Rhode Island Red

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Hi,this is mrs Clucky.A friend gave her to me,and,she's a rhode island red.....? Only she just seems a lot bigger to me than a rhode island red.Can anyone definitely id her as a RIR,or,something else.

mrs Clucky 02.jpg
 
Yep, she looks like an RIR to me. The modern RIRs aren't quite as red as they used to be and have some black feathers. RIRs are big too - she should be around 3KG at most I think...
 
Thanks Tim,it was her size that confused me,I haven't weighed her,but,she dwarfs my ex-batts and wouldn't fit into a roasting tin.As part of her treats,she was getting mashed potatoe,bread,things like that,I'm not sure how often.I haven't given her any bread or mashed potatoe.Just making sure she does get her pellets and water etc.When I picked her up,I couldn't feel her breast bone but I'll keep an eye on her.She is lovely.
 
You should be able to look at her breast bone - the skin should cover this and be almost see through and be clearly defined. When they get fat, this becomes quite a thick layer and the breast bone becomes less clearly defined.

I limit scraps to about 25% maximum and only provide a handful of corn per bird per day and they all seem to stay in shape...

RIR's are big though...
 
Tim said:
RIR's are big though...
Click to expand...

LOL,she is bless her.I don't mind her being a bit overweight with winter and moving home though,she's got some extra reserves whilst adjusting etc.

my memory is just bad,it was 28 years ago I got the chance to look after a flock of R.I.R.'s,mrs Clucky is actually sweeter.A real darling.
 
From her color and size I would say that she did not come from hatchery stock but from show stock. The general thinking here is to breed your biggest standards and your smallest bantams.

Here the standard for show on a RIR is a deep Mahogany red. She is a beautiful bird.
 
Thank-you nnbreeder,I like her but I'm very biased :lol: .I haven't got a clue how exhibitionists over here breed quality R.I.R.'s,they possibly also breed their biggest standards,likewise the smallest bantams.

My friend bought her with some other growers who had been kept under heat too long?That confused me slightly,I'd have expected the heat to be reduced gradually,eventually being turned off.Are there any benefits to keeping young hens under heat if not needed? I'd expect it to be harmfull rather than beneficial.

Whatever her looks,she's got a lovely personality.
 
Heat should not make them grow any more then they are programmed genetically to do. It will however, according to older breeders, make the comb and wattles bigger which I do not see on her. In fact she has a smaller comb and wattles then my RIRs do. Where I live in the US summers can get up to 115 deg. F and to avoid oversized combs I will hatch my show chicks in the late fall and brood them through the winter.
 
That's interesting to know,I suspect that it was poor management that she and the other's my friend bought were kept under heat for too long.My friend did say she didn't like the place/breeder,I suspect she bought them because she felt she could look after them better.So far this one has survived the longest,I suspect none of them were the best quality birds.With the increase in this country with poultry keeping,it did make me wonder if some people might breed birds putting money before the welfare.I don't know with this breeder though,I've never been to his premises or met him.
Her comb and wattles are small in comparison to her head and body,but,as I'm not intending to show her or breed from her it doesn't bother me.
You're making me envious regarding a hot summer,I'd be happy with a warm dry one :lol: .
 
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