Free Hens...RIR, NHR or Production Red mix?

[La.Mad-House]

We caught these birds on my Aunt and Uncles property last week (see "Managing your flock" under thread "Chickens were hurricane victims too"). I was told that when the birds first arrived, they were all RIR's. And over time, mixed in with Buff Orphingtons. I'm wondering if they were actually Production Reds not RIRs. The lighter colored one most resembles Buff O...but I know for sure there were no pure BO roos - only BO hens that my aunt purchased after she acquired some of the refugee birds. Any thoughts?

Thanks in Advance,

 

[canada-goose]

They DO have pink legs... They MIGHT be RIR-Orpingtons. I'll leave this to the experts though.

 

[Chris09]

There all Crosses/ mixed..
the red ones have the wrong leg color for Rhode Island Red (RIR), New Hampshire (NH) and Production Red.. They are the wrong color for Orpingtons...
The buff one might be a Buff Orp.

Chris

 

[La.Mad-House]

Thanks...

So there is no way of knowing how much egg production I will get from these hens?

 

[Chris09]

So there is no way of knowing how much egg production I will get from these hens?

I would say they should lay good..
Reds are good layer and so are orps. so yes I would say they should lay good....

Chris​

 

[La.Mad-House]

Thanks Chris...

 

[Poultry Palace]

I would say that you should get about 190-250 eggs per year, depending on the cross.

 

[harv681]

So what exactly is a Production Red? What is the difference between these birds and RIR?

 

[chinbunny]

One is bred for high production. The other for show.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
OK! I believe that there are two strains of production reds. The first one of the two being the has a more red color and less white is bread solely from the Rhode Island Red for egg production much like the New Hampshire. The second of the two and the one that tends to have a lighter red color with some white feathering is a Rhode Island Red with Leghorn blood introduced.. You could substitute the Rhode Island Red for a New Hampshire.. The Production Red and the New Hampshire lost the rich red color, brick shape body and some other traits of the RIR as they bread them for egg production..
This is what I got from researching the RIR breed....

Chris