They are my entertainment and company as I live alone. Keep me warm at night or when I am in medical flare ups. Inside they are no where near the chickens who get to free range the property. Enough said.

 

[smarsh]

COLOR QUESTION PLEASE (from a novice)

My 6 week old RIRs are looking quite fine, too early to tell too much about the shape, but I see color variations among them, much like I do in the pics on here. I assume the preferred color is the darker the better, but no black scattered about the body. At this point, I don't see any of the lacing I see in some birds, but I do have a couple showing some black streaking scattered about. Does this go away? Okay, that's two questions; I could ask more.

by the way Fred, I was pleasantly fooled on the gender of several. I have been fooled a number of times by roos looking female, but a number of my RIRs showed a lot of comb at 4 weeks, but are now clearly pullets. I am very pleased with these birds at this point, pretty, healthy, and very friendly.

 

[Fred's Hens]

In my experience, with a few different lines, the color keep changing and changing right up to maturity.

I pay no attention to color, except for appreciating it, as the birds are growing. My mind and my eye are focused on health, type, type and did I mention type? LOL

I'm honestly looking only for that one keeper male and that one, maybe two very special females. That's it. The rest will be fine layers or fine eating, but all I am really looking in my first little grouping are the top trio I can winter over and will use next spring to push the program along.

Using that trio, I will put 60 chicks on the ground next year and the process starts again. All I am really looking for besides good health and vigor is type. I'd like a good pullet to put back under her sire, and a good cockerel to put back over his dam. That's it. The other 56 or 57 chicks will again be good layers or good eating or sold off.