Road Island Red

Betty · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 10:48 am **Posts:** 6

Seeking advice

I have several road island ren hens and a rooster for the first time but I have been told that road island red hens are not good mothers and don't often go clucky? Firstly is that true and if it is would I be better to let another breed of chicken hatch the eggs?

timewarp · **Joined:** Sat Mar 20, 2010 2:13 pm **Posts:** 385

betty i do have a RIR that go's broody n 6 that dont

, among the breeds i have include a few silkiexpolish an 4 bantams as broody's both are excellent for it , cheers n beers gary

Betty · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 10:48 am **Posts:** 6

Thank you I was on the same train of thought with a couple of bantams just incase, so would cross breed bantams be the best option?

timewarp · **Joined:** Sat Mar 20, 2010 2:13 pm **Posts:** 385

xbred or not all them seem go broody , guessing im bias but will confess to liking the silkiexpolish much more { bigger bird } an look lot better :mrgreen:

well to me anyway

best of luck betty , . cheers n beers gary

Betty · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 10:48 am **Posts:** 6

I had heard that silky x pekin was very good but I have never seen a silky x polish

OakA · **Posted:** Wed Oct 27, 2010 8:45 am

Hi Betty,
As a breed Rhode Island Reds are considered a setting breed but I would consider myself lucky as you appear to have a better laying strain not specifically a show strain.Some lines have been selectively bred for show points only to the detriment of thier laying capabilities while others have maintained a balance in the selection process, these better laying strains are less likely to go broody concentrating thier energies on eggs produced.
They are as a breed large and as such can be a bit clumsy, however if you find one that will set and rear her chicks she is one to hang onto.
In the meantime almost any Silkie cross can be relied on as a "foster mum" to set and rear the RIR chicks, just be sure that whatever you use does not have scally leg as these are the greatest source of infection to the next generation, easily remedied with any lice or flea treatment that has "Malathion" in it, it can be mixed in water or oil to be applied at tick strength. I prefer the oil based mixture (thinner the oil the better) as it adheres and penetrates to kill the mite.
The silkie x pekin is a good one as is a wyandotte or any other soft feather cross or game cross (preferably Pit or Old English) either bantam or large fowl.Some of the best x bred mothers are simply the larger 'barnyard" cross bantams, that will sit tight and defend to the death thier charges.
As a guide any breed with red lobes can be considered a sitting breed and anything with white lobes as a non sitting (not to be relied on completely) breed, the silkie is the exception to this rule and will set and rear chicks at every opportunity, just do not use a "pure" Silkie as the chicks can get hung up in the silk and strangle, a cross is by far prefered as you get whole feather and all the mothering ability of a Silkie.
In selecting cross breds try to find the larger fowls for your situation, the larger the hen the more large RIR eggs she can cover comfortably, unless you only wish to breed a few, then the smaller hens that can only cover 6 to 8 RIR eggs will do.
Good Luck.

Betty · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 10:48 am **Posts:** 6

Thank you oaklands for a detailed and very helpful reply. I will set out to get some x breed silkies and set the 6 eggs you recommend. Should the foster hen be confined on her own or with others?

OakA · **Posted:** Thu Oct 28, 2010 8:47 am

I think for safety all round I would set your bantam away from other other fowls, it can be in an adjoining pen but a quiet place so she can feel secure and not be bullied.It will also be safer for the chicks when they hatch also.
This year being a better season, it is a bad year for Locusts for farmers, likewise for the poultry fraternity is a bad year for "red mite", so be aware and keep a check on any setting hens, they will drive them off the nest abandoning the eggs and will impact heavily on the health of the hens, being blood suckers that hide in the nesting box and just get onto the sitting hen in large numbers to feed.A cheap Flyspray, surface spray or flea/lice treatment will help to keep them at bay.
The number of eggs a hen can cover is governed by her size, whatever she can cover comfortably and snugly, better 1 less than 1 more and some of them get chilled that will impact on the hatching result.
As a guide if she is in a box with nesting litter and you cannot see the eggs she is covering them well, if she is restless and continually trying to pull them under her only to have another show elsewhere she has to many.

Betty · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 10:48 am **Posts:** 6

Thanks again, what do you think about using a guinea pig hutch?

OakA · **Posted:** Thu Oct 28, 2010 2:58 pm

Would sound ideal, placed in a cool dry place, will double for the hen and chicks for the first couple of weeks until they are strong enough to follow the hen to grow and develope.

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