The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[monnie662]

Hallelujah, it is raining in North MS right now, it is so dry the electric fence ain't working, hopefully it will do this for several days, but doubt it, my area is snake bit.

 

[202roosterlane]

Quote:

 

[windyflat]

Hey Bob..
Didn't Don get his start from Ralph Knickerbocker?

 

[monnie662]

I will sell some of the mixed chicks on CL to help pay for feed.

I thought I'd pick up a few laying hens for eggs but they want $14.00 apiece down here for them, so guess that is out of the question

 

[catdaddyfro]

Hallelujah, it is raining in North MS right now, it is so dry the electric fence ain't working, hopefully it will do this for several days, but doubt it, my area is snake bit.

Yeah good for you too. Its raining here too we were on the verge of drying up and blowing away here too. A gnats fart could've set off a haboob here yesterday.

Jeff

 

[sgribble]

Most days I like to get on and read this thread. I feel I've learned a lot and still have a lot to learn, but today was a real eye opener and learning experience. We learned something about another animal today folks. We learned the sound of a MALE DONKEY. We learned that right here on BYC. You know if people don't have heritage birds, and it's not even an interest of yours, what is the point of stirring up trouble. There is a difference in debate and attack. This quickly became a forum for you to attack someone when it was totally uncalled for. It seems it occurs on several threads lately.
Jimmy, I'm so glad the sun is shining today!

Bob, tell Zora duh huh, she'll know what I mean.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote: depends on the age and breed. For a production line 28 week old hen, that is a great price. Around here I re-homed my production 11 month old hens at $10-$15 depending on how many they bought. They were all sold with more wanting them in under two weeks. But here is a cost breakdown for you. $3 per chick is a bunch were ordered and shipping counted or if gotten at the feed store. 15-20 pounds of food to get to laying age = $8. Bedding and save a chick for the water, any treats, increase in water, heat for the brooder, all of the little pennies add up most likely about a $1 or $2 depending on how many are being raised together. So to get a feed store chick to laying age I estimate about $12-$13 plus time and efforts. For a newly laying production hen I ask $25 for one or $60 for 3. Sounds like a lot but really very little profit in it. Heritage breeds I would expect to pay much more for a hen and a touch more for a rooster as the chicks cost more and roosters typically get sold at feed plus chick cost unless they are breeding age and show quality for sure.

Now I have a question about the HRIR roosters. Mine are just at the 25 week mark and the fastest to feather one is having a feather thing on his neck. I see lots of gray / silver feather tubes but no feathers. No skin showing and he is the bossy rooster so I don't think it is from a little disagreement. Is it some kind of molting and new feathers are coming in? Or do I need to watch more carefully and put him in a different pen until his feathers grow back in. My other 25 week old roosters have much smaller spots like this on their necks too. I feed them a high protein feed so it is not a lack of protein or an excess of calcium. I do toss soft veggies out to the compost pile. These HRIR are great foragers. They are out eating bugs and whatever else they like most of the day even when there is feed available. So I'm very confident it is not a food issue but if it is I will change my feeding ways.

 

[Matt1616]

depends on the age and breed. For a production line 28 week old hen, that is a great price. Around here I re-homed my production 11 month old hens at $10-$15 depending on how many they bought. They were all sold with more wanting them in under two weeks. But here is a cost breakdown for you. $3 per chick is a bunch were ordered and shipping counted or if gotten at the feed store. 15-20 pounds of food to get to laying age = $8. Bedding and save a chick for the water, any treats, increase in water, heat for the brooder, all of the little pennies add up most likely about a $1 or $2 depending on how many are being raised together. So to get a feed store chick to laying age I estimate about $12-$13 plus time and efforts. For a newly laying production hen I ask $25 for one or $60 for 3. Sounds like a lot but really very little profit in it. Heritage breeds I would expect to pay much more for a hen and a touch more for a rooster as the chicks cost more and roosters typically get sold at feed plus chick cost unless they are breeding age and show quality for sure.

Now I have a question about the HRIR roosters. Mine are just at the 25 week mark and the fastest to feather one is having a feather thing on his neck. I see lots of gray / silver feather tubes but no feathers. No skin showing and he is the bossy rooster so I don't think it is from a little disagreement. Is it some kind of molting and new feathers are coming in? Or do I need to watch more carefully and put him in a different pen until his feathers grow back in. My other 25 week old roosters have much smaller spots like this on their necks too. I feed them a high protein feed so it is not a lack of protein or an excess of calcium. I do toss soft veggies out to the compost pile. These HRIR are great foragers. They are out eating bugs and whatever else they like most of the day even when there is feed available. So I'm very confident it is not a food issue but if it is I will change my feeding ways.

He is just molting...give him a month or two and he will have all his new feathers in. No worries.

 

[FOGELLY]

[COLOR=0000CD]Now I have a question about the HRIR roosters.  Mine are  just at the 25 week mark and the fastest to feather one is having a feather thing on his neck.  I see lots of gray / silver feather tubes but no feathers.  No skin showing and he is the bossy rooster so I don't think it is from a little disagreement.  Is it some kind of molting and new feathers are coming in?  Or do I need to watch more carefully and put him in a different pen until his feathers grow back in.  My other 25 week old roosters have much smaller spots like this on their necks too.  I feed them a high protein feed so it is not a lack of protein or an excess of calcium.  I do toss soft veggies out to the compost pile.  These HRIR are great foragers.  They are out eating bugs and whatever else they like most of the day even when there is feed available.  So I'm very confident it is not a food issue but if it is I will change my feeding ways.[/COLOR]
[/quote]

Probably new feathers coming in.

 

[cmom]

Quote: depends on the age and breed. For a production line 28 week old hen, that is a great price. Around here I re-homed my production 11 month old hens at $10-$15 depending on how many they bought. They were all sold with more wanting them in under two weeks. But here is a cost breakdown for you. $3 per chick is a bunch were ordered and shipping counted or if gotten at the feed store. 15-20 pounds of food to get to laying age = $8. Bedding and save a chick for the water, any treats, increase in water, heat for the brooder, all of the little pennies add up most likely about a $1 or $2 depending on how many are being raised together. So to get a feed store chick to laying age I estimate about $12-$13 plus time and efforts. For a newly laying production hen I ask $25 for one or $60 for 3. Sounds like a lot but really very little profit in it. Heritage breeds I would expect to pay much more for a hen and a touch more for a rooster as the chicks cost more and roosters typically get sold at feed plus chick cost unless they are breeding age and show quality for sure.

Now I have a question about the HRIR roosters. Mine are just at the 25 week mark and the fastest to feather one is having a feather thing on his neck. I see lots of gray / silver feather tubes but no feathers. No skin showing and he is the bossy rooster so I don't think it is from a little disagreement. Is it some kind of molting and new feathers are coming in? Or do I need to watch more carefully and put him in a different pen until his feathers grow back in. My other 25 week old roosters have much smaller spots like this on their necks too. I feed them a high protein feed so it is not a lack of protein or an excess of calcium. I do toss soft veggies out to the compost pile. These HRIR are great foragers. They are out eating bugs and whatever else they like most of the day even when there is feed available. So I'm very confident it is not a food issue but if it is I will change my feeding ways.
Molting...