Rhode Island WHITE?

[CBarrett]

A few weeks ago, this little girl showed up at a friends house (she has no chickens) for several days and was missing her tail feathers as if something tried to catch her. We went and caught her and brought her home. I started wondering what breed she is and started looking through the breeds list. She looks exactly like the Rhode Island White pic I found. I didn't even know there was such a thing as a RI White! Any thoughts?

 

[Bill Matthews]

The white single combed chickens sold by hatcheries such as Cackle as SC Rhode Island Whites are NOT White Plymouth Rocks in most cases, but are commercialized Rhode Island Whites(For want of a better description). The simple explanation for this confusion and misinformation is that major egg production breeders needed brown egg laying females to cross with Rhode Island Red males to produce Sex Linked offspring. White Plymouth Rocks were readily available but poor layers in most cases and, also, not always carriers of the silver factor. Major breeders developed the Single Comb RIW strains solely to use as female parent stock to produce Red Sex Links. A secondary consideration was the unacceptability of a rose combed bird as a part of a mass production flock, again for obvious reasons. As anyone would expect, eventually some of these production breeding birds became available to the general public as regular egg and meat chickens. Heritage breeders are absolutely right to protest the mislabeling/naming of questionable breeds and varieties. There is so much incorrect information on the internet and so many people trying to take advantage of the unwary that I often wonder how you good people who devote so much time and energy to doing the right thing are able to keep going and keep your sanity. I am just trying to help here; not take the side of the jerks . However, I don't believe that the Smith family at Cackle and other reputable hatcheries are trying to mislead or cheat anyone. But could do a better job describing their stock. Maybe.

 

[Chris09]

Rhode Island Whites are a Rose Comb Breed there are no Single Comb Rhode Island Whites.

Chris

 

[Chris09]

OK, Just trying to help. I am new to chickens this past spring. I am getting rose combed RIW's from Sandhill in May this year. Thanks for your input, trying to learn as much as I can. Chicken are addictive...lol

I understand, The R.I. Whites are a very good breed.
Even though the R.I. Red and the R.I. Red are two different breeds some breeders of R.I, Reds have a fair knowledge of the R.I. White so some Red breeders may be able to help you.

When your Whites come from Sandhill and you if you plain on breeding for the preservation of the breed and or for showing what I would do is do some test breeding with your new flock.
This would set you back a year or so in breeding whites but it will allow you as the breeder to know just what you have and some of the genes that you Whites have.

If you want to try the test breeding you will need a non-white, single comb breed.

 

[aoxa]

What about a white plymouth rock?

ETA:

 

[Beekissed]

X 2

 

[CBarrett]

What color are the plymouth eggs, and are they about the same size as the RI's? She is the same size and shape as my RIR's. I guess we'll know when she starts laying eggs and they are brown..

 

[Beekissed]

WR lay brown eggs.

 

[CBarrett]

I'm looking at pictures of White Plymouth Rocks and Rhode Island Whites... I can't tell the difference between the two!

I guess if my hen lays light brown eggs, she's a Rock.. If the eggs are darker brown than she's a RIW. Can I correctly assume this to be true?

 

[Loretta212]

i have this unknown hen she says lg brown eggs they look very similar