Chicken Breed Focus Rhode Island Red

[cmom]

Looking for some laying hens Rhode Island Red. Anybody knows someone near Lakeland Florida that is a breeder

I'm not sure about laying Rhode Island Reds or Production Reds. I raise exhibition Rhode Island Reds. I show my birds at poultry shows. The next show will be towards the end of October at the Citrus County fairground auditorium. There will be plenty of birds there for sale. They are good layers of large brown eggs.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
Newberry is just north of Gainesville.

 

[N F C]

Newberry is just north of Gainesville.

I knew that about Newberry but I don't know how far Newberry is from Lakeland (where the OP is from).

Beautiful RIR's cmom!

 

[Fred's Hens]

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?

The hatcheries do not breed birds to the Standard for the breed, which is why so many folks post birds that do not look like the Reds you describe from your childhood. Hatcheries mass produce birds and yes, they are smaller, rusty colored and oft times mixed with Mediterrean blood to up egg production, which is what the customers want. While the color is most obvious difference, size, shape, temperment, feather quality and other aspects differ wildly.

True Rhode Island Reds are still available from breeders who still breed to the Standard, preserve these wonderful birds and exhibit them to show others what a real Rhode Island Red is.

 

[N F C]

@Fred's Hens very handsome birds!

 

[cmom]

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?

Most of the lighter colored RIR's are RIR's or Production Reds. The darker birds are the true pure Rhode Island Reds. I have raised both. I raise the pure (Heritage) Rhode Island Reds for showing at poultry shows. I raise both Rose Comb and Single Comb RIR's and RIW's.
My Avatar is Heritage Rhode Island Reds and Rhode Island Whites. They are more rare now but there are some breeder trying to preserve the lines. My line is the Reese line. Some also call the Mohawk so I call them Reese/Mohawk line. They are much darker red. I have posted some pictures in this thread. There is a standard, American Poultry Association Standard of Perfection.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
Sorry

my misunderstanding.

It's taken a lot of years working on my breeding to get them as I want them. I do show at poultry shows and 3 of my birds took champions at the shows this past show season. It has been a lot of work. When I first started showing I didn't do all that well and kept breeding trying to bring out the characteristics as I interpret the APA SOP.

 

[daskhan]

The main two
Lines of rir are the production rir and the heritage rir the production will lay more eggs are lighter in color and I heard they are bigger/fatter heritage are a darker richer red they tend to be nicer and I've also heard they are the bigger ones so not entirely sure which is which on size production reds are the more common version but I don't believe they are allowed in shows

 

[N F C]

Production RIR's won't win any shows but that's not my thing anyway. I'm very happy with mine, they are great for my little flock and egg needs.

 

[cmom]

The main two
Lines of rir are the production rir and the heritage rir the production will lay more eggs are lighter in color and I heard they are bigger/fatter heritage are a darker richer red they tend to be nicer and I've also heard they are the bigger ones so not entirely sure which is which on size production reds are the more common version but I don't believe they are allowed in shows

You are correct. If a person brought a Production Red to a show it would be disqualified. Some years ago someone brought a Red Sex-Link and entered it as a New Hampshire Red. It was disqualified. As far as size that can very too. I have seen some quite large and more normal size in both Production Reds as well as true Rhode Island Reds. Often times different lines will lay differently. My line of Heritage Rhode Island Reds are very good layers except when they molt then they do stop laying for awhile but as soon as the molt is over they lay very well again. Also most hatchery birds lay best their first couple of years where the Heritage pure breeds will often lay longer.

Eggs from my birds. The color is off a bit in this picture.