NEED TO KNOW BREED!!!!!!

[chickencrazy429]

Ok so I have a hen (Buttermilk) that's around three... I got her from someone who didn't want them anymore and I just assumed her and her sister (Bisquick) were New Hampshire Reds since they weren't as dark as Rhode Island Reds.... But this year I'm going to show Buttermilk and I need to know her breed... Just to clarify. Buttermilk is darker than Bisquick.... Thanks!!!

Buttermilk:


(Buttermilk is the one in the front...)







Bisquick:






(Bisquick is the very last one)

Thank you soooo much!! I'll try to get better body pictures of them later....

I have a poll and if you don't think they're New Hampshires then please post what they are!!!

 

[Whittni]

Below is a drawing of a New Hampshire Red hen, see the black on the tail? I marked it with an arrow. If your hens have black on their tails then they are New Hamps, if not they are Production Reds. Good Luck @ the Fair!!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I can't tell from your photo whether they are Rhodies or NHReds with any certainty. They look like they could be NHReds. The previous poster gave you a great diagram for NH Red standard.

I'll try to offer some good photos to compare the 2 breeds.

I should warn you that while the breed standard may be black on the tail for NHReds, and production Reds do not have black, my RIR's did have some black in their tails...mine looked like Cackle Hatchery photo below.

For me, the main difference is the color. New Hampshire Reds are overall lighter in color and generally a heavier bird (also calmer in my experience). My NHRed was even a bit lighter auburn than the one shown on Cackle, and definitely had a black tipped tail. Rhodies are lighter sized birds (usually), more deep mahogany than auburn, and the black was more streaked in the tail feathers than tipped....but that was my personal experience not from a breeders standard....but what you pick up in the general public is not usually breeder standards.

New Hampshire Red
http://www.cacklehatchery.com/newhampsirepage.html

Rhode Island Red
http://www.cacklehatchery.com/rhodeislandrdpage.html

Production Red (first photo is a production Red; second looks like my RIR's with a bit of black in the tail)
http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Day-Old-Baby-Chicks/Rhode-Island-Red-p228.aspx

HTH
Lady of McCamley

 

[ramirezframing]

Alot of hatchery RIR and production reds will have the black in tails and some even in the wings. New Hampshires (note no red at the end) are more of an orange bird, but with hatchery stock, they could look like this as well.

 

[chickencrazy429]

Thank you everyone!!! Yes, Buttermilk and Bisquick both have black tipped tails. Buttermilk often fans hers out, and Bisquick sometimes does, so you can see the black more on Butter's, but it's there on Bisquick's.

 

[earlybird10842]

Buttermilk looks a lot like my old sex-link Sunrise, but her broodiness tendencies make me think NHR!! I don't know of a breed that looks simalar to NHRs and goes broody that often.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Buttermilk looks a lot like my old sex-link Sunrise, but her broodiness tendencies make me think NHR!! I don't know of a breed that looks simalar to NHRs and goes broody that often.

Again, look at the tail. Sex-links (the gold based...Red, Cinnamon, Gold) have white in their tails, and often along their "bums" and splashings in other places, but no black.

If you have an auburn reddish hen with black tippings, it is likely a New Hampshire (thank you ramirezframing for reminding us of the correct name).

A darker, more mahogany red hen (with or without blacking in the tail) is likely a RIR.

If, however, you have a mostly auburn/orange/reddish bird, the color of a New Hampshire, with white mixed in with the red, especially in "bum," along the neck like lacing, or along the wings/back like lacing, and in the tail, it is likely a (red/gold/cinnamon) sex-link.

New Hampshires can go broody. (Although mine never did). Sex Links supposedly rarely do...with my personal experience that 2 of my Black Sex Links are very broody. (And I've heard others say that about their Black Sex Links). I've never had any of my Red Sex Links go broody. Ever.

Broodiness is often more hen dependent than breed dependent. Some breeds are more broody than others; however, hens of all breeds, even commercial layer types, can become broody. (Luck of the genes). Commercial birds (production layers) have had the broodiness gene bred out of them as they are meant for laying eggs...something broodies don't do...they want to sit and hatch eggs.

Other birds that are a solid auburn orange that frequently brood?
It could be a Red Wyandotte. Wyandottes which can make excellent setters (broodies).
Numerous standards state Wyandottes are a smaller bird, but I have 2 Buff Wyandottes that are as large as my New Hampshire and my Buff Orpingtons.
Also the Wyandotte will have a rose comb (not straight like the RIR or NH or Sexlink).

So check your markings and your comb. Likely it is a New Hamp as Red Wyandottes are not that common, at least in my neck of the woods. I usually see Wyandottes as the more popular Silver Laced and Gold Laced....and of course my Buffs.

HTH

Lady of McCamley

 

[chickencrazy429]

Thanks everyone!!! I have one question-- with the breed name New Hampshire why no "red" on the end?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

The New Hampshire was developed in the 1930's in New England...predominately New Hampshire..from the Rhode Island Red for the goal of creating a dual purpose bird that was good for laying and meat. Breeders were less concerned with coloring than quality of bird and the NH eventually arose to become a seperately recognized breed.

Although the word Red is often attached and New Hampshire Red is used by many interchangeably with New Hampshire, technically a New Hampshire Red could be a cross between a RIR and a NH.

Lady of McCamley

 

[alibra]

I've had a Red Star Sex-Link go broody. She was a show bird from a nice line, not a hatchery bird though...