3/27/2013 As of right now, I have 3 pullets and I only get 1-2 eggs per week or so. Some weeks none. These and my Horstman RC's are the worst in the laying department. I will give them a chance but there is no way I will feed them another winter if they aren't laying better by then.
4/20/1013 As of last night, I ran these 5 birds in my laying hens. They have a 3/4 acre field to run in during the day and my laying hens are as quiet as can be. I figure just maybe they will calm down these heathens. lol These are absolutely the wildest chickens that I've ever messed with. Last night one of the cockerels went out over the fence and I chased him for two days trying to catch him and still haven't gotten him yet. Don't know if I ever will. I'm thinking that I may cross one of the males from Matt's birds and with these pullets and see if it make any difference. I just don't know about these.
4/27/2013 I've had these since Apr 2012 and they just didn't suit me. It has taken them an awful long time to mature. I ran them in with my layer flock a week or so ago (Apr 13) and figured maybe they would settle down a little and give them time to really mature. I may pull them back out late this fall or early spring and see how they are. I have the girls banded so I will know for sure which ones they are. The cock bird is the only male that I have in with the layers. He is a year old now and really getting a nice long wide back on him. He has a really low tail set and very nice color. They were pretty wild acting when I just had them by themselves but now that they are in with the layers they seem to be calming down a lot. The roo will stand within a foot of my feet now and the hens don't take off outside when I walk in the coop. lol
5/4/2013 OH MY GOSH I have NEVER had so much trouble with a group of chickens in all my life as I have with these few Mohawks. Back on the 13th of April I decided to run these 2 cock birds and 3 hens in with my layer flock of hens to see if that would calm them down some. These two boys were chasing the 3 hens so much that the hens would barely get off the roost even to eat. Well, I put them in with the layers and that night instead of them coming back in the coop with all the other birds some hid in corners and a couple flew over the fence. Well, I got 2 of the hens back in the coop and 1 of the cocks. The other cock bird took off up across the road into the woods. I have no idea where the hen went to. For approx a week I never saw either of these. I was out on my porch and heard the boy crowing up across the road. Got a call from my neighbor saying he was at their place. I went up and he was so wild there was no way that I could catch him. We finally did get him back down toward my home and into the woods he went. He stayed in there for a day or so and right back up over the road he went. About a week ago, I went to go to the coop to feed my other birds and don't you know, the hen was down by the fence trying to get in. Well, I finally got her in and she stayed with all the others. Thank God. This morning 5/4 another neighbor came over asking if I lost a rooster that he was over at their place running all the birds away and eating their corn that they throw out for the squirrels and birds. After I got done feeding, I went across the road and between the three of us and another neighbor we got him rounded up, drove him across the road down to my chicken coops. I opened the door and finally between the 4 of us gradually closing in on him we got him in the layer coop. Oh my, I was so thankful. Not so much that I got him back but I didn't want trouble with the neighbors. I took an x-large wire dog crate down to the coop and put him in there and closed the door. I will keep him in there inside the layer coop for a while then hopefully I can let him run with the layer hens and his brother. OH MY, what an experience.
I have 16 of these Reese chicks in a pen in my basement growing out and they seem to be more flighty then my other chicks as well. I am surely hoping that this isn't a trait that the Reese/Mohawk birds have. All my other birds are as tame as puppies. GEEZ.
4/20/1013 As of last night, I ran these 5 birds in my laying hens. They have a 3/4 acre field to run in during the day and my laying hens are as quiet as can be. I figure just maybe they will calm down these heathens. lol These are absolutely the wildest chickens that I've ever messed with. Last night one of the cockerels went out over the fence and I chased him for two days trying to catch him and still haven't gotten him yet. Don't know if I ever will. I'm thinking that I may cross one of the males from Matt's birds and with these pullets and see if it make any difference. I just don't know about these.
