Chicken Breed Focus Rhode Island Red

[N F C]

Because there is no "Breed Police" running around giving tickets out. LOL.

In all seriousness? This topic ignites very, very strong feelings in people. Folks who procure their beloved pet birds from hatcheries do not appreciate folks saying things about their birds. It is human nature.

All chickens are just chickens. Chickens. Gallus gallus domesticus, I believe. All one species. The "artwork", if you will, of molding them into a particular "breed", described as such and such and so and so, is a human invention. All the "breeds" are a human invention. Other than a few landrace bird groups, most everything we call a breed was made by human breeders, tweakers of genetics to achieve a certain, detailed look to a bird. If you go by a strict interpretation of a breed's description in the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection, only those Reds produced by very careful breeding even come close enough to the Standard to be called good representatives of the breed. The same can be said for all the other breeds as well.

Hatcheries mass produce birds for available, inexpensive products for consumers who buy them. They are generally healthy birds and that is all folks care about. They typically only sort of, kind of look like the breed they are said to be. Are they? Some are a bit closer than others. Some birds sold as Rhode Island Reds are woefully far off and one has to practically suspend all belief to accept the claim.

So to re-cap, are all these reddish birds sold as RIR real RIR? It depends on who you ask and what you really want to hear for an answer. Are the hatchery reds good back yard layers? In many cases, yes indeed.

Are they the rich dark Reds, with the looooong flat backs, rich feather quality, protruding front keel silhouette of a true bred, true to Standard Rhode Island Red? I won't paste photos of the two kinds of birds side by side, but we could do so. Are they the same? It doesn't matter to many people, but to others, it matters a great, great deal. Different goals, different perspectives.

Excellent post

And great pictures everyone, I'm really enjoying this breed focus!

 

[cmom]

Central Florida Poultry Breeders Association Show, Inverness, FL.
2015 Citrus Classic
Fall Show October 24th 2015
9:00 AM TO 4:00 PM
Citrus County Fairgrounds
3600 South Florida Ave.
Inverness, Florida
---> MAP
(U.S. Highway 41 South - 1.5 miles south of the intersection of U.S. highways 44 & 41)
Spring Show Catalog --->TBA
Spring Entry Form ---> TBA

 

[Fred's Hens]

The Tennessee Valley Poultry Club will host the National Rhode Island Red exhibition in Knoxville, Dec 5-6. Everyone gets a chance to see some of the nation's best Reds on display and chat with some of the very best breeders of Reds, that would be a great place to right in the middle of the action.

 

[daskhan]

I tried getting better photos. Hope it is more clear

I'm sticking with my original guesses but there's a special area and thread spesially for these questions it's called breed discussion

 

[cmom]

Here are another couple of shows for anyone interested.

Florida Sunshine Classic Poultry Show
(Always the second Saturday in January)
438 SW State Road 247
Lake City, FL 32025
Columbia County Fairgrounds
---> MAP
Danny & Norma Padgett
15930 W State Road 238
Lake Butler, Florida 32054
386-496-2561

Chattahoochee Valley Association Poultry show, Newnan, Georgia
February 2016 (the 3rd Saturday)
Website: http://cvpa-newnan.org
Coweta County Fairgrounds
275 Pine Road
Newnan, GA 30263
Show Secretary:
Beth & Jerry Smith
Telephone: 706-973-7299
Email: [email protected]
President:
Bryan Massengale
Telephone: 770-900-1669
Email: [email protected]
This is one of the largest shows in the southeast.

 

[cmom]

Oops (double post)

 

[ShrekDawg]

True, hatchery chicks are bred for production not to the American Poultry Association Standard of Perfection. Breeder bred RIR's are the real deal and from lines that were started over a century ago. The Hatchery birds have been modified to be better producers over the decades. The first 3 pictures are Rhode Island Reds / Production Reds (hatchery). These birds have no heritage. They are bred for production These 3 pictures are Pure Heritage Rhode Island Reds whose descendants can be traced back to the early 1900's (these are from the Reese line) You can't get these birds from a hatchery, only from a breeder.

