The Rhodebar thread!

[Papa Brooder]

Here's a photo of the three eggs laid so far by my Rhodebar from GFF. I put some varying shades of brown eggs on either side to show the color better.

This is still bothering me a few hours later!! I really hope that they will do something to take care of you. How do you get an olive egg from a rhodebar?! Did you just have the one pullet or do you have others?

 

[CarolJ]

In the email from GFF, they said I was "premature" for being concerned about the color of the eggs since "a hen's first eggs are typically the darkest." They wrote that they can't offer a refund - but they "might" entertain talking to me about it further if it persists beyond a few weeks. They wrote "I can assure you that the hens you have are pure. All of our rhodebars lay brown eggs, appear to conform, are third generation of pure birds, etc."

Despite their insistence on the purity of their rhodebars, my understanding is that although the shade (darker/lighter) of an egg will change, the basic color remains the same throughout the hen's life. Also, from what I've read, a green egg can only result from having a blue-egg layer somewhere in the hen's background. Maybe what I've read is incorrect.

I have three rhodebar pullets - but only one that has started laying. They are currently 27 1/2 weeks old.

Honestly, I was surprised at the response. If the shoe had been on the other foot, I would've insisted on immediately sending new chicks or refunding the money. Really counter-productive PR and customer service.

So I am done with Greenfire. They can keep their money. I'm not going to fight them over it. The money was secondary to the enjoyment I anticipated having from a small flock of Rhodebars. I placed a large order last winter and paid top dollar - and got a bunch of extra roos (not a single extra pullet) that I had to spend several weeks and a lot of effort rehoming - at a loss - I have a very small farm with no way to handle extra roos. And now this. And very little understanding/cooperation/customer service for either situation. Like I said - I'm done. Putting it behind me. Moving on and enjoying my legbars and swedish flower hens. I started keeping chickens because tending to them relaxes me and gets me outside and active. This whole situation produces stress - and I don't need that.

With that said, though, I won't sugar coat things. I got an email yesterday from someone who saw my CL ad for the rhodebar rooster. They said they were considering ordering from GFF and wanted to know about my experience. I told them - but then added that many others have had positive experiences with them. I have no idea why I am the one that has had such a negative experience with them.

 

[cjwaldon]

In the email from GFF, they said I was "premature" for being concerned about the color of the eggs since "a hen's first eggs are typically the darkest." They wrote that they can't offer a refund - but they "might" entertain talking to me about it further if it persists beyond a few weeks. They wrote "I can assure you that the hens you have are pure. All of our rhodebars lay brown eggs, appear to conform, are third generation of pure birds, etc."

Ok, this is not sitting right with me that GFF Rhodebars are on their third generation? Weren't they imported as pure? So then why would GFF be counting generations of pure?

 

[Papa Brooder]

Quote: They imported them and crossed them back to heritage RIRs.

from GFF website:
"Greenfire Farms was able to import some of the last remaining rhodebars, and we introduced into the breeding flock both production and traditional strains of American Rhode Island reds. These American birds injected some much-needed genetic diversity into the rhodebar line and produced birds that are extremely prolific egg layers. By back-breeding these crosses to pure rhodebars we were eventually able to produce a rhodebar bloodline with all the characteristics of pure rhodebars (including auto-sexing) and the productivity of a modern commercial chicken. Arguably, this makes our rhodebars the ultimate fowl for homesteaders and small-scale producers: a bird that is prolific as it is beautiful with the enormous added benefit of being auto-sexing. These traits are sure to quickly endear the rhodebar to America’s poultry enthusiasts."

 

[cjwaldon]

Oh, thanks for clearing that up.

 

[melroseladi]

Well if they used production reds in their breeding program goodness only knows what the genetics are. They also say they used "traditional" strains but do not clarify what strains. I have my doubts, (although I could be wrong of course) that they used any of the Heritage lines of RIR in their breeding program. If they have then I would think they would be happy to say just what lines they used.

I am so glad I decided to breed my own and not buy from GFF.

 

[Twisted-Rooster]

I don't know why they didn't atleast offer to swap the hen or hens with some that are even younger....I asked for a refund..They did offer to replace the hen with a almost mature hen...Which by the way I decided to take her, she arrived today!! Will be keeping an eye on her when she lays...I have heard from others and will not deal with them again!!! I've got my BBS American and English to take care of and I will begin making my own Rhodebars...Placed 7 eggs in bator 4 from the rir's and 3 from the legbar...Maybe I get some Rhodecreams!!!!

 

[jeremy]

I don't know why they didn't atleast offer to swap the hen or hens with some that are even younger....I asked for a refund..They did offer to replace the hen with a almost mature hen...Which by the way I decided to take her, she arrived today!! Will be keeping an eye on her when she lays...I have heard from others and will not deal with them again!!! I've got my BBS American and English to take care of and I will begin making my own Rhodebars...Placed 7 eggs in bator 4 from the rir's and 3 from the legbar...Maybe I get some Rhodecreams!!!!

Good luck!

 

[Papa Brooder]

With all this, I am definitely thinking I would like to pull one of my roos and put him in a pen with 3-4 heritage RIRs. Since many of you are far along in the process, where would you recommend getting some RIRs? I would love to get hatching eggs so I can start that project in the late spring. I'll keep breeding my GFF rhodebars. My first hatch should be in 1-2 weeks, I can't remember when I started putting their eggs in the bator and don't have my hathcing calendar on hand. Excited to see the little babies!

 

[Papa Brooder]

Oh, thanks for clearing that up.

I just connected the name that we were dialoguing about an egg swap. Ha ha, just replied to you on the egg swap thread. let me know if you are still interested.