The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[daxigait]

Thanks, I will concentrate on cockerels because the short form while correct makes me cringe like the r word for breeders. It has been too abused.

 

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

Yellow legs-  You don't normally get those in the hatcher, or at least not a lot of it.

Once they get out on grass here?  The legs turn "road caution yellow" in a matter of days.  Not a problem at all.  Intense yellow with super dark horn all over the front and many will have a red dashed line going down the side of the leg.

Now, the thing is that I understand that not all grass everywhere in N. America provides the necessary nutrients to yellow the legs.  I did not know that until recently when I wintered along the Gulf Coast.  Or at least, if I once knew I've slept since then.  LOL

So, marigold extract is included in many good show bird feeds to provide for the deepening leg coloration.
Of course, a pullet who lays super heavy will be drained of the yellow as she concludes her pullet year.  That too is normal.

There you are. Hello, Fred. Was wondering how long it would be before you chimed in. I've been making feeble attempts to keep the thread moving... hoping some of the pros would fill in the gaps. I'll try to capture the true color of my chicks legs. The color they remind me the most of is Cub Cadet yellow. They eat chick starter with a handfull of clover every day, and if grass is going to make them more yellow, I may have to wear shades to look at them... I have a ard full of Bahaia and St. Augustine, which my BR's love. Their legs are quite yellow, too... but I never associated it with grass. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

Thanks, I will concentrate on cockerels because the short form while correct makes me cringe like the r word for breeders. It has been too abused.

I know how you feel. It seems a bit awkward at first, but to true breeders, it's only proper. Just think of it as the name of a bird... like Game Cock. Just be careful who you use the term around, and HOW you use it.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I changed my feed a couple of years ago. I feed my chicks "Show Gold" I think it really makes a big difference in the chicks.
These are older Rhode Island Reds and Rhode Island Whites. Notice the legs are nice bright yellow. I got marked down for that at a show a few years ago and was determined to get nice yellow legs.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Well, at the shows, you enter birds are only the following, K,P, C and H.
K is cockerel, P is pullet, C is cock and H is hen.

In everyday speech, many, many older timers simply say cockbird. It's not really correct either, but most commonly used in speech. The trouble with calling a bird the wrong thing is the AGE of the bird is paramount. Using pullet when referring to a young, under year old female tells us she's under a year old and so forth.

Since i'm just a an old farm boy, I grew up with barrows and gilts, boars and sows, so none of this is new to me. As well as heifer and bullcalf, steer, bull or cow. The horse people all say filly or colt to refer to the young and stalion, gelding or mare to refer to the older horses. Even aspect of animal husbandry and animal fancy has such terms and we just submit to the wisdom of the ages in using the proper terms in context.

Say the marsupial word around any true chicken man and he'll think you're a dufus and a half, that's for sure. You'd never be taken seriously, I know I just pretty much ignore folks who write or call and ask if I have "baby hens" cause they can't have "roos" where they live." I just don't feel any real need to write back and resppond, to be honest. Life's too short and the birds are too valuable. It's the way it is.

If in doubt? Shoot, just say male or female. Works just fine.

Alright, I got a zillion plants to set and ten times that many weeds to hoe, so back to work.

 

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

I changed my feed a couple of years ago. I feed my chicks "Show Gold" I think it really makes a big difference in the chicks. These are older Rhode Island Reds and Rhode Island Whites. Notice the legs are nice bright yellow. I got marked down for that at a show a few years ago and was determined to get nice yellow legs.

Your work payed off, cmom. The leg color was one of the first things I noticed about your birds. It runs true in the chicks they produce. Here's a pic I just took of one of the chick's legs under natual sunlight. My cell phone still doesn't capture the true brilliance of the legs, but it's the best I can do rght now...

Pics of a 1 day old, fresh out of the incuator. Not good lighting, but the yellow legs are still noticeable...

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Well Fred,I hope those in your brooder I gave you do well. Praying for a better hatch this last group I gave you than it looks like I am having. Just attempted candeling my last batch and discarded more than I would like. One of those an early quitter. How are yours doing?

I hope some of them develop into good specimens!!!

 

[redguinea]

One of the chicks at the moment. Defiantly a cockeral. Will see how he looks in spring. He is the one that has started the bad habit of pecking all the other chicks eyes. Got 20 Rir chicks plus other breeds, 30 more rir in the incubator. Pretty happy, need more brooders..

 

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

Well Fred,I hope those in your brooder I gave you do well. Praying for a better hatch this last group I gave you than it looks like I am having. Just attempted candeling my last batch and discarded more than I would like. One of those an early quitter. How are yours doing?

I hope some of them develop into good specimens!!!

I'm willing to bet you're doing a lot better than I am. My incubator has been performing perfectly, but only 2 chicks out of 30 eggs have hatched. Today is day 22, and I'm not seeing any movement from the last 8 eggs. It's like a freaking Greek tragedy...

Was hoping to start spring with at least 20 birds, but will have to make it with 13. On the brighter side of things, I've always considered 13 a lucky number...

 

[redguinea]

Hard to tell much from a quartering angle, but she appears to have a full breast, nice wide head, bright yellow legs with a splash of horn on shanks, and good feathers. Don't see any lacing in the hackles. She seems to be pinched towards the tail... but it may be the angle. For a better evaluation, pics from the front, sides, and top would be very helpful. Of course, pictures can never compare to seeing and feeling the birds... it's just a rough guesstimate.

I've given her to my grandfather so that's the only pic I got before she went. Can share pics of other girls. It is quite an awkward angle but I snapped the pic because I like the expression on her face. Its always good coming on here and see what everyone else has, especially because I'm in Australia and enjoy seeing the differences between the birds here and in the U.S.