The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[Regal Farm NH]

My intent for my future RI Reds wouldn't be for breeding to sell chicks. It would be for eggs for my family. I realize what your saying about needing an incubator in the future, especially if I want to keep the breed to standard. I guess I have visions of a true to standard personal flock with a few broody hens with chicks trailing after them. Again, I am a new to this so maybe this isn't possible?

Nice incubator by the way! Gets me motivated seeing how others have built and designed things like that. Great job.

 

[waddles99]

For what it's worth, I have heard that Horstman RIR aren't the best laying lines out there.

 

[cmom]

For what it's worth, I have heard that Horstman RIR aren't the best laying lines out there.

I have Dick's Rose Comb RIR's. They are nice birds. I have gotten Best of Breed at shows with them. I now have chicks from another line that I will keep separate. Won't know much for a few months while they grow out. I will keep them pure.

 

[cmom]

My intent for my future RI Reds wouldn't be for breeding to sell chicks. It would be for eggs for my family. I realize what your saying about needing an incubator in the future, especially if I want to keep the breed to standard. I guess I have visions of a true to standard personal flock with a few broody hens with chicks trailing after them. Again, I am a new to this so maybe this isn't possible?

Nice incubator by the way! Gets me motivated seeing how others have built and designed things like that. Great job.

They aren't notably broody. One may go broody but not as often as other breeds. My Rose Comb Rhode Island Whites are much more broody. One thing to remember is that half of the chicks hatched whether with a broody or with an incubator will be males. You can always eat them when they're big enough. I do have a few in my freezer but sell most of them. Again, good luck and have fun...

 

[cmom]

It looks like I'm the only one posting lately, where is everyone...

 

[enggass]

I'm here lurking. I have 10 of 12 I hatched from Horstman single combs that will be 3 weeks old tomorrow. Based on feathering I think I have 5 and 5 / pullet to Roo.
He sent me a dozen RIR SC, and 3 silver pencil rocks as extras. 2 of 3 pencils hatched, and 10 of 12 RIRs hatched. Pretty good for shipped eggs!!

 

[cmom]

I'm here lurking. I have 10 of 12 I hatched from Horstman single combs that will be 3 weeks old tomorrow. Based on feathering I think I have 5 and 5 / pullet to Roo.
He sent me a dozen RIR SC, and 3 silver pencil rocks as extras. 2 of 3 pencils hatched, and 10 of 12 RIRs hatched. Pretty good for shipped eggs!!

I agree, a very good hatch. I got a dozen (15) eggs a few years ago from Dick. 3 out of the 15 hatched. I was lucky. One male and two females hatched and I started my Rose Comb RIR flock from them. Now I share my Rose Comb RIR's. I have placed pretty well at the shows with them. The male recently died but I still have the two original females. They are still laying, maybe not every day.

 

[waddles99]

And how is their production? Are they as bad as some people say, or do they lay ok?

 

[cmom]

Mine are Rose Comb and they are good layers.

 

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

I am establishing a new farm in New Hampshire. I want to raise a laying flock of Heritage Rhode Island Reds for my family. My intent is to keep them year round and breed them to the old standard. I have only found Dick Horstman as a reputable breeder. Are there any other good lines available. In my research I have heard of the Fogle line but cannot seem to find any for sale. I do not have a way to hatch eggs so I am limited to live birds only. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Again to be clear I want to stay AWAYfrom big hatchery"s and production RI Reds.
Regards,
Jason Regal Sr.
Regal Farm NH

The Fogle line is very hard to come by. I spoke with Ron around two years ago, and he told me that his flock had been decimated. He had a very few left, and said he was going to take a break for awhile so he could spend more time with his kids. Not sure if he ever started back up or not. I'll have to dig up his number and give him a call sometime. In the same breath, if it's just standard birds you want strictly for egg laying, most any purebred RIR will deliver. No need to get hung up on line names. If they're bred right, they'll lay very well.

It looks like I'm the only one posting lately, where is everyone...

I was informed that people like me is why the thread is dying...