The Rhodebar thread!

[melroseladi]

Newly hatched Rhodebars (and some BCM):



Please post opinions so I can learn. Obviously, the autosexing works. The three pullets have very different patterns from very muted to strikingly dark. What would be the reasons for keeping//not keeping these pullets based on patterning?

Awww so cute. I would keep the chicks that are marked the darkest to keep that pattern going in your flock and weed out the lighter ones. Look at that nice spot on his head. Nice chicks.

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

Awww so cute. I would keep the chicks that are marked the darkest to keep that pattern going in your flock and weed out the lighter ones. Look at that nice spot on his head. Nice chicks.

So the super dark striped pullets are the keepers? Does this help with the autosexing or just keeps the hens darker colored? One of the older (2 months old) pullet chicks from the same flock is dark and has some lacing pattern on her feathers...not good, right?

 

[melroseladi]

So the super dark striped pullets are the keepers? Does this help with the autosexing or just keeps the hens darker colored? One of the older (2 months old) pullet chicks from the same flock is dark and has some lacing pattern on her feathers...not good, right?

That is what I would do, will do. In order to improve the breed we are going to really have to do selective breeding and cull hard. Since I only have a Rhodebar rooster to start with I am really going to have to be selective in what I keep and what I cull. I am only keeping my darkest, well marked F1's. I have more eggs going into lockdown Friday then I am going to rotate out my 2 hens with 2 others and hatch out from them. I am hoping that by doing that I will have a good selection of F1's to move forward with. I will say that the coloring in my darker F1's are nearly as deep as my HRIR chicks, so I am pretty impressed with the cross so far. I can't wait to see what their coloring looks like as adults.

I would think that having lacing instead of barring would be caused by bad breeding but I am no expert on the genetics that go into the coloring.

Penny

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

That is what I would do, will do. In order to improve the breed we are going to really have to do selective breeding and cull hard. Since I only have a Rhodebar rooster to start with I am really going to have to be selective in what I keep and what I cull. I am only keeping my darkest, well marked F1's. I have more eggs going into lockdown Friday then I am going to rotate out my 2 hens with 2 others and hatch out from them. I am hoping that by doing that I will have a good selection of F1's to move forward with. I will say that the coloring in my darker F1's are nearly as deep as my HRIR chicks, so I am pretty impressed with the cross so far. I can't wait to see what their coloring looks like as adults.

I would think that having lacing instead of barring would be caused by bad breeding but I am no expert on the genetics that go into the coloring.

Penny

I have little faith in GFF based on the clearly mixed genetics of birds "directly from GFF." Many people use it as a marketing tactic, but I am not impressed. Not just Rhodebars, but other breeds they have imported. The person I got these birds from advertises in that way, and it is clear that there are other genetics involved, though I don't understand them yet.

 

[melroseladi]

I have little faith in GFF based on the clearly mixed genetics of birds "directly from GFF." Many people use it as a marketing tactic, but I am not impressed. Not just Rhodebars, but other breeds they have imported. The person I got these birds from advertises in that way, and it is clear that there are other genetics involved, though I don't understand them yet.

Yes there have been issues with the GFF stock but with the Rhodebar by crossing in quality lines of HRIR and selective breeding we should be able to bring the Rhodebar up to where it should be. If people just breed haphazardly and don't cull hard their line of Rhodebar will not reach the quality they should be.

I am hoping that once I get a good start on my line to be able to share F1 eggs with those that want to add to their bloodline. I think by sharing better quality blood we will be able to move the Rhodebar line forward.

Penny

 

[RedRidge]

 
I have little faith in GFF based on the clearly mixed genetics of birds "directly from GFF."  Many people use it as a marketing tactic, but I am not impressed.  Not just Rhodebars, but other breeds they have imported.  The person I got these birds from advertises in that way, and it is clear that there are other genetics involved, though I don't understand them yet.

Yes there have been issues with the GFF stock but with the Rhodebar by crossing in quality lines of HRIR and selective breeding we should be able to bring the Rhodebar up to where it should be. If people just breed haphazardly and don't cull hard their line of Rhodebar will not reach the quality they should be.

I am hoping that once I get a good start on my line to be able to share F1 eggs with those that want to add to their bloodline. I think by sharing better quality blood we will be able to move the Rhodebar line forward.

Penny

I agree Penny.
I know quite a few folks breeding Rhodebar now (several right here in my state) and most have no clue what they really have. They are selling eggs like crazy. Just because the are "that breed" they are selling everything they can produce and charging a premium I might add.
Now... What's worse is... There are also several who are crossing to production Reds who don't understand what are they trying to accomplish. That is not a criticism, just an observation that too many believe that crossing any RIR blood back in is a good thing. It is not imo.
I am so tickled that Penny is crossing the way she is and culling the way she is. So far she is the only person I would feel comfortable getting genetics from. It will take several people with the same goals to really be able to improve quality with genetic diversity and not negatively effect fertility.