4/27/2013 I've had these since Apr 2012 and they just didn't suit me. It has taken them an awful long time to mature. I ran them in with my layer flock a week or so ago (Apr 13) and figured maybe they would settle down a little and give them time to really mature. I may pull them back out late this fall or early spring and see how they are. I have the girls banded so I will know for sure which ones they are. The cock bird is the only male that I have in with the layers. He is a year old now and really getting a nice long wide back on him. He has a really low tail set and very nice color. They were pretty wild acting when I just had them by themselves but now that they are in with the layers they seem to be calming down a lot. The roo will stand within a foot of my feet now and the hens don't take off outside when I walk in the coop. lol
5/4/2013 OH MY GOSH I have NEVER had so much trouble with a group of chickens in all my life as I have with these few Mohawks. Back on the 13th of April I decided to run these 2 cock birds and 3 hens in with my layer flock of hens to see if that would calm them down some. These two boys were chasing the 3 hens so much that the hens would barely get off the roost even to eat. Well, I put them in with the layers and that night instead of them coming back in the coop with all the other birds some hid in corners and a couple flew over the fence. Well, I got 2 of the hens back in the coop and 1 of the cocks. The other cock bird took off up across the road into the woods. I have no idea where the hen went to. For approx a week I never saw either of these. I was out on my porch and heard the boy crowing up across the road. Got a call from my neighbor saying he was at their place. I went up and he was so wild there was no way that I could catch him. We finally did get him back down toward my home and into the woods he went. He stayed in there for a day or so and right back up over the road he went. About a week ago, I went to go to the coop to feed my other birds and don't you know, the hen was down by the fence trying to get in. Well, I finally got her in and she stayed with all the others. Thank God. This morning 5/4 another neighbor came over asking if I lost a rooster that he was over at their place running all the birds away and eating their corn that they throw out for the squirrels and birds. After I got done feeding, I went across the road and between the three of us and another neighbor we got him rounded up, drove him across the road down to my chicken coops. I opened the door and finally between the 4 of us gradually closing in on him we got him in the layer coop. Oh my, I was so thankful. Not so much that I got him back but I didn't want trouble with the neighbors. I took an x-large wire dog crate down to the coop and put him in there and closed the door. I will keep him in there inside the layer coop for a while then hopefully I can let him run with the layer hens and his brother. OH MY, what an experience.
I have 16 of these Reese chicks in a pen in my basement growing out and they seem to be more flighty then my other chicks as well. I am surely hoping that this isn't a trait that the Reese/Mohawk birds have. All my other birds are as tame as puppies. GEEZ.
4/22/2013
This is the boy I kept out of this line. His back really isn't as long as I 'd like but the width is good. Oh well, just have to work a little longer/harder on some things.
5/6/2013 I did run these few Mohawks in with my layer hens hoping to get them to settle down a little and it seems to be working. If I decide to work with them a little later I can pull them back out and put them in a separate pen.
5/30/2013 It seems that these girls have started to lay just a little better then they were but their eggs are almost pure white. I just don't understand what has happened with this line.
5/30/2013 It seems that these girls have started to lay just a little better then they were but their eggs are almost pure white. I just don't understand what has happened with this line.
Wow, when I decided to get into the old time lines of some of the chicken breeds I never thought that I would really succeed at getting the line up of lines that I have gotten. I thank all you breeders that have put enough faith in me to intrust me with some of your fine birds. Thanks so much and I will try my best to do the best that I can with these birds.
The chicks will be coming from Paul Gingerich (greathorse on BYC and Showbird/Proboards.)
Just a bit of information received from Paul about my chicks.
"I got my start from Greg Chamness in Illinois. I think they are awesome in terms of type and color. They are not huge, but for sure big enough. I love the straight backs on them and the feather quality.
They do take a long time to lay. It seemed like they started at around 9 months, but have layed well since, very nice large eggs.
One note. I did split some of the original birds with a friend of mine, so he has kept his line and I have kept mine. He and I traded roosters hoping to split the relationship up just a bit more."
Just got my little Mohawk Line chicks from Paul this morning 5/3/12 They all arrived safe and sound and were very happy to get into the brooder after their long trip. These little ones were hatched 4/30/12 Paul also sent me 4 of the Silver Laced Wyandotte's from Foley's Water Fowl. Below photo's were taken within 1 hour of receiving these little ones. Sure doesn't take them long to find food and water. I feel so honored to have this wonderful line of Rhode Island Red Chicks.
Second row of photo's, chicks are 5 days old. Already getting wing feathers. It sure doesn't take long for them to grow up.
Oh gee, I lost one of these little sweeties. Still have 11 and IF I can raise these and get a couple cockerels and a few pullets I will be very well satisfied. I can hatch a few of my own over the winter and spring of next year. I should be able to get a pretty good start this way. Oh my is it a privilege to have this fantastic old line of Rhode Island Red.
I have become so overwhelmed with these RIR's that within the next year or so I will probably only have the RIR's and German Line of New Hampshire.
First group hatched 4/30/2012
The chicks will be coming from Paul Gingerich (greathorse on BYC and Showbird/Proboards.)
Just a bit of information received from Paul about my chicks.
"I got my start from Greg Chamness in Illinois. I think they are awesome in terms of type and color. They are not huge, but for sure big enough. I love the straight backs on them and the feather quality.
They do take a long time to lay. It seemed like they started at around 9 months, but have layed well since, very nice large eggs.
One note. I did split some of the original birds with a friend of mine, so he has kept his line and I have kept mine. He and I traded roosters hoping to split the relationship up just a bit more."
