The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[cmom]

Good news. We put some traps out yesterday and this morning we caught the owl and the fox. We lost 11 birds to them the past 3 weeks. I have some very nice looking chicks from them. One that got killed I got RB and RV at the last show.

 

[melroseladi]

Glad to hear you caught them. We have had an awful time with fox this year and haven't been able to trap any of them. We have managed to cut way back on the coon and opossum population though. But those dang fox aren't hitting any of our traps even with live bait in them. I lost most of my juvie guineas last year to a opossum who managed to pull up an opening in the chainlink pen. Got him 2 nights later. My birds free range and that seems to be when the fox get them.

I am so afraid to put my Reds out in pens or let them free range. I have my 20 week old Reds doing a little bit of free ranging while I am out trying to build a new coop but I have been keeping the dog outside during those times to keep the fox away.

I will say this though, my Reds sure are hard to see when they are in the woods. They blend in with all the shadows of the trees and underbrush really well.

Penny

 

[bayocum]

On a better note. lol Here is one of Ron's girls he sent me. Starting to feather in nicely.

Very nice

!!!

 

[NestingHillsSC]

Very nice

!!!

I so can't wait to breed them. And hatch some!! hahaha Long way away.

 

[immyjay54]

On a better note. lol Here is one of Ron's girls he sent me. Starting to feather in nicely.

You better watch sitting her that close to your keyboard. lol Your shift key is awful close ha,ha. Nice little chick.

 

[NestingHillsSC]

You better watch sitting her that close to your keyboard. lol Your shift key is awful close ha,ha. Nice little chick.

That's ok.

 

[immyjay54]

Thank you very much, you are correct there is a definite fear for me of delving in to something like this. I dong have a fear of losing, I'm no sore loser i think it is just the unknown and new experience of it all. The meeting new people and not knowing Half of what they do on these birds and yea ill appreciate the knowledge but just the whole experience frightens me a little.

I did find a show to go to in lucasville, Ohio may 25th! im pretty excited and I plan to buy if I see something I really want.

I'm stuck on the fence right now of which breed I would like to get into if I were to show and breed. I really love my silkies and HRIR and I guess I could try both but seems like a lot to take on for a beginner.
I will do what you said and start taking notes and contacting to find where my most local shows are.

All this brings me to my next question? What made you choose HRIRs and why did you stay with it? Why not a different breed? I'm very new and both the breeds I'm interested in are 2wk old chicks sitting in my brooder, so that's as far as my experience goes. Both bought from some decent lines.

Hi noahsmom,
Don't know if this question was open to all or just one but I'll give my 2 cents worth.
My reason for going with the HRIR's is this: Since childhood (a long time ago lol) there were always barred rock, buff orpingtons and rir's roaming our fields and yard. Of course these were hatchery birds from the beginning then dad just let them all run together. Usually on Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning mom would go out with our little dog and tell him which one to catch and he would catch the one she wanted for Sunday dinner. Usually was a couple of the big ole rir's and she would have fried chicken with home made noodles etc for our Sunday meal. mmmmmm That was back in the early 50's. lol
I always had the rir because they seemed to lay such nice eggs and I sold enough to friends and family to pay for the feed. It seemed that the reds were always a healthy bird and pretty much took care of themselves. Then a few years ago when I saw what the HRIR's looked like I thought, gee, those are so much prettier then what I was used to so I started on the trusty internet and found some breeders and the rest is history. I love the disposition of most of the old lines. Our old reds (the roosters) were always like watch dogs. They sure did keep strangers away. lol But these ole lines are just the opposite. I have not found a cross one yet. They are all like pets.
If you are wanting egg production, then you have to ask lots of questions or just experiment with different lines. Some lay better then others. Some lean more to the show bird and some more to utility birds. That is up to what your preference is. Some can go both ways. Myself, I still sell eggs to friends relatives for eating so mine have to lay a little better. I don't want to feed chickens and still go to the local market to buy eating eggs. lol
I'm sure not cutting on anyone, just giving my reasoning on what I have. Got to love these Rhode Island Reds.
Jim

 

[Robert Blosl]

THis is one of the the top four shows in the mid west and east so lots to see and choose from.

I have a friend that I have studied and this is what he did about 20 years ago. He put two White Plymouth Rock pullets in the back seat of his car in a nice show coop and a friend of his and now mine went from North Louisiana to Birmingham Alabama to the huge Bantam show there. There where some of the finest Old English Game Bantams in the world at this show not alone other great breeds of bantams about 1500 birds. He got Grand Champion of the show on one of those pullets.

The next year he took the same two hens and my friend and got Grand Champion of the show on the other female.

Some times he only takes four or six chickens. but they are the best conditioned birds he has.

Take two or three reds and or silkies your best. Put them in the show coops. See what happens.

You will learn so much every time and then look at watch others not your breeds but other breeds . Watch what they do.

I remember one time when I lived in Wisconsin I went to a show and Carl Fonsbrink from Indiana a master Barred Rock Breeder was sitting at a table and his Barred Rock Ckl was up on champion row. there where others up there of other classes. Just before they got the last bantam up there on champion row and all the three judges got up there to look at the birds to pick the big champions he jumps up with a big bucket of fresh shaving. His large fowl was the only one that had shavings left in his coop. All the other large fowl birds had scratched out all their shavings and was bare floor.

Carl Got not only Champion American but Champion large fowl of the show and I think Reserve Champion of the whole show .

Just watching these masters you can learn a lot.

 

[NYREDS]

Good news. We put some traps out yesterday and this morning we caught the owl and the fox. We lost 11 birds to them the past 3 weeks. I have some very nice looking chicks from them. One that got killed I got RB and RV at the last show.

Trapping that Owl puts you in violation of Federal Law. Carries a stiff fine & possible prison time. Keep bragging about it.

 

[stefanfarms]

Don't think that was intended as a brag, but nice to know about that federal law just in case. guess there are quite a few laws concerning wildlife after reading up some on the subject.