The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[cmom]

Quote: I kind of had the same thing happen. I had eggs missing and noticed money was missing from the cookie jar we keep our change in.
Here are some pictures. We bought a 4 camera security system and installed the cameras in different places. We did eventually catch our thief on video. We confronted him and told him if he ever stepped foot on our property again we would take the video to the police. No more missing eggs or money.

 

[Chris09]

• Irishhenman

There should be red on the front of the legs, here is a picture of Pine Grove's Red Hens and they show great shank color.

[Not My Bird]


As for the red in your birds tail, it might be the picture because even when the photo is enlarged it looks to be there.
I hope you dont mind but I copied your photo and boxed the area I am talking about.



Click on photos for full size..

 

[Irishhenman]

Ahh, I see what you are talking about with the red down the legs. My hens have that, will it pass on to the chicks from the hen or will they get the cockerel leg colour? I will go out and check the colouring on some of the growers now. I know what you are talking about with the red in the tail, but I went out and checked his tail feathers and they are all black, no red leakage in any of them.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Ahh, I see what you are talking about with the red down the legs. My hens have that, will it pass on to the chicks from the hen or will they get the cockerel leg colour? I will go out and check the colouring on some of the growers now. I know what you are talking about with the red in the tail, but I went out and checked his tail feathers and they are all black, no red leakage in any of them.

It might be some of the fluffy red downish feathers tricking the camera. My roos have a redish down that puffs up in the wind sometimes.

 

[forgetful]

I tried taking some nice photos of my five week olds on a nice camera- no luck. I pull out my iPhone and the pictures look better than my camera! I think it's time to buy a new camera. :/ I'll post some of the pictures just for fun. They share a pen with my three month old mallards while we enclose their pond.

I'm just a beginner, but I'm trying to notice everything you guys talk about. My chicks have the horn color on their legs. Does it darken with age, or is what you see what you get? They definitely have it, it's just not the darkest I've ever seen. Their feathers are also nice and dark, though there are a few light spots. Is this indicative of anything, or will they molt out of it? Trying to learn. Also, I have a question for you guys:

I bought this as a chick from tractor supply four months ago for my sister. "Sunflower" was in the red layer bin, but as a chick darker than everyone else. The chicks I bought with her were gold comets. What happened here? She is dark, though obviously not show quality, has horn on her legs, a dark beak, and is brick shaped, though not with the best keel. She has black on her wings and tail, though it isn't the best. I'm definitely not planning on putting her with my reds, ever, but my sister raised the question of showing her in local 4h since she is her favorite. I don't mind gently suggesting to use the higher quality birds. But how would you rate this pullet? I thought it would be an interesting discussion

 

[th17]

RedRidge,

I have sent you a PM.

 

[RedRidge]

RedRidge,

I have sent you a PM.

Got it this time

 

[smarsh]

RIR ROOSTER SELECTION QUESTION
I have kept what I thought was the best looking rooster out of my mid march hatching, along with the biggest of the bunch. While I thought all the pullets are very nice, with two being quite nice, I really didn't have but 2 roosters that I thought had good form. Of course, being little isn't good form, and that is my problem. While the pullets are all very much the same size, the roosters varied greatly, and the one I thought looked best is hardly bigger than the pullets. The big rooster may grow out of some of his imperfections, but at this time is far from perfect.
I haven't taken pictures, but do you keep size over beauty?

 

[RedRidge]

RIR ROOSTER SELECTION QUESTION
I have kept what I thought was the best looking rooster out of my mid march hatching, along with the biggest of the bunch. While I thought all the pullets are very nice, with two being quite nice, I really didn't have but 2 roosters that I thought had good form. Of course, being little isn't good form, and that is my problem. While the pullets are all very much the same size, the roosters varied greatly, and the one I thought looked best is hardly bigger than the pullets. The big rooster may grow out of some of his imperfections, but at this time is far from perfect.
I haven't taken pictures, but do you keep size over beauty?

In my limited experience...
I document growth rate about the age yours are now by putting numbered bands on with the largest size birds being the lowest number. That way a few months from now I will easily be able to eye ball who was what size relative to everyone else at teenage growth rate. The numbers represent size only, not structure... Although those with obvious faults are not included.

Then? I close my eyes. ;-)
Not really but I cull from the bottom up (meaning obvious worst) and don't make decisions about the top ones until they are older.

I wait until the pullets are about 6 months old to make final culls. And with cockerels it is at least 8 or 9 months old as they will change soooooo much between 6 and 9 months.

In my opinion your cockerels are way too young to do anything but watch and document. And by documenting i mean make notes... Right things down... Don't rely in memory. I keep notes on a whiteboard next to the coops and snap a picture of it with my phone about once a week to make sure I don't lose any notes. ;-)

 

[smarsh]

Well, I have culled to 2, simply because I couldn't have a dozen crowing in my backyard. No notes needed on two, but I will hold off on the final cull. While I am not in a postion (truely a backyard chickener) or of mind to be working on prefecting the flock, I do wish to keep the better rooster. I will probably be too old by the time I retire to tell a rooster from a hen, but I have some hopes of working with a breed or two back on the family farm, but for now it is just hobby and working my wife into the idea.