The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[ronott1]

Really, I would love to et some information ! I really would love to have a treasure like the beauties on this thread.

Check with:

@PetRock
@debs_flock

If they can't get some for you let me know.

 

[Angie16hearts]

Not necessarily a dominance thing on the pullet Angie. It is just a maturing thing. As you go along with these birds, you will find that each clutch of young that you raise, you will find different things with them. This is what makes raising them so much fun. There is loads of info and pic's on my page that you can see a lot of different stages that they go through. A lot of the questions that you will run into can be answered on there. Don't worry over what you have, very few of us started out with the better birds. One reason being that up until the last few years there weren't as many around as there are now and folks didn't seem real free about shipping eggs/chicks as they are now. Enjoy what you have, the hens will be super layers. One thing, IF you happen to have a male in there which it looks like they are all pullets but just in case, be careful with the cockerels as they mature because most of the production red males DO get very aggressive with humans. Have fun with the hobby and your children should enjoy them also.
Jim 

you have BEAUTIFUL birds! I love the dark, short back! Thanks you ! This is one of the best threads I have found! The knowledge all of you have on the birds is so fun to read about!

 

[Fred's Hens]

This is a very interesting thread! I never really realized that there was such a difference within the Rhode Island Red breed. Im glad I found this ... I purchased 2 chicks this year that are entirely different but are both supposed to be RIRs. I thought the hatchery mixed up my order at first but after reading this I guess they are both RIRs.

This first RIR chick came from a hatchery. She is a lighter red with some black ticking in her wing feathers.



And the RIR chick pictured below came from a breeder. S/He has a darker red feather color and no black.

There are other differences as well. Look at the beak of the production red and then look at the dark horn color on the beak of the second chick.

 

[immyjay54]

I moved my broody hen and her 2 other sumatra hens when the broody was on day 14. So they are in a small 4*8 pen. My issue is when the second sumatra went broody i gave her eggs but now I'm watching to see if she stays with her group of eggs or the new chicks. The 2 hens have been sharing a nest for about 6 days and passing eggs back and forth. I have an incubator ready though just in case the 2nd sumatra attaches herself to the chicks. The second group of eggs had 3 of my RIR eggs in it so I'm really wanting the hen to hatch them.

I had two Underwood hens went broody and were sharing a nest and there were 4 eggs in there and they ended up ruining all but one egg and when the chick hatched they squashed it. I will never let them set like that again. I will build a few pens 2 x 6 and build 1 x 2 like a nest and when they want to come off they will have the 2 x 4 to exercise a little then I don't have to worry over them. One per pen. lol No more like this year. I'm not setting anymore till next year. I have 17 eggs in bator due to hatch next weekend and that is it for this year. Geez. chicks, chicks everywhere. I should have plenty for next year.

 

[monnie662]

I'm thinking seriously about trying to find and buy some broodies just to help me hatch trying to decide which breed to try for.

 

[monnie662]

. One thing, IF you happen to have a male in there which it looks like they are all pullets but just in case, be careful with the cockerels as they mature because most of the production red males DO get very aggressive with humans. and your children should
Jim

That is no joke about those production red roosters. I'll not have another one on the place drowned the first one and the shotgun got the second one that was a cross breed, children do not need to be around those roosters

 

[immyjay54]

I'm thinking seriously about trying to find and buy some broodies just to help me hatch trying to decide which breed to try for.

I can guarantee you that the SC Underwood hens definitely do go broody. 6 out of 10 of mine wanted to set. Geez, they are driving me crazy. I like broodiness in the birds but not that many and not all at once. lol It's really okay, I have plenty to get eating eggs from. None of the RC's have went broody just the SC's. ?????? Lots of the other breeds seem to go broody but these are the only of my lines that have wanted to be momma's. lol

 

[immyjay54]

That is no joke about those production red roosters. I'll not have another one on the place drowned the first one and the shotgun got the second one that was a cross breed, children do not need to be around those roosters

One of my brothers got attacked by a red rooster back years ago and one of my sisters caught him and rung his neck. Didn't bother anyone else. He took a chunk out of my brothers lip. He was only like 6 years old at the time. If you have a bad cock bird, they can really be dangerous. The white leghorns are another one that I had that were really terrible. Worse then a watch dog. I had 3 at one time. I mean terrible. These were hatchery birds also.

 

[gander007]

I'm thinking seriously about trying to find and buy some broodies just to help me hatch trying to decide which breed to try for.

Can't go wrong with a Silkie hen they are great broodies ( incubators )

 

[monnie662]

All of my hens are Nelson line and so far none have even thought about going broody. Might have to invest in an Underwood or two, would buy some grown ones if it wasn't so expensive to ship them, don't think anyone around here has any. Let me ask this question if you buy a Silkie will they go broody or is it a crap shoot? Seems like everyone's chickens for sale are hatchery birds so didn't know if it had been bred out of them or not.