I'm starting to think Chickens for next spring! One of my neighbors bought some Red Rocks from local Amish this spring. The Amish use them for eggs the first year and then butcher for meat. Normally I have seen a lot of Ohio Beauties among Amish. With the threat of war and the unstable economy I am beginning to think more along the lines of a meaty chicken and possibly using these Red Rocks instead of the Buff Orps I have used in the past. Can anyone give me opinions from personal experience? Also, where to find them? I read they are a cross from Rhode Island Rooster/Plymouth Rock hen. I could breed my own, I guess. I hesitate to buy chicks or pullets from local Amish because I don't have any diseases in my hen house and I want it to stay that way! The Amish in my region are very primitive (Swartzentruber) and they do NO commercial business such as run a hatchery. What you get is from the hen house on the farm. Hey thanks in advance for all opinions on the Red Rocks!! I also posted this at the Poultry Connection thinking it may be hard to find opinions. Blessings, Renee

-- Renee at Briar Creek (fakeaddy@nomail.com), October 26, 2001

Answers

Crossing a RRR rooster and a White Rock hen gives you a red sex link. They don't breed true as they are a cross, so you would need to also maintain the parent stock as future breeders.

-- Paula (chipp89@bellsouth.net), October 26, 2001.

I have New Hampshire Reds that are meant to be good dual purpose breed. You could breed them and keep the pullets for laying and eat the roosters.

There are a lot of good dual purpose breeds available.

-- anita in NC (anitaholton@mindspring.com), October 26, 2001.

"There are a lot of good dual purpose breeds available"

One of the best of which is Buff Orpingtons. So you already have one of the best. If it works for you, stick with it.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), October 26, 2001.