The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

You should have some very happy birds. I have wire in the bottom of my coops under the roosts. I have a good rake with a very long handle to rake out the poop that goes into my compost pile. This was when we were building this coop.

I love the concept. If it weren't for below freezing temps in the winter, I'd try to incorporate that into my coop. I suppose I could always drag a piece of plywood over it when it's cold. Hmm... you made the gears start turning.

 

[waddles99]

Thats interesting that the RC is harder to develop to the breed standard than the SC. Thats probably why not many people are doing RC RIR.

 

[RCleghorn]

Rosecombs have traditionally been very difficult to breed at the same level as the Single Comb. Many people suggest that it is linked to the Rosecomb gene. It pretty much holds true in every breed that comes in both combs. For this reason the Rosecomb varieties have not developed as large of a following for breeders that are breeding to the SOP. They did however have a following in the northern states for the advantage of not having to worry about frostbite in the winter.

Matt

I agree with matt. The rosecombed varieties in general do seem alot harder to breed to the SOP than single comb varieties. The majority of the rc reds i have seen out there dont stand a chance against the better sc reds. Although there are a few breeders that are getting close to being competitive with the sc comb birds. Bobby anderson of NC has some very nice rc reds. I cant confirm this in reds but i know in leghorns that even hatch rate drops the further removed from single comb you get. But you need to keep out single comb in order to keep good heads.

 

[onarres]

I recall reading somewhere of a pea comb in early Rir history. Anyone know what became of them or why it never continued

 

[daxigait]

@Ur-ur-ur-urrr and everyone else. Here are a few random pictures of my March 25 hatch of what I was told were Hortsman line RIR. I know that the pictures are poor due to lighting, but I don't have the uncovered section of run finished.
Drat the upload will not work so I will post the pictures separately off full site.

 

[daxigait]

@Ur-ur-ur-urrr

Pictures.

 

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

@Ur-ur-ur-urrr
Pictures.

Very nice, daxi! It can be hard to tell from pics, but I'm seeing some good type in the group... nice brick shapes and flat backs. Looks like you have plenty of cockerels so you should have plenty of choices for breeding when spring rolls around. The only bird I see any issue with is the pullet on the right in the 4th pic. Might just be a bad position she's in, but her tail is low and it looks like her wing is sagging. If she's normally like this, she doesn't need to be in the breeding program. Might just be bad timing, and like I said, it's hard to tell everything just by pictures. Overall, they're great looking birds. Glad you were finally able to get some!

I have 11 one month olds in the brooder, and more eggs in the bator. One has hatched, another starting to zip as I type. I had 10 viable eggs going into lockdown, and I will be ecstatic if all 10 hatched. That would (or should) give me a pretty decent flock to choose breeders from in the spring. As it stands, I don't have a clue what the cockerel-to-pullet ratio is. I have two families, and I'm really hoping to get at least 3-4 pullets from each. I'll know where I stand with the first batch in a couple of weeks...

 

[daxigait]

I got 13, and seven or so are cockerels. Yes, pictures are hard to tell since it is just a moment and can be a bad one.

 

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

I got 13, and six or seven are roos. Yes, pictures are hard to tell since it is just a moment and can be a bad one.

Lucky 13...

I can't wait to see how they look when they get out in the open and under good light. I wouldn't judge them too hard this early. Obvious flaws might be easy to spot, but little things that seem out of place may disappear when they molt their juvenile feathers. Again, I'm very happy that you got some, and looking forward to seeing how they develop!

 

[daxigait]

Lucky 13...   

I can't wait to see how they look when they get out in the open and under good light. I wouldn't judge them too hard this early. Obvious flaws might be easy to spot, but little things that seem out of place may disappear when they molt their juvenile feathers. Again, I'm very happy that you got some, and looking forward to seeing how they develop!  

It will be a bit since I am headed out of town for the weekend so maybe next week.
How are yours doing? I s the second group feathering yet?