getting some more!

[janeyo]

Heard tonight about some chooks needing a good home (owners moving abroad) so have signed myself up for 2 rhode islands and a 'black hen' and a banty. Should come to me before xmas. All are laying although I thought R Islands were meat birds and not so much layers?

Just need a new house for them and all willbe right with my world - for now!

Him 'upstairs' gave the nod!
(no no god, my OH who works upstairs so that's what I have taken to calling him lol)

[Eco-Chic]

I think RIRs are good layers and good table birds.

When, IF, I can win Madge over I may assemble the 2nd coop ready for some more fevvered beauties.

How can Maude and Myrtle be so friendly and cuddly and Madge so stand-offish

[RichmondHens]

RIRs are excellent layers and most of the modern hybrids are derived from RIR stock. They are also big enough to make a decent meal.

[bluemoon]

RIRs are definitely good layers, I have three (4 if you count the cockerel) also 6 Marans and a couple of Gold Tops, but I'm going to only hatch Rhodies from now on, they are far and away my favourites and lay almost as well as hybrids - an average of 220 eggs per year. Their breeder told me that they are very hardy and will happily lay during the winter months, they can stand up to just about anything the weather throws at them (Rhode Island regularly has winter temperatures as low as minus 22C for weeks at a time.) They do like their housing to be warm overnight, but by 'warm' I was told no lower than 0C, which to me seems quite cold. As long as the pop hole is closed at dusk and the ventilation isn't facing the prevailing wind the house should remain well above this and they should be fine. Ours only go indoors at night and we've gone up to the plot to find them outside in extremely heavy rain and strong winds, when the others have been huddled in their houses.
Books will tell you that they can be a bit neurotic, but ours are beautifully laid back. There are 'show' strains of Rhodies around which don't lay large numbers of eggs, but they tend to be very dark coloured - almost black - and not the beautiful 'Red Setter' red of the layers.

[HayleyB]

oooh lucky you Janey