The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[ronott1]

The last 3 hatches of RIR were only because I could see that I had too many roosters. At that time I think I had maybe 5 clear female pullets. Right now after all of the extended hatching I still have less than 25 females from this year's hatch.

That is what I thought!

What a hatching year.

 

[RIR-YELLOWLEGS]

 
How many do you need to process?

The Fogle line is in very good shape. Walt Leonard recently posted that the best breeders do not hatch out hundreds of chicks a year. Maybe next year do not hatch out so many and hopefully you will have a better cockerel to pullet ratio.

Get the friends plucker and invite local chicken people to a work day. Teach them to process--and process your chickens. It would be a win, win for all involved.

The last 3 hatches of RIR were only because I could see that I had too many roosters.  At that time I think I had maybe 5 clear female pullets.  Right now after all of the extended hatching I still have less than 25 females from this year's hatch.   

Sally I wished that I lived closer to you but I live down south in georgia I would take some fogle line roos in a flat heartbeat and show some people in georgia that dont know what a fogle line RIR looks like this is one of the oldest generation of heritage RIR fowl. I could sit and cry as I have seen pictures of your Roosters good luck its a shame to have to cull a good bloodline bird but I feel for ya we have processed hog , chicken' deer garden beans and fruits and veggies made homemade wine pick blackberries *ouch* wild berries when deer dont get to them first* good luck*

 

[desertmarcy]

The last 3 hatches of RIR were only because I could see that I had too many roosters. At that time I think I had maybe 5 clear female pullets. Right now after all of the extended hatching I still have less than 25 females from this year's hatch.

I am in a similar dilemma. Mainly have more RIR cockerels than I have space to grow out. I've got 9 Reese line cockerels growing out (3/20-4/12 hatch) and 5 Reese line cockerels (hatched 4/27 and 5/12) in a separate pen, with some other birds that really need more space. I do not think I can combine those two groups of RIR males. The younger ones would be bloodied, I fear. I don't know, I'm almost ready to cull the younger Reese cockerels. I have 6 RIR cockerels growing out from another line also. I put a lot of emphasis on my Barred Rocks, Ameraucana, and Black Copper Marans this year and less on the Rhode Island Reds. As much as I'd like to grow them all out to pick through, I'm getting a bit stressed out over birds right now and the hot, rainless weather is not helping.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

If you were closer I'd trade you a heritage RIR rooster for a heritage BR rooster. I get a lot of people wanting barred rock chicks but I can't actually spend time on another breed to have good barred rock chicks to sell. I keep 2 hatchery barred rocks each year for black stars. And I end up ordering barred rock pullets from ideal to raise up and sell as started pullets.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I think you could put the boys together. I put some together. They bickered a little but no big battles with blood. The longer they are together the better they are. I have 2 bachelor pens and coops. I mixed some RIW's with RIR's. They haven't started crowing yet and as long as there are no girls they are usually ok. I wish I could send you some rain. We have had around 6" in the past 3 days. Lucky for us we live on a hill but some of the lower land is flooded. There is a lake down at the bottom of the hill and the water management opened the dams more to let the water flow out into the gulf. Before the rains started it was dry and hot here. I was running the sprinklers for the birds. Now the pens are muddy from all of the rain.

 

[desertmarcy]

I think you could put the boys together. I put some together. They bickered a little but no big battles with blood. The longer they are together the better they are. I have 2 bachelor pens and coops. I mixed some RIW's with RIR's. They haven't started crowing yet and as long as there are no girls they are usually ok. I wish I could send you some rain. We have had around 6" in the past 3 days. Lucky for us we live on a hill but some of the lower land is flooded. There is a lake down at the bottom of the hill and the water management opened the dams more to let the water flow out into the gulf. Before the rains started it was dry and hot here. I was running the sprinklers for the birds. Now the pens are muddy from all of the rain.

Well I might try. Put them in there after dark. If I'm going to cull them anyway, it won't really matter if they get beat up a little, not that I want that to happen. They are in a cockerel only pen, but their pen is right next to a Barred Rock pullet grow out pen, shared fence. But no crowing yet.

I have a terrible time with my RIRs getting their tails and top of their rump picked by other breeds of birds. This year, I've grown them out with Ameraucanas. Those deep red pin feathers just invite picking, I think. Most of those younger males are missing tails. I need dedicated pens for growing out RIRs.

 

[desertmarcy]

If you were closer I'd trade you a heritage RIR rooster for a heritage BR rooster. I get a lot of people wanting barred rock chicks but I can't actually spend time on another breed to have good barred rock chicks to sell. I keep 2 hatchery barred rocks each year for black stars. And I end up ordering barred rock pullets from ideal to raise up and sell as started pullets.

I'd be happy to sell you chicks when I start hatching again. I'm raising over 100 BRs this year. I felt cheated last year because something (don't know what, never could trap it) dug under my BR cockerel grow out pen and killed 41 out of 44 birds. So I didn't have much choice in males

Thought I'd rectify that situation this year but boy they take up a lot of room. I've got BR cockerels in 3 different pens, just sold 3 processed to a lady today. The pullets are in a bigger pen and are all together. Haven't started culling through them yet. Surprising nobody out your way (in REAL chicken country, versus the blasted hot dry desert) is raising heritage BRs.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
This is what we built. They work. Most of the materials were from projects or from friends projects. It was my husband's design. I told him what I wanted and he built what he wanted. I put the tarps up to keep rain out when it comes from that direction and to keep the feed dry. They are mainly used as bachelor coops and pens. Sometimes if they are empty I will put other birds in such as my mutts.

 

[RIR-YELLOWLEGS]

 
The last 3 hatches of RIR were only because I could see that I had too many roosters.  At that time I think I had maybe 5 clear female pullets.  Right now after all of the extended hatching I still have less than 25 females from this year's hatch.   

I am in a similar dilemma. Mainly have more RIR cockerels than I have space to grow out. I've got 9 Reese line cockerels growing out (3/20-4/12 hatch) and 5 Reese line cockerels (hatched 4/27 and 5/12) in a separate pen, with some other birds that really need more space. I do not think I can combine those two groups of RIR males. The younger ones would be bloodied, I fear. I don't know, I'm almost ready to cull the younger Reese cockerels. I have 6 RIR cockerels growing out from another line also. I put a lot of emphasis on my Barred Rocks, Ameraucana, and Black Copper Marans this year and less on the Rhode Island Reds. As much as I'd like to grow them all out to pick through, I'm getting a bit stressed out over birds right now and the hot, rainless weather is not helping.

I can understand your problem another great line of roos needing to let grow and all this hot weather is not helping and for a time there it seem that we where getting Was rain every other day I MEAN RAIN

not showers and then the awful heat I wish you good luck .

 

[neveraslave]

maybe i may get lucky and find a Heritage Rhode Island Red breeder near myrtle beach south carolina---help me Calgon!!