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Rhode Island Red

Rhode Island Reds are one of the most popular and oldest known breeds of chicken and was developed mainly in Rhode Island and Massachusetts in the mid 1840's.
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General Information

Breed Purpose
Dual Purpose
Comb
Single
Broodiness
Seldom
Climate Tolerance
Cold
Egg Productivity
High
Egg Size
Large
Egg Color
Brown
Breed Temperament
Friendly, Easily handled, Calm,
Breed Colors/Varieties
The Rhode Island Red is only recognised in Red.
Breed Size
Large Fowl
APA/ABA Class
American
Color
Red or white
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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.

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Rhode Island Red eggs

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Rhode Island Red chicks

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Rhode Island Red rooster

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Rhode Island Red juvenile

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Rhode Island Red hen

For more info on Rhode Island Reds and their owners' and breeders' experiences with them, see our breed discussion here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-breed-focus-rhode-island-red.1021447/
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Latest reviews

ella2025
Friendly
Pros: friendly
gorgeous
even rooster friendly
Cons: none that I can think of
My rir is 4 weeks old today. She/he ( i bought straight run and think it's a he) is very friendly so far.
Purchase Price
5$
Purchase Date
sometime in june
Fluffy_Moth_With_Silkies
Pros: Great for eggs and meat
Stereotypical roos
Very pretty
Not very broody
Cons: Males are kind of aggressive
Great birds! The roos are very pretty and the hens are very sweet.
These are the birds you think of when you think of a rooster.
Great review, love it, good job!
Addicted To Chickens
Pros: Friendly
Easy to hold
Good laying production
Cons: Scaredy
RIRs are a very good laying breed and I would highly recommend them for eggs. They can also be mean to the other chickens.
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Comments

chicken110
I have one RIR pullet currently and would like to get more of them. Great heritage breed to keep in the barnyard or the backyard.
 
ChezChicken
@ Gramma Chick It's the chickens that are fenced because otherwise they'll eat all our fruit,veg and herbs! the ducks are loose in the garden to rid us of snails and slugs. They might nibble on cabbage and other leaves which is fine... I meant you don't see the attack coming until it's too late :( BUT *update* the chickens don't really attack them much anymore! ( yep, Betsie the warren does it too... ) they've learnt that the ducks will run away regardless, so if the ducks are too close, the chickens will just run at them a bit and the ducks will run off. Yay for progress! annoyingly they're slow learners... I found Betsie next door the other day which baffles me as her wings are clipped!
 
Turk Raphael
So, they can dominate rattlesnakes but a schnauzer gets the best of 'em?

I do indeed believe the part about the schnauzer.....but I've walked through a few

rattlesnake dens, night and day and think I know a bit about them. Does not

Compute....sorry.
 
Turk Raphael
Oh, not much at free-ranging either, huh?

They might be good birds but those eggs will cost a major premium if the hens hover over the food pans and will not beat the bushes for some of their own tucker!

Good Luck and enjoy your Red Birds!!!!
 
Pet1Sally
Our Golden Comet knows her name she will come running when she is called ,and this is me holding her in my profile picture.And Sally seems to know when we are walking toward the chicken lot .I think she is trying to talk to us..We had ten but something killed the rest of them she is the only Comet left and she is the sweetest chicken .I could not imagine having ten like her each one of them trying to get attention at the same time and being jealous of each other like Sally is jealous of the rest of the chickens . And one of the Rhode Island Reds is a pet like her to.
 
