The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[Fentress]

We eat almost all of our cull cockerels.
I have never weighed them after butchering. They do taste good.
We sometimes try to hold "Heritage Breeds" to a level that they never were. What we deem a good carcass was probably not what our ancestors deemed acceptable. I remember some pretty good chicken dinners at Grandmas back in the day, and some of those birds were not all that meaty.

As for Frank Reese's birds, he has been breeding for meat for along time. This has the same effect as breeding for eggs. So are his birds truly DP?
The GSBR are by far the meatiest non CornishX birds we have had, but they won't set the world on fire as layers.

Our Columbain Rocks are also really meaty and very good layers. They still need a little work to get SOP, but are a fine bird.

Ron

thanks for your response Ron! I know Bob has quoted 180 eggs a year for the HRIR. I could live with that if I had a better carcass, than what I have now. Is your lay rate on the GSBR less than 180? I need to read some books on breeding, because I don't want to order from a breeder and then not be able to maintain the quality that I desire. On post #43 of the Heritage Large Fowl thread the Hogan method is described which envloves weighing and a physical examination for "fleshing" Can the physical exam be self taught or would I need some help with this? I'm not real keen on handingly my birds and they don't like it much either, but it would seem important if one is selecting for meat production.

Thanks again,

Mark

 

[FOGELLY]

thanks for your response Ron! I know Bob has quoted 180 eggs a year for the HRIR. I could live with that if I had a better carcass, than what I have now. Is your lay rate on the GSBR less than 180? I need to read some books on breeding, because I don't want to order from a breeder and then not be able to maintain the quality that I desire. On post #43 of the Heritage Large Fowl thread the Hogan method is described which envloves weighing and a physical examination for "fleshing" Can the physical exam be self taught or would I need some help with this? I'm not real keen on handingly my birds and they don't like it much either, but it would seem important if one is selecting for meat production.

Thanks again,

Mark

Without trying to make myself sound to simple minded. Since we dont select just for meat production I probably won't ever weigh our birds. When we cull (kill) they going to be used, no matter the weight.
We eat our culls because it benefits us more than trying to sell a lot of cockerels. They have enough meat for our small family. It is the overall traits of the bird, not one more than another that makes them DP.

We have not had the GSBR long enough to know how many eggs a year they will lay. However they have been layin about 6 weeks and they are still laying pullet sized eggs and only around 3 per week.

My HRIR start laying at about 8 months and lay large eggs from the onset and lay 180+

Ron

 

[Fentress]

Thanks Ron,

Actually, that was helpful. I know some of my questions come from left field, but that's because I am new to the game.

thanks again,

mark

 

[FOGELLY]

Thanks Ron,

Actually, that was helpful. I know some of my questions come from left field, but that's because I am new to the game.

thanks again,

mark

Your welcome Mark.

I have a tendency to over study things that interest me. So a few years ago I made myself back off a get simpler with things, or I will obsess over the little things. Which means I fully understand left field.

Ron

 

[FOGELLY]

Other than a few single matings I will do soon, I am done hatching for myself. Also caught up with people who have requested eggs.
Got a bator loaded with eggs for a few chick orders.

So if anyone is looking to start with HRIR shoot me a PM.
I will be breaking up the pens around May 1.

Ron

 

[Fentress]

Your welcome Mark.

I have a tendency to over study things that interest me. So a few years ago I made myself back off a get simpler with things, or I will obsess over the little things. Which means I fully understand left field.

Ron

LOL. You understand! I need to back off a little and find some patience. There is no substitute for experience and that is what I need the most. This thread and the Heritage Large Fowl thread have been very helpful. I want to thank everyone involved.

 

[immyjay54]