Because there is no "Breed Police" running around giving tickets out. LOL. In all seriousness? This topic ignites very, very strong feelings in people. Folks who procure their beloved pet birds from hatcheries do not appreciate folks saying things about their birds. It is human nature. All chickens are just chickens. Chickens. Gallus gallus domesticus, I believe. All one species. The "artwork", if you will, of molding them into a particular "breed", described as such and such and so and so, is a human invention. All the "breeds" are a human invention. Other than a few landrace bird groups, most everything we call a breed was made by human breeders, tweakers of genetics to achieve a certain, detailed look to a bird. If you go by a strict interpretation of a breed's description in the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection, only those Reds produced by very careful breeding even come close enough to the Standard to be called good representatives of the breed. The same can be said for all the other breeds as well. Hatcheries mass produce birds for available, inexpensive products for consumers who buy them. They are generally healthy birds and that is all folks care about. They typically only sort of, kind of look like the breed they are said to be. Are they? Some are a bit closer than others. Some birds sold as Rhode Island Reds are woefully far off and one has to practically suspend all belief to accept the claim. So to re-cap, are all these reddish birds sold as RIR real RIR? It depends on who you ask and what you really want to hear for an answer. Are the hatchery reds good back yard layers? In many cases, yes indeed. Are they the rich dark Reds, with the looooong flat backs, rich feather quality, protruding front keel silhouette of a true bred, true to Standard Rhode Island Red? I won't paste photos of the two kinds of birds side by side, but we could do so. Are they the same? It doesn't matter to many people, but to others, it matters a great, great deal. Different goals, different perspectives.

Great info everyone, thank you very much. But btw, I wasn't trying to put down hatchery birds or anything, I was just curious. I actually just ordered some.hatchery chicks the other night Not RIRs though because I've heard the hatchery RIRs can be mean which is why I didn't get any but yeah. I'd like to eventually find some breeder ones though, maybe next year. I got BR, BA, BO, EE, and a free chick. 9 total, 2 each except the free. Maybe the free one will be an RIR lol but hatchery birds can definitely be great, especially if it's just for backyard eggs and pets, like mine, and not for show. Some are really pretty too amd I've even heard of some hatchery ones winning at shows, depending on hatchery and breed. I've heard if grand champions even. Not with RIRs though I don't think. Hatcheries also happen to be most convenient and cost effective for me so definitely love them I'd love to eventually add some breeder ones thougg but these are our first chicks so we'll stick with them for now. Anyway, I find the differences between them so interesting. I also find it interesting how hatcheries all label them differently. Like some are just RIRs, some are RIR with mention that they are production strain and/or not for show, some sell both, some just sell them as PRs etc. etc. I find it interesting. And also I guess you're right about no breed police (That was funny ) but it seems to me if they're so vastly different or mixed they wouldn't even be the same breed? But ah well. I'm sure both are equally as awesome

 

[cmom]

I hope I haven't offended anyone. I did post some pictures so people could see the differences. I love all of my birds. I have some hatchery birds and others I have hatched out. I am a hatch-a-holic. I love to hatch and watch the chicks grow.

 

[daskhan]

Hatchery chicks arnt mean unless grown in a over crowded pen but that's any chicken... In general hens adapt to their surroundings so be nice to them and they will be nice to you it's really only the Roos that have issues but again give him plenty of space and hens he will be fine

 

[cmom]

Hatchery chicks arnt mean unless grown in a over crowded pen but that's any chicken... In general hens adapt to their surroundings so be nice to them and they will be nice to you it's really only the Roos that have issues but again give him plenty of space and hens he will be fine

I agree. Once in a great while someone may get a aggressive male. Mine went to an auction along with an aggressive hen. I figured maybe in a new place where they were at the bottom of the pecking order in a new flock they may behave, otherwise off to freezer camp.