Just got my little Mohawk Line chicks from Paul this morning 5/3/12 They all arrived safe and sound and were very happy to get into the brooder after their long trip. These little ones were hatched 4/30/12 Paul also sent me 4 of the Silver Laced Wyandotte's from Foley's Water Fowl. Below photo's were taken within 1 hour of receiving these little ones. Sure doesn't take them long to find food and water. I feel so honored to have this wonderful line of Rhode Island Red Chicks.
Second row of photo's, chicks are 5 days old. Already getting wing feathers. It sure doesn't take long for them to grow up.
Oh gee, I lost one of these little sweeties. Still have 11 and IF I can raise these and get a couple cockerels and a few pullets I will be very well satisfied. I can hatch a few of my own over the winter and spring of next year. I should be able to get a pretty good start this way. Oh my is it a privilege to have this fantastic old line of Rhode Island Red.
I have become so overwhelmed with these RIR's that within the next year or so I will probably only have the RIR's and German Line of New Hampshire.
First group hatched 4/30/2012
5/14/2012 Below photos of chicks at 2 weeks old. Sure are super nice and still love them as much as ever. Can't wait till they are 5 - 6 months old. Love the Rhode Island Reds.
Photo's below were taken 5/28 Chicks are 4 weeks old today. NYREDS told me that the brick shape should be plain to see even in the chicks. I think I can see it pretty well in a lot of these chicks.
Shots below taken 6/10 These Mohawks and my Don Nelson lines are truly my Pride and Joy. I really love these two lines.
2 days shy of being 8 weeks old 6/23/12 They are outside now. Next step is to go to their coop. That will be 2 or 3 more weeks.
Photo's below taken 7/10 10 weeks 1 day old. Getting really nice. (First group) Got to get these guys banded and put them in their coop. They are really nice. I feel so proud to have these.
I'm thinking that maybe this fall that I will contact Matt 16:16 and see if he will send me a couple of young cockerels that have the Florida line in them and use them next year with some of my pullets from Paul's line. If this would happen, then I will be set for quite a few years with the Mohawk Line of these RIR's.
Well, I have my second bunch of little Mohawks coming from Paul. He will be shipping them out tomorrow morning. They were hatched 5/29/2012. Will be posting pictures when they get here.
Also, I did get PM from Matt 1616 and he is going to grow out 2 nice cockerels for me and send them to me this fall. I will be crossing them with my Illinois pullets then I'll have the Florida/Illinois cross. Should be set for a lot of years with these birds.
Next group hatched 5/29/2012
Well, I have my second bunch of little Mohawks coming from Paul. He will be shipping them out tomorrow morning. They were hatched 5/29/2012. Will be posting pictures when they get here.
Also, I did get PM from Matt 1616 and he is going to grow out 2 nice cockerels for me and send them to me this fall. I will be crossing them with my Illinois pullets then I'll have the Florida/Illinois cross. Should be set for a lot of years with these birds.
Next group hatched 5/29/2012
Second bunch of Mohawks from Paul Oh my, to cute.
I am so thankful for Paul sending me this second bunch of little Mohawk chicks. He sent me an extra one (13) so if all goes well, I'll have 24 of these little ones to work through to find the best to use for breeders. Oh my, again I have to say I never dreamed that I'd ever have such nice lines of Rhode Island Reds to work with.
These were hatched 5/29/2012 I got them this morning 6/1/2012
6/13 Still have all 13 of these little cuties. I am tickled to death that I got these and that they are doing so well. Can't thank Paul Gingerich enough for these.
These were hatched 5/29/2012 I got them this morning 6/1/2012
6/13 Still have all 13 of these little cuties. I am tickled to death that I got these and that they are doing so well. Can't thank Paul Gingerich enough for these.
2nd group of Mohawks 6 weeks old on photo's below
Photos below taken 8/24/12 Two different age groups of Mohawks. They are just starting to come outside the coop.
Next photo's taken 12/16/12 Just a couple of the cockerels that I think I will be keeping and a couple of the pullets. I ended up with 11 cockerels and 3 pullets. Geez. I lost quite a few of these.
1/28/2013 This is my little flock of Mohawks. I have 3 pullets and these are the two boys that I'm keeping for them. Their wing really are horizontal, they are up on the roosts and were preening. lol They get a little flustered when I take pictures of them in their coop. lol
2/7/2-13 Well a really nice fella came to my home today and took my extra Mohawk Cockerels. I picked out the two that I wanted to keep and he took the rest.
2/21/2013 I really don't know if these are 9 or 10 months old. I didn't band them which I should have but it really doesn't make any difference to me right now. I just wanted to put on here that I got my first egg today. Whatever age, I was surely happy. I had gotten 2 bunches from Paul that were a month apart.
5/6/2014 This is my Greg Chamness Cock Bird that I kept. 2 years old now.