Just my two cents worth on the above posts.
I have been thinking of putting this on here for a while but didn't want to get my head chewed off. I have 5 different lines of the RIR. Four of these 5 lines are of laying age.
Please don't think that I am talking down of the folks that have these birds for show birds.
I have 3 pullets/hens and 2 cockerels of the Mohawk line. I don't really know if only one is laying or what but about 1 1/2 - 2 months ago I got my first egg from them. They are now 11 months old. I had gotten maybe 1 egg per week. On the 14th I got 1 egg, 1 on the 19th and 1 yesterday. Males could be used for meat birds but the girls are on the small side.
I have 4 Nelson pullets/hens that are 11 months and 3 that are 9 months, I get anywhere from 3 to 6 eggs per day from them. 40 eggs in the last 10 days. Male or female of this line could be used for meat birds.
I have 3 Horstman RC pullet/hens that are 11 months old and I get 2 - 3 eggs per week from them. Male or female could be used for meat birds.
I have 6 Kittle hens and 1 cock bird in a separate pen and I get from 3 to 6 eggs per day from these. The cock birds could be used for meat birds but the hens are mostly on the small side.
My Underwoods are 4 1/2 months and are as big or bigger then any of the other reds. I can't say how they will be for layers but I'd say going by their size right now that they could definitely be meat birds. I have 24 six week olds also.
I am the youngest of 12 children (in my mid 60's) and I can say that most of these lines would not have been kept by my parents for egg birds with our big family. I do not show but I still want a good looking chicken but I don't want to feed a big flock and still have to buy eggs. If they aren't going to lay good enough for me to sell a few to help pay the feed bills then I won't keep them.
I will see how each of these lines do over this summer but believe me, the ones that aren't laying to suit me will be either going down the road this fall or in my freezer.
I know for sure that my Nelson's are the best when you look at the all around meat and egg birds. The males are nice size and the hens are sooo heavy. I'm hoping the Underwoods are good at the egg production. They have already showed me that the meat end is fine. lol
This is just my experience with what I have and I hope I didn't ruffle any feathers. I'm not downing any lines, just telling it like it is.
Jim

 

[ronott1]

Just my two cents worth on the above posts.
I have been thinking of putting this on here for a while but didn't want to get my head chewed off. I have 5 different lines of the RIR. Four of these 5 lines are of laying age.
Please don't think that I am talking down of the folks that have these birds for show birds.
I have 3 pullets/hens and 2 cockerels of the Mohawk line. I don't really know if only one is laying or what but about 1 1/2 - 2 months ago I got my first egg from them. They are now 11 months old. I had gotten maybe 1 egg per week. On the 14th I got 1 egg, 1 on the 19th and 1 yesterday. Males could be used for meat birds but the girls are on the small side.
I have 4 Nelson pullets/hens that are 11 months and 3 that are 9 months, I get anywhere from 3 to 6 eggs per day from them. 40 eggs in the last 10 days. Male or female of this line could be used for meat birds.
I have 3 Horstman RC pullet/hens that are 11 months old and I get 2 - 3 eggs per week from them. Male or female could be used for meat birds.
I have 6 Kittle hens and 1 cock bird in a separate pen and I get from 3 to 6 eggs per day from these. The cock birds could be used for meat birds but the hens are mostly on the small side.
My Underwoods are 4 1/2 months and are as big or bigger then any of the other reds. I can't say how they will be for layers but I'd say going by their size right now that they could definitely be meat birds. I have 24 six week olds also.
I am the youngest of 12 children (in my mid 60's) and I can say that most of these lines would not have been kept by my parents for egg birds with our big family. I do not show but I still want a good looking chicken but I don't want to feed a big flock and still have to buy eggs. If they aren't going to lay good enough for me to sell a few to help pay the feed bills then I won't keep them.
I will see how each of these lines do over this summer but believe me, the ones that aren't laying to suit me will be either going down the road this fall or in my freezer.
I know for sure that my Nelson's are the best when you look at the all around meat and egg birds. The males are nice size and the hens are sooo heavy. I'm hoping the Underwoods are good at the egg production. They have already showed me that the meat end is fine. lol
This is just my experience with what I have and I hope I didn't ruffle any feathers. I'm not downing any lines, just telling it like it is.
Jim

I appreciate what you have posted.

Poking around a bit is seems like the ones I hatched from Ron Fogel might be a bit different from the lines you have. They go back to the St. Romain Family in Louisiana and the line is over 90 years old. They are beautiful and seem to have retained their egg laying abilities both in numbers and size. The pullets are very large and they did grow quickly. It seems that getting egg production up with them would not be hard, but at 180+ per year they are already pretty good for a Heritage breed.

One of them nearly laid an egg in my hand on Saturday. There was a broken egg in the nest box and a couple of the other chickens were going after it while the Red was laying hers. I was getting the broken egg out and shooing the others away when she plopped the egg out! What a good girl!

 

[flowerchild59]

I have really enjoyed reading through everyones postings and actual life experiences with these heritage birds. Thanks for taking the time to post them.
I think I am getting some Gary Underwood RC RIR's this spring. We are working out the details.

 

[Mumsy]

Well....After reading this entire thread...three or four times all the way through. I made my choice to order Fogle line eggs and chicks. My chicks shipped today from Arkansas and my eggs go into lockdown tomorrow. I'll be wringing my hands for the next three days. I'm really hoping all my researching, saving, and planning will get me my baby dream flock by mid week. Wish me well please. Whidbey Island, Washington is about the ends of the earth as far as getting HRIR here. Thank you Ron F. for giving me the chance to own and raise them. Let the power stay on and the USPS do their job!