The Poultry Keeper

stephen · Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 5:50 pm Post subject: Rhode Island Reds

Thread for Rhode Island Reds

deanojul67 · Joined: 01 Jul 2005 Posts: 342

A young RIR[img]

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sasha.p · Joined: 04 Sep 2005 Posts: 502 Location: gwent

how many eggs a year do rhode island reds produce?and how much should i expect to pay for this breed? Question

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

I don't know about the large fowl, but I got a 6 week old bantam rir and she cost me £8. (I have to admit here that where I got her from seems very expensive for anythng but the meadowsweet hybrids ~ but I fell in love with her so had to have her. I have no idea of egg production ~ it wasn't a priority when I got her.

andym01480 · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 132 Location: King's Lynn

According to http://wildwnc.org/af/rhodeislandred.html 200-300 eggs per year

mgf · Joined: 02 Dec 2005 Posts: 10

RIRs are great layers - one of my RIR bantams:

Click here for more...

_d_RR · Joined: 28 Sep 2005 Posts: 43 Location: Cambridge England

Rhodies were THE utility bird of America at the same time as Sussex were THE utility bird in the UK. A popular cross was RIR X Light Sussex. RIR have the gold gene and light sussex the silver. The day olds from this cross are autosexing. The cockerels are silver and the pullets gold.

A good utility bird will lay about 250 eggs a year. Unfortunately many strains have been bred for the show bench and have lost their utility traits in favour of heavier and bonier birds wth lots of fluffy feathering and a darker colour.

Allan

thandi · Joined: 07 Sep 2005 Posts: 215 Location: east sussex

as well as the Blue Belles I am adding to my flock shortly, I am also adding four RIR x LS girls.
I am like a kid at christmas....and I never was any good at waiting then either Wink

thandi

sophie bishop · Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Posts: 8 Location: reading

iv got a rhode island red cockrel his name is rhodie he is massive and only 1 year old haha Very Happy

Marti · Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Posts: 14 Location: England

Hi,

I have 3 x POL Rhode Island Red x Light Sussex. I just became aware that some Rhode Island Reds are no longer being bred for egg production. As this is mostly why I got these chickens (well, also, because they are lovely and friendly!) I am worried now I won't get many eggs!

Anybody have experience of this cross? What kind of eggs did you get?

Thanks so much!

Teasal · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 10:06 pm Post subject:

I bought three RIR at a horse carriage sale about 18 months old. They were only big chicks. Paid £3 for the lot. Two turned out to be cockerels, who I still have, Charlie 1 and Charlie 2 - Charlie 2 is enormous. Sadly, the other week he and his brother, who have always got on, except for the usual flapping of wings and dancing round each other occasionally, had a right hum dinger of a fight and the bigger cockerel came off worst. He could not open his eyes for a week. Is improving but think he only has sight in one eye now.... Anyway, the hen has been a very good layer.

tracey061196 · Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 10:23 am Post subject:

I have just purchased 48 RIR hatching eggs from a breeder in Lansdown in Bath, he has been dealing with RIR's for about 30 years. The eggs cost me £42 and he said the hatch rate has been good this year. 18 days to go to see what i will have.

Marti · Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Posts: 14 Location: England

Well, the hatching rate might be good but my RIR x Light Sussex aren't laying much at all. The person I bought them from has even offered to take them back as her remaining ones don't lay. But my son loves these chickens so I don't really want to take them back! Looks like I'm stuck Shocked

Marti

tuzo2k · Joined: 09 Jun 2007 Posts: 216 Location: charente sw france

Traceyy061196 - I know the person you are talking of - he has indeed been keeping RIR's for many years (used to have Light Sussex as well) and his strain is 'utility RIR's'. Very knowledgeable and reliable poultry keeper. I too would be interested in your hatch rate. Best of luck - Richard

tracey061196 · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 9:01 am Post subject:

Hi Rich

Yeh he seems a very knowledgeble man. He hatches out chicks every week and im sure he said around 300 chicks a week.

He told me that over the past 3 years while he has been selling the eggs on ebay he has sold over 500 dispatches all over the place.

Do you know some people over where you are then who has purchased from him.

His hatch rate seems good, 2 different lots of people bought 24 eggs each from him and he said 1 had 22 and the other had 23 - Not bad ah.

I think the RIR is a very nice looking bird and the eggs are a desent size to.

Dont seem to be thick but when you say Utility strain - is that good?