Chicken Breed Focus Rhode Island Red

[M.pineda]

This year, we made a last minute order for chicks from a hatchery. There weren't many breeds left, but Rhode Island Red chicks were available. We had heard many great things about them and decided to purchase two. We own our two Rhode Island Reds for fun. They are named Cuddles and Maple and they are never far apart. My Rhode Island Red's combs have flopped over and I think that just makes them cuter. They are also very curious. Here are some pictures!

Are your RIR's hens? im still trying to figure out if I have a hen or a roo and mine looks just like one of you pictures. id guess they were a couple months old. I don't have a developed comb but the tail feathers are pointed which (what ive been told) contradicts itself at 9-10 weeks... but you beauties looked that way in your picture so im curious.

 

[cmom]

http://dominant-cz.cz/produkt/dominant-red-d-853/?lang=en

Have you ever used this strain?

I have not but it looks to be a Production Red from their body carriage.

 

[Thomas Lamprogiorgos]

I have not but it looks to be a Production Red from their body carriage.

They are RIR, but bred for eggs.
For many and optimum sized rich brown eggs.
I would like to know about how long their laying circles last.

 

[Buckeye2002]

Most often when one thinks of Rhode Island Red they are thinking of the Large Fowl Rhode Island Red, as it is one of the oldest known breeds of chicken and was developed mainly in Rhode Island and Massachusetts in the mid 1840's. The first birds were bred in Little Compton, RI with the use of a Black Breasted Red Malay cock who was imported from England. This Rooster can actually still be seen on display in the Smithsonian Institution as the father of the breed.

The breed was accepted into the American Poultry Association in 1904.

The breed was developed to withstand the harsh New England winters and be a very hardy bird who produced hens with excellent large egg yields and who also would dress out well and look nice on the table, a true dual purpose bird. While the names and places of origin are the same, the Rhode Island White is actually a distinct breed separate from the Rhode Island Red per the American Poultry Association and will be featured in another Breed Focus thread.

The Rhode Island Red breed comes in both large fowl and bantam size and and single as well as rose comb varieties can be found readily.

Details:

Breed Purpose: Dual Purpose
Comb: Single and Rose
Broodiness: Seldom
Climate Tolerance: Cold
Egg Productivity: High
Egg size: Large
Egg Colour: Brown


Pic by @Scottiemom


Pic by @kathyinmo


Pic by @Chook-A-Holic


Pic by @Chris09

BYC Breed Reviews:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/products/rhode-island

Breed Discussion Threads:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/407294/the-heritage-rhode-island-red-site/0_30
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644420/rhode-island-red-thread/0_30

Do you own Rhode Island Reds? Are you a Rhode Island Red breeder? If so, please reply to this thread with the your thoughts and experiences, including:

· What made you decide to get this breed?
· Do you own them for fun? Breeding? Some other purpose?
· What are your favorite characteristics about this breed?
· Post some pics of your birds; male/female, chicks, eggs, etc!

 

[Buckeye2002]

I am a rookie backyard chicken guy and I chose the Rhode Island Red because of the many features of the bird. My plans are to sell eggs in my neighborhood and this is definately the right breed. My first flock will be 23 birds. Wish me luck.

 

[cmom]

You can see in my signature line the breeds I raise. I do sell my eggs. My best layers are my white egg laying Leghorns, the next best layers are my Rhode Island Whites. Production Rhode Island Reds are also very good layers. I have had them in the past but years ago I started showing my birds so I started raising pure (heritage) birds. You won't make money selling eggs and a certain time of the year when the birds molt you will get very few eggs and sometimes no eggs. Good luck and have fun...
From my Rhode Island Reds.

 

[Charlenesmom]

Here are some pics of our favorite RIR Ruby as well as some of the girls helping prep a garden

How do you deal with the constant pooping with them in the house? I wish they could be litter box trained, lol.

 

[The Brick Coop]

I remember seeing RIR's when growing up in New Zealand and they were very large, beautiful deep reddish black colour and laid large dark brown eggs. Fast forward 40 years and the RIR's I see now are smaller and more ginger-rust coloured. Even the eggs are a light brown to cream and only average sized. It seems, though, that some of the RIR's I've seen on this post are more like I used to believe they looked like. Is there a breed standard and has it changed over the years?

No. It's just that the hatcheries now breed what is called Production RIRs that have Leghorn added to their background for the increased egg-laying genes, but the show people still breed the big very dark birds which fit the standard... the show birds are relatively rare now because backyard flocks do not care about differences in color, body shape, or other specific breed characteristics. Production RIR are indeed lighter and some will even have creamy colored feathers like Sex-Link birds, like in their hackles or breast lacing, even occasionally in their tails which should be black.

 

[cmom]

I raise pure (heritage) Rhode Island Reds. This is one of my female champions from a show.

 

[Bellagarliepp]

Just got two reds and out of the 4 chicks we got they have warmed up to being handled so far the best!