The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[Davaroo]

Chicks can only be feather sexed if you cross a slow feathering breed to a fast feathering breed (I think the hen has to be the slow feathering breed but I'm not sure on that one). then the chicks can be feather sexed. Some breeds have had this trait bred into them from the start but Rhode Island Red is not one of them.

Thank you that is what Ive understood.

 

[Matt1616]

Finally got around to downloading the few photos I took at the Pima County Fair. Promised I would post photos of my RIR cockerel that won Reserve American. Hard to take good shots in those cages, but here he is. He is a Reese cockerel that I hatched last spring. Gene Helton judged.




Here is James Smith's White Rock pullet that won Champion American: Not the best photo of her.

Marcia, that boy is looking good. I can see why he done well. He looks to be in great condition in the pictures.

Matt

 

[Matt1616]

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Here are a few more pics of the same Rooster and one of the pullet. They are amidst a year old.

jhitson, they are maturing out nicely. Both male and female have nice extended keels. I'm glad you are happy with them.

Matt

 

[Davaroo]

I've read many different things on sexing the different birds but most of them unless they have been crossed such as the RIR with White Rock etc, the sexing at hatch is a little iffy.
I've seen where you can go by the length of wing feather, dark lines on the head or back etc but for me I just wait until they grow a little and most of the boys get their combs/wattles a little earlier and the boys seem to have the heavier legs on them. It doesn't take to many weeks for the boys to be pretty prominent.
Just my opinion but unless you are wanting to get rid of them at time of hatch I don't really worry about much with these birds. When I had the hatchery birds and only wanted them for egg production I ordered pullets and the hatcheries have a very high % of being right on. These guys do vent sexing and have folks that have been doing this for years and pretty much know what they are doing. I for one am not getting into that. If I ever did, my chicks would be a little more expensive. lol Just my opinion on this.

Jim .

I have some folks locally, that are INSISTING all RIR's are auto feather-sexing. They mention several other breeds, too, and that they are ALL capable of feather sexing with no effort to selectively mate slow females with fast males. Either they are exceedingly lucky with multiple flocks - or full of manure.

I've shared with them all I could find on the WAY feather sexing is CREATED and that it isn’t automatic simply because a bird happens to be one breed or another.
But it falls on deaf ears. What’s most intriguing is how adamantly they insist their “methods” work - and at the same time accept that they aren’t accurate, saying, “Well, we usually just wait and see.”
Me, I’m never quite sure of ANY genetic factors, no matter how much I study up. I thank you all for helping me

 

[desertmarcy]

Marcia, that boy is looking good. I can see why he done well. He looks to be in great condition in the pictures.

Matt

Thanks, Matt. He is and was in great condition. His sire has a bit of a wider back, but he was in the breeding pen and had a lot of broken feathers, so I didn't take him. I was really surprised at this one, when I went through my birds looking for ones I thought worthy of entering in a show. I have a lot of trouble in this hot, dry climate with their wing feathers having tattered edges, just from the dryness I think. But his were not, he looked great.

 

[immyjay54]

What do you all think of my little guy. 5 weeks old today. I'm saying cockerel.

 

[Matt1616]

Jimmy...my guess would be male as well.

Matt

 

[immyjay54]

Jimmy...my guess would be male as well.

Matt

Thanks Matt, it doesn't take long to see the type on some of these little critters. lol

Jimmy

 

[Matt1616]

Thanks Matt, it doesn't take long to see the type on some of these little critters. lol

Jimmy

I agree Jimmy, this guy has stood out from a young age. He was always the biggest and the best in the bunch. Can't wait till show season this fall.

 

[immyjay54]

I agree Jimmy, this guy has stood out from a young age. He was always the biggest and the best in the bunch. Can't wait till show season this fall.

I only have one thing to say my friend. You need to work on his tail set, color, brick shape etc. I about pee'd my pants. You are a real nut. lol