Indiana feather
Thanks for your review klilly20 . I have heard that the RIR was a good breed. I'm just getting started in the chickens. I only have 3, all hens since we only have an acre lot in a country addition. I know a rooster would not make me very popular with my neighbors. Right now they're about a month old and already tripled in size and are moulting feathers. Just finished a shed into coop project today and am in process of making a run for free range (albeit somewhat contained... just want to do the best i can do for our chicks.
 
klilly20
That is no problem I have never seen chicken grow so fast and so big. After roosters get about 5 to 6 six months their plumage looks beautiful a dark red and shines. They do not like other chickens unless they are raised with them.
 
tigershep
Rhode Island Reds have always been my favorite. I had the most beautiful rooster growing up and the breed has always stuck with me. They're dependable, friendly and hardy. However, the Barred Rock breed is just as wonderful. They grow larger than the Reds, are just as friendly, and lay great eggs. I have an equal number of Reds and Rocks in my coop and they're each my favorite in a different way.
 
klilly20
That is awesome Tigershep I had to put them in a separate pen due to the fact they would torment the others. I think Barred Rocks are beautiful. I have them in the bantam. The rooster is a old bird Leroy and his woman Annajanne are in a pen by them selves. My wife had them two before we got together, she told Annajanne ( I guess I spelled right) had little ones before but the rats got to them before my wife could. I caught it just right last spring and managed to save 9 one died 2 weeks later 4 was hens and 4 was roosters. I gave three of the roosters to my wife's beautician. I got 4 hens now and are laying humming bird size eggs lol
 
Cheryl1948
My RIR has been terrified of me since I got her at 2 wks. old. She is 14 mos. now. But, she is so beautiful and lays lots of eggs. All of my other girls let me pet them or hold them, but not Rhoda! She freaks out if I get anywhere within close proximity. I still love her though.
 
tigershep
I know what you mean. I've got one RIR that sounds like your Rhoda. I don't name my chickens, but this hen in particular always keeps a safe distance. Not sure why, she is probably my favorite red out of the bunch.
 
kwhit
Just been reading the comments about RIR's I have 3 RIR's and 3 Black Sexlinks-all hens. I truly believe that they each have their own personality. While none of them attack me or my dog, two out of the six are flighty and don't want to be picked up or handled. The other four could care less. None of these birds have been abused or hurt. I think they are just what they are; Birds.
 
Bean789
That's funny that you carried her around the yard when she behaved badly. I have a Black Orpington that talks to me constantly, perhaps fussing is more the word, and will come within a couple of feet of me but is very difficult to catch and hates being held. Once in a while, I catch her and carry her around the yard for about half an hour before I release her just to 'keep in contact' with her. I have never had a RIR before due to having Silkies bantams in the mix. the hatchery let me know of the possible aggression issues towards more docile as well as smaller birds. The RIR are beautiful birds though and so rich with the bourbon coloring.
 
ShawnWatson
In my opinion they do pretty good for meat. I would wait until they start slowing down in egg production around 3-4 years old. They are a good dual purpose breed. The hens usually weigh in at 6+ pounds.
 
pfewless
I have just gotten a 7 month old RIR roo from a fellow BYC member. He is a gentle roo. Very friendly. He is as you say protective of one hen in particular. My White Leghorn. They seem to always be together. If someone enters the coop he rushes to prtect her. Once things settle and I am doing my chicken chores he is fine. He lets me pick him up to check her over has let me pick him up to check him. He does not seem overly concerned with the other hens (Isa Browns). He has not crowed at all yet. He has not been here a full month yet so it may be he is still adjusting. Maybe he is just to young to be mean. I don't know. Lets hope he does not turn mean. He doesn't charge me or peck at me. He doesn't try to run away. It is wonter so maybe he is biding his time. Again I don't know. Maybe he is just a strange bird.
 
coop410silkies
These are great birds: productive, hardy, undemanding, and caregiver friendly (but not obnoxiously so). I have 9 hens and 1 cock who is wonderfully respectful of both his hens and his provider. These RIRs coexist with barred rocks, Australorps, and Speckled Sussex, and they do it rather peacefully. Each has a different personality, and some don't even peck me when I relieve them of eggs. They are not hard on the eyes, either.
 
joseph-lee
Love my RIR'S they are a strong breed and good egg layers - not very broody tho , but easy to train, strong personality's,worth the time and money.
 

Item information

Category
Chicken Breeds
Added by
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Reviews
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Last update
Rating
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