I know from my own breeding program that I have only limited genetics. I have 2 foundation roos (not closely related), and 2 hens ( not closely related). I put A LOT of Rhodebar in the freezer last year. I figured if I didn't want to breed them then no one else should either. So this year, in addition to putting one roo over 4 HRIR, I have the other roo over the 2 foundation hens to breed more pure RB this year. I am hoping by keeping a few of those pure RB (hopefully an improvement) it will give me more genetics to cross back to later down the road. And I am selling a few of those to certain people depending on their goals. But I'm not selling to every Tom, Dick or Harry that contacts me.
So... While I have a lot of genetics via HRIR, my foundation RB are limited to just those 4 birds. I will need more genetics down the road.
The other potential problem I have is that all my HRIR are RC except one hen. And here's some irony... That one hen is one of my best hens for type so she is currently in one of my HRIR breeding pens. I figured if I really wanted SC RB I could use her down the road. Well as it turns out, she is my pullet who went broody. I moved her to her own pen yesterday with a nesting box with 7 pure RB eggs in it. She immediately went into the new box. Yep! Definitely broody.
So... For the most part what I will be producing is RC RB. That may or may not appeal to some people but at least I will know what the genetics are when I see a RC RB. ;-)

 

[melroseladi]

Sheri I think crossing the RC is a good idea and one I will be pursuing next year once my RC stock builds up. I have some RC eggs going into lockdown end of the week as well as some more F1's. How perfect the RC Rhodebar will be for those in cold climates, (which now seems to include the South) who are wanting good hardy birds that can be autosexed at hatch.

I think with having 7 SC HRIR hens at this point, and what ever hatches out this year, to cross out to Rhodie, I should have enough genetic diversity to keep me going.

My F1's are getting their tails in now so I am hoping to see some that are lower and not pointing to the sky. My darker ones seem to be growing faster, beefier, then the lighter chicks are, but time will tell. I am really hoping to see some good influences in them from the Underwoods.

Penny

 

[RedRidge]

That's interesting about the growth rates. Since my only current F1 is with 9 HRIR chicks who are 5 days younger it is fascinating to watch them and compare. The F1 is dark (Thank goodness) and had slightly more feathering, but is not quite as bulky and stout. I need to get some more pics this week.
I have 20 F1 eggs that go in lockdown tomorrow. They experienced the longest power outage so I'm just hoping i get several.

 

[Makomd]

I agree Penny.
I know quite a few folks breeding Rhodebar now (several right here in my state) and most have no clue what they really have. They are selling eggs like crazy. Just because the are "that breed" they are selling everything they can produce and charging a premium I might add.
Now... What's worse is... There are also several who are crossing to production Reds who don't understand what are they trying to accomplish. That is not a criticism, just an observation that too many believe that crossing any RIR blood back in is a good thing. It is not imo.
I am so tickled that Penny is crossing the way she is and culling the way she is. So far she is the only person I would feel comfortable getting genetics from. It will take several people with the same goals to really be able to improve quality with genetic diversity and not negatively effect fertility.

I know from my own breeding program that I have only limited genetics. I have 2 foundation roos (not closely related), and 2 hens ( not closely related). I put A LOT of Rhodebar in the freezer last year. I figured if I didn't want to breed them then no one else should either. So this year, in addition to putting one roo over 4 HRIR, I have the other roo over the 2 foundation hens to breed more pure RB this year. I am hoping by keeping a few of those pure RB (hopefully an improvement) it will give me more genetics to cross back to later down the road. And I am selling a few of those to certain people depending on their goals. But I'm not selling to every Tom, Dick or Harry that contacts me.
So... While I have a lot of genetics via HRIR, my foundation RB are limited to just those 4 birds. I will need more genetics down the road.
The other potential problem I have is that all my HRIR are RC except one hen. And here's some irony... That one hen is one of my best hens for type so she is currently in one of my HRIR breeding pens. I figured if I really wanted SC RB I could use her down the road. Well as it turns out, she is my pullet who went broody. I moved her to her own pen yesterday with a nesting box with 7 pure RB eggs in it. She immediately went into the new box. Yep! Definitely broody.
So... For the most part what I will be producing is RC RB. That may or may not appeal to some people but at least I will know what the genetics are when I see a RC RB. ;-)

We'll have to swap some out later down the line. I'm working with Horstman RC HRIR to Rhodebar.

 

[RedRidge]

Really? Do you have any F1s you are documenting yet? Would love to see some pics