The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[forgetful]

Does point of lay vary depending on lines, or is it pretty even for the breed?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Can only speak to our experience.
Kittle laid earliest, followed by the Nelson strain, followed by the RickyBates/Ron Fogle strain. Not an enormous difference between the last two however.

These birds aren't going to begin laying like a hatchery red sex link. They are slower growing birds.

 

[forgetful]

Can you give an approximation on the latest they will lay, in weeks? I don't mind them being slow to lay. I feel they need the time to grow properly, and that way they won't be burnt out in a year or two. It's a trait I admire in the breed.

 

[cmom]

Hello ! I have been following this thred for some time now. I have heard you talk about many rir's. Now you talk about the different lines,( Reese, Underwood, Mohawk, Nelson, and Horstman). If a person was to get started in these, which would be the best for a newby to start with. I have been to Bob's B. and Jim;s web page to read on them. So I think I have narrowed it down to Nelson or underwoods. Would these be good lines to get into.

also should we start with hatching eggs, or buy a trio as Bob says on his page.

All of the lines you mentioned are good lines. I started out with a trio of the Reese/Mohawk line that I purchased at a poultry show. The following year I invested in a quad. This year I lost both of my roosters, one to a predator and the other had a stroke. I still have 3 roosters from them that I kept from previous hatches and have another generation of chicks. I have went the shipped egg route too but the hatch rates weren't all that great. I would suggest either ordering chicks or a trio or quad. Hopefully this next fall I will get another Reese/Mohawk cockerel for my flock. I love Bob's website. There is so much great information on it. Just my opinion. Good luck and have fun...

 

[cmom]

Can you give an approximation on the latest they will lay, in weeks? I don't mind them being slow to lay. I feel they need the time to grow properly, and that way they won't be burnt out in a year or two. It's a trait I admire in the breed.

My birds didn't start laying until they were 8/9 months, so that would be approximately 36 weeks. Mine are very good layers. From my 17 pullets I get usually at least 15 eggs daily from them and sometimes more. They are about to turn a year old.

 

[forgetful]

Thanks for the information! I'm receiving Reese lines as well, and am pretty excited.

 

[cmom]

Thanks for the information! I'm receiving Reese lines as well, and am pretty excited.

Are you going to keep the lines separated and true?

 

[forgetful]

The source I'm getting them from had two separate pens going with the last interbreeding about four generations back, and I'll be receiving a mixture of the two, marked. I will be keeping the two different pens separate from one another for several generations. I don't plan on adding any outside sources to them at any point in time, but I may end up mixing the pens for fresh blood after an amount of time. I'm no expert on genetics, so please let me know if this plan is flawed.

 

[RedRidge]

Does point of lay vary depending on lines, or is it pretty even for the breed?

Yes. .. pol for the Underwood line is about 26 weeks.

 

[Fo4Chainz]

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