How Many Different Breeds of Chickens Have a Red Variety?

[Finnie]

Hi folks. I've only had chickens for a couple of months. I was admiring my flock and I realized I don't have anything red out there. The first chickens I got, I just picked them because they were nearby and available. Then I started learning a lot about chickens, and I realized I wanted more, but there was a limit to how many I could fit. So now I pick my acquisitions carefully, looking for things like awesome appearance, or special colored eggs. Or cool names, that I like to be able to say out loud when friends and acquaintances ask me what they are.

(For instance, I have an order in for some Appenzeller Spitzhauben chicks.)

So when I realized I wanted to have some red represented out there, I didn't want to just go out and buy the nearest production RIR off Craigslist. (Gazillions of those on there everyday!) I wanted to find something really gorgeous with a deep red color. Plus it would be great if my new chicken were to have other amazing qualities.

Photos on line made me think that a Welsummer, with its dark speckled eggs would be red. But they are not. They are brown. I saw a photo of a Partridge Plymouth Rock, and thought that would be a cool chicken to have. I already have a Barred Rock, and I really like how massive she is. Everyone knows that chicken breeds that have "red" in their name come in red. But the Partridge Plymouth Rock got me to wondering how many other chicken breeds am I missing out on when I try to do a search for "red chickens", because red is not in their name. (I searched Google and BYC. It's getting pretty tedious to come up with a list.)

Sooo, to try to get to the end of this long story, I know from my time on here that lots of you love to show off your beautiful chickens, and tell what's so wonderful about them. I think it would be great to have a thread showcasing all the different red breeds, and making it easier for the next person who comes along and wants to know what their red options are.

Here's your chance to plug your breed! Brag about your beautiful special birds! Get me and anyone else who reads this to say "Wow, I need to put that one on my Chicken Wish List"!

I really want to see photos of actual red birds members own, and not just Google images from hatchery websites. And I also really want help in making a comprehensive list, since I am sure I am missing a lot of them.

OK then. Let's get started posting red chicken photos!

(Please

)

 

[ChickenCanoe]

There are red Naked Necks, Buckeyes, New Hampshires, Redcaps. There are lots of breeds with a partridge variety.

Penedesencas are great birds for many reasons.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/products/penedesenca

Congratulations on the Spitzhaubens.

 

[donrae]

Partridge birds aren't really red, they're brown with black markings. If you want a pure red bird, a nice Rhode Island is the way to go. Buckeyes are good also. Naked necks come in red and are very unusual. Cochins come in a red variety, not stellar layers but big fluffy butts with feathered legs.

 

[Finnie]

Thank you so much, ChickenCanoe and donrae!

Somehow when I saw some pictures of Partridge Plymouth Rocks, some of them looked red. But the more I try to find photos of other partridge color chickens, they really do seem more brown than red.

This is great, we have a list started:

Buckeye
Cochin
Naked Neck
New Hampshire
Redcap
Rhode Island Red

Are there any BYCers that can post some photos of these, so we can make this a picture tutorial?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The Feathersite is a good source for pictures of virtually all breeds and varieties.

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKChickensA-C.html

 

[Finnie]

The Feathersite is a good source for pictures of virtually all breeds and varieties.

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKChickensA-C.html

That is a great site.

 

[Finnie]

This is great, we have a list started:

Buckeye
Brahma (According to Feathersite, they come in Red Brown and Red Blood.)
Cochin
Leghorn (can be red)
Naked Neck
New Hampshire
Redcap
Red Comet
Red Sex Link, aka Red Star
Rhode Island Red
Sussex (has a red version)

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Here's a nice article from the 1800s about red birds and the buckeye red.

http://www.americanbuckeyeclub.org/About_Us.html

I think they really should be red.
http://albc-usa.etapwss.com/index.php/heritage/internal/buckeye-chicken
http://moonshadowfarmva.com/buckeye-chickens/

 

[Finnie]

Here's a nice article from the 1800s about red birds and the buckeye red.

http://www.americanbuckeyeclub.org/About_Us.html

I think they really should be red.
http://albc-usa.etapwss.com/index.php/heritage/internal/buckeye-chicken
http://moonshadowfarmva.com/buckeye-chickens/

Oh, you are right- I am going to uncross them! The person who told me they are red said I should try to see some exhibition ones at a poultry show, so I am going to wait until spring and see what I can find there. It would be really great to "help" a struggling heritage breed, even if by only owning one of them.

And I bookmarked the article by Nettie Metcalf so I can read through the whole thing at my leisure. The beginning was very interesting. It seems that her original goal was really all about the red color.

I really appreciate you helping me with this and continuing to post here. Maybe if we keep getting it back to the top, people who breed some nice quality, truly red chickens will see it and participate. I would love to support someone who is serious about their breeding.

 

[Finnie]

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