The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[SallyinIndiana]

Rhode Island Reds are only suppose to lay 200-250 eggs per year. I hear people say all the time that show people are breeding the production qualities out of these pure bred birds but most of these breeds didn't lay 300+ eggs a year to start with. If you want production order from Murray McMurray but if you want pure bred Rhode Island Reds don't expect them to lay eggs like Leghorns because they never have.

Matt

I used to have some of the Meyer production RIR. The eggs were fine but smaller than the ones I'm getting now from the Heritage. The productions ones were about the same color or a touch darker. Now my red star from Meyer lays really dark brown eggs and at least 6 a week.

 

[Fentress]

I've seen the numbers on jim's web site, some of the RIR lines are very productive, but I did not know that winter production was so extremely low. Is this characteristic of most American Class Heritage lines.

 

[Matt1616]

I've seen the numbers on jim's web site, some of the RIR lines are very productive, but I did not know that winter production was so extremely low. Is this characteristic of most American Class Heritage lines.

Yes. It is characteristic of most pure bred chickens period. There are some breeds that were developed to lay through the winter but most were not.

Matt

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote: I could use another roo, but I'm hoping for a hen. Right now my flock is tiny and is half roosters not counting last week's chick or today's possible chick.

 

[Fentress]

Thanks Matt

 

[budsbirds]

Just so I'm not misleading anyone. I don't mean all the time. I just mean since it has gotten really cold. When the weather is nice, I get lots. lol
Jim

Sorry I misundestood, I thought you meant all year long, and that sounded very, very expensive. I cant imagine the feed bil! Our weather in WA state is usually pretty mild, but we did have a cold snap a few weeks back. production actually didn't go down, but eggs were frozen by the time I got to them in the evening. For me, my birds usually take September and October off to molt, by Thanksgiving production is increasing and by now, pretty much in full swing. BGMatt, are you a member of the RIR club of America? If not, would you like to be?

 

[RedRidge]

I've seen the numbers on jim's web site, some of the RIR lines are very productive, but I did not know that winter production was so extremely low. Is this characteristic of most American Class Heritage lines.

Mine have actually picked up. I am getting 2-3 eggs each day out of the 4 who are in breeding pens.
I did eat the eggs I got over the last week due to negative temps. So no hatching with these. But hope to start setting again when the temps improve

 

[BGMatt]

Sorry I misundestood, I thought you meant all year long, and that sounded very, very expensive. I cant imagine the feed bil! Our weather in WA state is usually pretty mild, but we did have a cold snap a few weeks back. production actually didn't go down, but eggs were frozen by the time I got to them in the evening. For me, my birds usually take September and October off to molt, by Thanksgiving production is increasing and by now, pretty much in full swing. BGMatt, are you a member of the RIR club of America? If not, would you like to be?

I'm not a member (which makes sense since I do not yet have RIR's, a situation I hope to remedy in the next year or so when I can expand my operation). I plan to join the club, of course maybe that makes more sense to join now before I acquire stock.

My winter production has been way down this year, but that's primarily due to the age of the birds, didn't even bother turning lights on since almost everything was too young to lay. I've got a couple pullets that are just now starting to lay an egg every couple days.

 

[ronott1]

I did see that after I posted that, he really did seem to love what he did, and also go way out of his way to help others with what they loved to do.

I am going to use his program of rotational line breeding too, he made that sound so uncomplicated.

One thing Bob would have told you was to practice with the ones you have for a couple of years but after that you will need to move on to a different line.

Your flock needs 15 to 20 years to get to what we have now on this thread. Do not get frustrated with them--when you reach the level you are comfortable with, get some Resse Mohawks or Underwood pure line RIRs.

Welcome!

 

[chixmix]

Yes, I see, we bought these eggs as Reese Mohawks. I can find the sellers name if that could help, but they don't seem to look like some of the birds in this thread. That could be bad luck with what happened to hatch(I imagine with just a few chicks, most if not all would be culled by a serious breeder), the seller messed up the line, or the seller was a fraud. I'll post better pics and maybe you guys can tell me if you see any genes possibly in these birds from that line.