The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[atmaclean]

Thanks for all the detail. The outlets were not GFIs
So glad you chimed in. Thank you.
Angela,

It took me forever to train Clem basic manners. She was hard headed and independent. I have heard of others who didn't have trouble, but seeing as I did.. and how little time I have to work with them.. I just can't go through all that again. Especially with a family on the way. Susan is also very heartbroken and doesn't ever want to think about another one. Clem was the hardest loss for her.

They are also incredibly expensive to purchase and maintain. After costs and training it is very worth it, I agree. We are lucky that we are in an area that sees very little in the way of predators. We had a stray dog once and a goshawk once. I'm thinking a LGD isn't highly needed for our situation.

Yep - it sounds like you are in a safer area than we are. We had lots of coyotes until we got our LGD. What did it for me was seeing our australian shepherd barking furiously at a coyote in the pasture not 30 yards away. The coyote was just standing there looking at her as if to say, "so what are YOU going to do about it?" I knew immediately that we were in trouble if we didn't get some type of protection. This was not long after I had moved the young pullets outside to the coup. I guess they smelled chicken and figured that dinner was here! We haven't seen any coyote since Banjo arrived. It seems that our australian shepherd has taken to chasing the skunks away as she has been sprayed at least 5 times in the past month! It is just GROSS!! But, I'm glad she is keeping them away from the chickens. Our LGD keeps the bigger prey away.

You've been through a lot and I don't blame you for not wanting to take on a lot of training! Hang in there and I know you will come back with a wonderful new set-up for your furred and feathered friends

Angela

 

[SallyinIndiana]

RIR breed Question: What is the difference between the Heritage RIR and the production RIR? Do the production lay more eggs or are they called production because they were massed produced by the hatcheries? Are the heritage roos better for meat than the production roos? I'm trying to understand the differences. One thread I was reading showed a RIR with a small rose comb. Are they the best of the RIR?

 

[Bulldogma]

RIR breed Question: What is the difference between the Heritage RIR and the production RIR? Do the production lay more eggs or are they called production because they were massed produced by the hatcheries? Are the heritage roos better for meat than the production roos? I'm trying to understand the differences. One thread I was reading showed a RIR with a small rose comb. Are they the best of the RIR?

Let me preface by saying I don't know all there is to know about these breeds... but I am learning.

To my understanding (and y'all feel free to correct any mistakes I make) the Heritage birds take longer to mature and don't lay as many eggs in their first year... BUT instead of burning out and slowing down after 18-24 months, they continue to lay for years.

The production reds mature faster and lay (almost daily on average) until they are 18-24 months of age, and then their laying slows - drastically for some. The production birds are a result of selective breeding for the traits of quick maturation and lots of egg "production."

I'm sure I missed some major points on the differences, but I know the other folks will fill in where I missed.

 

[aoxa]

Let me preface by saying I don't know all there is to know about these breeds... but I am learning.

To my understanding (and y'all feel free to correct any mistakes I make) the Heritage birds take longer to mature and don't lay as many eggs in their first year... BUT instead of burning out and slowing down after 18-24 months, they continue to lay for years.

The production reds mature faster and lay (almost daily on average) until they are 18-24 months of age, and then their laying slows - drastically for some. The production birds are a result of selective breeding for the traits of quick maturation and lots of egg "production."

I'm sure I missed some major points on the differences, but I know the other folks will fill in where I missed.

You did pretty well there. There are many visual differences, but you hit it right on the money otherwise.

Production reds are much lighter in colour, not shaped like a brick, are usually from a hatchery or derived from one. Heritage RIRs are hard to get your hands on.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

RIR breed Question: What is the difference between the Heritage RIR and the production RIR? Do the production lay more eggs or are they called production because they were massed produced by the hatcheries? Are the heritage roos better for meat than the production roos? I'm trying to understand the differences. One thread I was reading showed a RIR with a small rose comb. Are they the best of the RIR?

Production Reds are a sex-link that looks like a RIR but much lighter in color. They are great layers and are supposed to rarely go broody. Temperament varies from bird to bird. Heritage RIR are a deep mahogany color.

Heritage RIR have two types of combs, straight and rose, the rose are very rare and hard to find.

 

[Bulldogma]

Production Reds are a sex-link that looks like a RIR but much lighter in color. They are great layers and are supposed to rarely go broody. Temperament varies from bird to bird. Heritage RIR are a deep mahogany color.

Heritage RIR have two types of combs, straight and rose, the rose are very rare and hard to find.

(I believe) that Production Reds are actually not sex linked, but Red Sex Links are... and are a different breed.

I currently have 4 Production Reds in the brooder, and they all look exactly alike. LOL. (Meaning I'm SOL until they start laying or crowing, pretty much.)

 

[aoxa]

(I believe) that Production Reds are actually not sex linked, but Red Sex Links are... and are a different breed.

I currently have 4 Production Reds in the brooder, and they all look exactly alike. LOL. (Meaning I'm SOL until they start laying or crowing, pretty much.)

You are right BDM. They are not sex linked.

I thought they were when I got my first red sex link. I called her a production red for months before being corrected. Whoops!

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Quote:
Ask Fred's Hens(moderator and BYC educator). He told me they are a created Red bird, that can be sexed at hatch(but very hard to tell color difference to untrained eye). There is nothing wrong with them. I have 2.

 

[Bulldogma]

Hmmm... and here, 2 days later they still all look alike??

Of course there are also different varieties of PRs as breeders work to improve the breed with outcrosses, etc. These little guys/girls have a lot of H/RIR and a few other things in the background also, so they may not be like more common PRs.

 

[countrygirl74]

One o the chicks in the house has a slipped tendon..never had one of those..I hate culling chicks.

I'm pretty certain that I could never do it - the 4 month-old were difficult enough. Out of curiosity though, how would you cull a chick?