The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[henpeckedmuch]

I put 50 LF RIR eggs into my incubator, then tried to candle them at one week, and two weeks. I used a 225 lumen flash light and then tried a 100 watt light bulb in a coffee can with a hole cut in the top to place the egg into. I gave up and just put them back into the incubator. I could see nothing I was discouraged, were they all dead or infertile? What a wonderful surprize when 21 days later 47 of them hatched. I opened the three eggs that didn't hatch to see what happened, the eggs wasn't fertile. This was the first time I had ever tried to hatch chicks and was pleased to have a 94 % hatch rate. I think the egg shells were just to dark to see thru easily. Amazingly, the unhatched eggs did'nt even smell bad when I opened them. I don't understand what the advantage is in throwing the eggs out before the hatch had run it's course.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Bobby I sure would like to teach two or three of you guys how to breed R I Reds for color befor i unplug my incubator as I have interviewed the last top 10 Rhode Island Red Breeders 25 years ago befor they died and read all the Rhode Island Red Journals and Red Chronicles from 1912 to 1970. I have articles on my web site that you can read from this vast reading and interviews.
I think with a decline in the current Large Fowl in the USA today and having at least three good strains of Rhode Island Red Large fowl we can improve and breed them up to the level they will win and get on Champion Row at many shows. There are secrets to breeding them and rules you must follow but if you obey them you will have success. The number one secret is do not cross good strains. The nest type then in thing is to learn how to master breeding type then in your fifth year you will understand how to breed for color.

I hope to put together all my stuff in a book format on Breeding Rhode Island Reds this fall.
Its then up to the new person to follow it or do like most people do and screw up and fail.

The most important thing I learned from these interviews and it was stamped again into my mind was Many are called but few are Chosen. Only 1 out of 100 will make it to be considered a master breeder of Rhode Island Reds.
bob

Wow. That was pretty inspiring. I've been working up a short list of heritage breeds for productive and true to standard egg, meat and exhibition birds as I'm finally getting my ducks in a row and moving back to the family farm. (It's been a looooong time coming.) I've been working with a red breed of rabbit for the last three years or so that is also a very tricky one to breed true to standard and maintain. Maybe RIRs are meant to be for me. And now that I think back about all the things I've heard you say about them over the last couple of years...they kind of seem like a no brainer for me.

Guess I'll just have to kick my addiction to spots and "accessories" in fowl! Thankfully, moving down to the farm outside of Memphis I won't have to concern myself over frostbitten combs or cold hardiness as much. But really—a deep, dark red is the best color there is for just about all animals, I think.

Edited to add this—now that I REALLY think about it, I have applied a lot of what you guys have taught in regards to the heritage poultry to my rabbit breeding program and have had GREAT success!!!

 

[NYREDS]

I've hatched all I need for the year [probably more than I needed actually] & am going to break up my breeding pens soon. Before I di I thought I'd see if a couple people are interested in some eggs. My birds origionated from Don Nelson. They are hatching very well for me this year-above 95%. PM if interested.

 

[immyjay54]

OH MY GOSH. I can't begin to express how happy I am this morning. First off, last night I sent payment to NYREDS for some of his Don Nelson line RIR's and this morning just a little after 7 AM I got a call from the PO that I had a noisy little box down there. I took off and below is what I got. These are the Old Mohawk line of RIR that I had ordered from Paul Gingerich (greathorse BYC), Paul also put in 4 Silver Laced Wyndottes (Foley line). I feel really honored to have this old line of RIR chicks to put with my others. Jim

 

[Davaroo]

Im looking at RIR's for my small garden plot in the future. How would you folks recommend I go about getting some "real RIR's" when the time comes.

 

[immyjay54]

Im looking at RIR's for my small garden plot in the future. How would you folks recommend I go about getting some "real RIR's" when the time comes.

When the time comes, I guess you would do what you did just now. Get on here or one of the other sites and ask who are breeders of the "real RIR" and get in touch with them and see if they have anything for sale. Hope this helps.
Jim

 

[Gold Griffin Chicken Mom]

I put 50 LF RIR eggs into my incubator, then tried to candle them at one week, and two weeks. I used a 225 lumen flash light and then tried a 100 watt light bulb in a coffee can with a hole cut in the top to place the egg into. I gave up and just put them back into the incubator. I could see nothing I was discouraged, were they all dead or infertile? What a wonderful surprize when 21 days later 47 of them hatched. I opened  the three eggs that didn't hatch to see what happened, the eggs wasn't fertile.  This was the first time I had ever tried to hatch chicks and was pleased to have a 94 % hatch rate. I think the egg shells were just to dark to see thru easily. Amazingly, the unhatched eggs did'nt even smell bad when I opened them. I don't understand what the advantage is in throwing the eggs out before the hatch had run it's course.        

I think if you have an egg explode inside the incubator, you will see why some people are afraid of having it happen. I was outside when it happened. The children report it sounded like a gunshot in the breakfast room.

And when your Little Voice tells you to hold the egg in the sink when you go to pop open the "dud", PLEASE listen. Once again, the gunshot noise. An egg builds up a LOT of pressure if the shell is without flaws. The yolk of the dud was black. It went straight down the sink and the shell went to the compost pile.

 

[stefanfarms]

Am looking for someone with the older lines of RIR that has chicks for sale. Would also be interested in a young pair/trio and moren willing to pay the shipping. Used to have several of the old line that i got as birds thru eggbid a quite a few years back but lost the roo and a couple hens and havent been able to replace them. Im not really heavy into showing but enjoy the old breed very much, so any help is apprec.

 

[catdaddyfro]

Am looking for someone with the older lines of RIR that has either eggs, chicks or a young trio for sale. Am located in CT.
Havent been able to locate any for sale locally and the sites i have found are either all sold out or not answering, so any help is appreciated
tks

Go back up to post 1123 NYREDS just posted yesterday he has extra eggs now before he disperses his breeders for the season HURRY Oh and

you must be dedicated to RIRs for posting here first LOL

Jeff

 

[dinahmoe]

Im looking at RIR's for my small garden plot in the future. How would you folks recommend I go about getting some "real RIR's" when the time comes.

you can PM me when you are ready if you'd like.i go to Augusta about once a month if that is close enough.