The Rhodebar thread!

[nicalandia]

Quote:
its too early too tell, I would have too see them grown

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

Quote: At what age can we judge plumage then? I've been getting rid of light-downed chicks as "mixed" pullets.

 

[melroseladi]

At what age can we judge plumage then? I've been getting rid of light-downed chicks as "mixed" pullets.

Culling hard needs to be an ongoing practice from hatch to adulthood in order to get your flock to the standards you are looking for. Cull hard at hatch those that aren't displaying easily auto-sexing traits or physical ailments. Cull hard those juveniles that aren't displaying the type you are looking for or displaying overly aggressive behavior. Cull hard those adults that aren't displaying the coloring you are looking for or don't seem to have good vigor.

A big thumbs up to you for passing your culls on as mixed breed birds and not passing them on as RB and adding to the problems that RB are experiencing.

Penny

 

[RedRidge]

 
At what age can we judge plumage then?  I've been getting rid of light-downed chicks as "mixed" pullets.

Culling hard needs to be an ongoing practice from hatch to adulthood in order to get your flock to the standards you are looking for. Cull hard at hatch those that aren't displaying easily auto-sexing traits or physical ailments. Cull hard those juveniles that aren't displaying the type you are looking for or displaying overly aggressive behavior. Cull hard those adults that aren't displaying the coloring you are looking for or don't seem to have good vigor.

A big thumbs up to you for passing your culls on as mixed breed birds and not passing them on as RB and adding to the problems that RB are experiencing.

Penny

Well said @melroseladi

I'd like to take that a step further and add that keeping hatch mates to those chicks with obvious lack of autosexing means breeding them to the point of proving 100% autosexing before any are sold as RB. Why? Because having siblings that were not really autosexed proves that even those who were autosexable are not 100% RB.

This is the biggest "problem" I see as misleading many who are breeding RB.
It doesn't matter if a chick is really autosexable at hatch if 100% of the same hatch are not. Yes keep the autosexed ones. But I don't think they should be sold as RB until it is proven that all of their offspring are autosexable.

 

[melroseladi]

Well said @melroseladi

I'd like to take that a step further and add that keeping hatch mates to those chicks with obvious lack of autosexing means breeding them to the point of proving 100% autosexing before any are sold as RB. Why? Because having siblings that were not really autosexed proves that even those who were autosexable are not 100% RB.

This is the biggest "problem" I see as misleading many who are breeding RB.
It doesn't matter if a chick is really autosexable at hatch if 100% of the same hatch are not. Yes keep the autosexed ones. But I don't think they should be sold as RB until it is proven that all of their offspring are autosexable.

I guess that would depend on if you are selective breeding (using trap nests) or not. If you are flock breeding, as I am sure most backyard flock owners are, then there really is no way to know who are siblings or half-siblings in a hatch. I have 2 hens in with my rooster and their eggs are identical so I could not say which are siblings or half-siblings.

If think the key is to only keep those that are easily auto-sexable and cull those that are not AND not pass those culled chicks on to others as RB chicks.

Penny

 

[RedRidge]

Well said @melroseladi


I'd like to take that a step further and add that keeping hatch mates to those chicks with obvious lack of autosexing means breeding them to the point of proving 100% autosexing before any are sold as RB. Why? Because having siblings that were not really autosexed proves that even those who were autosexable are not 100% RB.


This is the biggest "problem" I see as misleading many who are breeding RB.

It doesn't matter if a chick is really autosexable at hatch if 100% of the same hatch are not. Yes keep the autosexed ones. But I don't think they should be sold as RB until it is proven that all of their offspring are autosexable.

I guess that would depend on if you are selective breeding (using trap nests) or not. If you are flock breeding, as I am sure most backyard flock owners are, then there really is no way to know who are siblings or half-siblings in a hatch. I have 2 hens in with my rooster and their eggs are identical so I could not say which are siblings or half-siblings.

If think the key is to only keep those that are easily auto-sexable and cull those that are not AND not pass those culled chicks on to others as RB chicks.

Penny

Good point... I always selectively breed at least one hatch prior to flock breeding just so I know exactly what I have. Flock breeding is easier so I don't selective breed beyond about 5-6 weeks (long enough to get the first hatch on the ground). Then I combine those who I keep and don't breed the others. That's why my breeding pens are expandable. .. I use all the dividers for selective breeding and then take them out for flock breeding and/or grow out.
I guess I am way too anal to breed something without knowing what it passes on (the good and the bad). But i should remember that most folks are not as anal as I am. LOL. I could easily drive many people crazy with me analness - is amazing my husband puts up with me. ROFL. Must be the engineer in both of us.

 

[rc50]

Hi hope all are good.... do any of you think that all these points should have been made and taken before they were ever put on the market.... by anyone.... ? Just looking for thoughts...


have a great one
Keith
SC
USA

 

[RedRidge]

Hi hope all are good.... do any of you think that all these points should have been made and taken before they were ever put on the market.... by anyone.... ?  Just looking for thoughts...


have a great one
Keith
SC

USA

Absolutely! And while I agree i seem to have no suggestions.
Now that there are so many problems out there that are being perpetuated out of lack of knowledge, it appears that it is proving very difficult to put the cat back in the bag.
The other dilemma I suspect we have is that we are preaching to the choir. I suspect those who are perpetuating the problems have no idea the are problems. Any suggestions for addressing that elephant in the room would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

Culling hard needs to be an ongoing practice from hatch to adulthood in order to get your flock to the standards you are looking for. Cull hard at hatch those that aren't displaying easily auto-sexing traits or physical ailments. Cull hard those juveniles that aren't displaying the type you are looking for or displaying overly aggressive behavior. Cull hard those adults that aren't displaying the coloring you are looking for or don't seem to have good vigor.

A big thumbs up to you for passing your culls on as mixed breed birds and not passing them on as RB and adding to the problems that RB are experiencing.

Penny

I've learned that hatching and raising chicks means there will be a lot of birds that don't make the cut. I'm not yet at the place where I am culling just-hatched cockerels but that is coming soon...I only have so much space for growing out meat birds and we also raise Marans. At this point I only have one pair of adult RB, and I'm surprised at the wide variation in the chicks from these two. My original question was regarding color/pattern...I infer that final cut for color is made as mature birds unless they are WAY too light or too much black in the case of cockerels. Type first of course. NO aggressive bird stays here long, the unthrifty/weaker constitutions weed themselves out.

*gulp* I'm about to set my first RB X HRIR eggs. From all I read here, I hope this is a project worth the effort. I will only infuse the one generation of HRIR and backcross pullets to the RB. I applaud all those committed to the longer term project of backcrossing to HRIR and the time/effort/feed/crazy-making of growing out all those chicks to find the gems.

 

[melroseladi]

I moved my F1 first hatch out to a bigger pen and snapped a few pics. Again this is a covered pen, using a cell phone with flash.

HRIR, F1 pullet, F1 cockerel. You can see how green the pullets shanks are.


F1 pullet



The cockerel on the right is going to be my keeper at this point.
He has a much nicer tail angle.



Another pic of my keeper cockerel.


Penny