The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[Fentress]

67% sounds good to me. Recently, we have talked about egg production of heritage breeds being very low during the winter. I am assuming that when the POL corresponds with winter that you will get more eggs as compared to pullets that have been laying for a few months? If that is true, then that would be a good strategy for maintaining egg production during the winter, by having a group of pullets on hand from a late hatch.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

67% sounds good to me. Recently, we have talked about egg production of heritage breeds being very low during the winter. I am assuming that when the POL corresponds with winter that you will get more eggs as compared to pullets that have been laying for a few months? If that is true, then that would be a good strategy for maintaining egg production during the winter, by having a group of pullets on hand from a late hatch.

That was my plan for the laying flock. But with the cold weather the chicks are growing up slower. Something I'll keep in mind for next year and I'll hatch me some layers in late July / early August not the end of Sept.

 

[flowerchild59]

My Underwood pullets that were born in April 2013 are coming on strong. I am averaging 4 eggs a day from 8 pullets, and the sizes have averaged 58 to grams daily.
The ones in the mixed layer pen (all born in april/may of last year) are laying real well too, but I can't keep track of who lays what egg. (Mixture of poor comb RIR and marans/java crosses.) But those eggs in there are consistently large in size also.

 

[ronott1]

67% sounds good to me. Recently, we have talked about egg production of heritage breeds being very low during the winter. I am assuming that when the POL corresponds with winter that you will get more eggs as compared to pullets that have been laying for a few months? If that is true, then that would be a good strategy for maintaining egg production during the winter, by having a group of pullets on hand from a late hatch.

This is very true and a good way to have some eggs during the winter without lights. It is not ideal for SOP work, if one is waiting until after the first molt, because pullets like this will not molt until their second Fall; sometimes 1.5 years old.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Just some photos of the young Nelsons. Their color is coming in deep, rich and dark, and their legs are a wonderful yellow with horn staining. Color even stood up to a flash as about 3'. Wonderful birds. Just delightful. I'll pose them one of these days. But this next week promises a return of another arctic polar vortex thingy coming down from across the border. Bob was right about the Nelsons being a good choice for northerners. They don't even blink at sub zero weather. But… They do uptake their calories though.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

My birds sure do eat more in the cold weather too.

 

[immyjay54]

Just some photos of the young Nelsons. Their color is coming in deep, rich and dark, and their legs are a wonderful yellow with horn staining. Color even stood up to a flash as about 3'. Wonderful birds. Just delightful. I'll pose them one of these days. But this next week promises a return of another arctic polar vortex thingy coming down from across the border. Bob was right about the Nelsons being a good choice for northerners. They don't even blink at sub zero weather. But… They do uptake their calories though.

 

[chixmix]

Wow, those are beautiful birds!!

 

[Rancher3535]

Rob, I don't have Underwood birds. But as was said, getting the tails right on these birds and keeping them right is a challenge. Jimmy has this line, I'm quite sure.

Sorry I thought you said a while back you had Underwood birds. So who did you get your original birds from then?
Rob

 

[Rancher3535]

Tail color on my Underwood is great. These were a late May hatch and started laying in Dec. In Jan I began keeping daily production records for 8 pullets who are laying in 3 different pens. Daily rate of lay so far is 67% and not all 8 were pol when I started records.
Set my first batch of eggs on Monday.

Wow laying already? Have not a clue as to why mine are not laying. They were hatched the last of May first part of June. Tony said his had just barely started before the cold spell and they stopped but should be coming back into laying soon. Are you running artificial lights on them? Mine didn't so I started mine up in December on them so hope they start in soon.

Seems like mine are growing slower than I thought they would especially the males. The barred rocks and columbian wyandottes I have at the same age are farther along in feathering and size. I did process some of the males that I did not want to keep today. Live weights ran from 5.8 to 6.10 and dress out at 3.39 to 3.99. After all the years I have raised birds I finally decided to start keeping records on weights so I guess that is not bad for young birds. It is really interesting to see the differences between all the breeds especially when all of them are fairly close to the same age. The barred rocks at the same age and pen were 4.42 to 4.99 dress out.

Rob

Rob

Rob