The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[kathyinmo]

My Barred Rocks and New Hampshires are a broody bunch. Between them and some other breeds in my layers coop, my Broody-Buster has been occupied all spring. Usually 6 - 8 at a time. It usually takes 5 days to break them. They really hate it when I throw in a young hormonal cockerel, too.

 

[catdaddyfro]

Breed the broodiness out of the SQ Reds and keep a broody breed if you want to use them to hatch. SG Dorkings for example.

It's not a bad idea to keep a couple of Broodies around--Doomsday preppers and all....

Ron

Why? Broodiness is part of the description of being a Heritage breed. I'm not saying breed for it but let it occur naturaly the way it happened from the original crosses that were used to create the breed. I think if you start breeding these kinds of "ingredients" out then you are changing up the original "recipe" and that's what we should be trying to keep intact here. Or you might start leaning toward the "production side" instead of the "self-sustaining" side. JMHO the way I see it. This one of the reasons they are only supposed to lay 180 to 200 eggs on average along with the molt and natural breeding season. If you start pushing for a lot different you just may end up with too different of a result.

Jeff

 

[ronott1]

Quote: Hi Jeff,

Ok, I was just setting up a joke. Sorry it was not funny to you. I really have no opinion on breeding out broodiness. I actually am disappointed that I haven't had one yet. If the choice was between a great hen that was broody or one that was not broody and less quality, I would breed the broody one. 5% broody would be great!

Bye,

Ron

 

[ronott1]

One of Kathy's Broody moms:



From: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/524071/first-egg-countdown/1470

That is a huge BR

Ron

 

[catdaddyfro]

Hi Jeff,

Ok, I was just setting up a joke. Sorry it was not funny to you. I really have no opinion on breeding out broodiness. I actually am disappointed that I haven't had one yet. If the choice was between a great hen that was broody or one that was not broody and less quality, I would breed the broody one. 5% broody would be great!

Bye,

Ron

Oh okay I didn't get it at first, sorry LOL. I guess I explained how feel on the matter though huh? straight forward and gun it is how my Grandadday taught me LOL Oh well LOL I got it now(ol' dense one)<ME I am a truley bonafide (BLONDE) well whats left is blond but the dingyness is still prevailent, LOL

 

[immyjay54]

Breed the broodiness out of the SQ Reds and keep a broody breed if you want to use them to hatch. SG Dorkings for example.

It's not a bad idea to keep a couple of Broodies around--Doomsday preppers and all....

Ron

Hey Ron,
I have never shown chickens, horses yes but not chickens, and if the secret that Bob wrote from Ken Bowles really works, it seems that it would be worth it to let some of the better ones go broody if they choose to. lol I have a pretty large layer flock so I don't think I'll run out of eggs to keep my customers happy. I just hate it when they go broody that they sometimes go so long without food or water while they are setting. I guess they know when to come off though. I've not yet had one to die on the nest from lack of food or water. When I bought my Mohawks from Paul Gingerich he sent me 4 Silver Laced Wyandottes and from what I've read on them they seem to be pretty broody and good mothers. If not, I still have the incubators to fall back on. lol
Jim

 

[ronott1]

Quote: I am used to getting myself in trouble when I try to be funny.

To answer about why a breeder may not want broodies; the smaller number you can hatch with them. A big incubator can hatch hundreds at a time, so if you need to hatch 200 chicks to get 20 good ones, you need to hatch a lot more than what you can hatch with broodies.

I think broodies are great though. I have an SG Dorking pullet and I hope she goes broody for me at the same time I want to hatch some chicks from my new breeding pens.

Ron

 

[Robert Blosl]

To answer about why a breeder may not want broodies; the smaller number you can hatch with them. A big incubator can hatch hundreds at a time, so if you need to hatch 200 chicks to get 20 good ones, you need to hatch a lot more than what you can hatch with broodies.

Lets hope we don't have to do that Ron. That will make you go broke and fail. You should be able to hatch 50 and get 8 good ones and then take the good ones and move up hill another half a point each year till your flock can average say 94 points out of ten birds. One or two may hit 95 and once in a blue moon you get a killer and who knows you may win champion American or Champion Large Fowl at a big show.

The secret is super good birds small matings and get 15 vigor's chicks out each female they are so full of vigor they are like Marines and don't need no shots or dope to get them going.. The females will lay say 190 eggs per pullet year they are docile and they are brick shape when the stand or when they walk. Three to four good females is all you need They have to be great t birds to start with no mixed strains or scrubs to begin with the best you can obtain. You can have back ups old hens in special matings ect but you don't need a army of breeders. You don't want to have so few if a male dies on you your done for the year. We need to breed smart and try to have a buddy system with a friend so you can share birds for fresh blood every four or five years but the same stain.

Now this is the plan to have one of the top strains in the USA if you are not interested in doing this you don't have to worry that much. Heck you don't even need a standard. I never worried about broodies if I got them I did not worry about that i had more important thi worry about and that was type.

That's what plan to do I have studied a fellow from North Louisiana who breeds excellent bantams and that is what he does so if you cant beat them join them and do what they they do. bob

 

[immyjay54]

Okay Robert,
I just moved my first bunch of Nelson chicks to their new coop. Was kind of hard to get these shots because they are running and jumping around having a ball in their new house. The one shot of the feet/legs is to let you see the stripe down the front. Unless I am badly mistaken, I've gotten 3 cockerels and 7 pullets out of these 10. I have 10 more but they are only a couple of weeks old so it will be a while yet before they get put with these ones. Opinions are welcome. lol These were 10 weeks yesterday.

 

[Robert Blosl]

Looks like classic Nelson Rhode Island Reds. great leg color nice horn color in the beak as well. The chick feathers are deep dark red. This is a great old line of Reds and if you live in the cold they are all ready tough and can take the extreme cold climate. One of the top lines in the USA just dont cross them keep them pure. There are enough people who have Dons birds to get a good bird and cross onto your line down the road.

I got a phone call today fro a guy in Georgia who wanted some of my old Mohawk large fowl. He told me has had Bennett's Reds for about three years. He can not get a hold of him and he does not know what is going on.

He said he will take some pictures of them he lives in jasper Georgia. Above Atlanta he said.

This is another great strain of large fowl reds. Thanks for posting your pictures it helps the beginner who comes over looking at our pictures so they can com pair our dark reds with their cherry eggers.