Is this an ISA brown?

[BellaBokBok]

Some say she's ISA brown and some say she's just a production brown/red
I don't know why but theres something so insulting about just having a plain ol production hen
She's about 14-15 weeks old in this pic

 

[hdowden]

an isa is a sex link (or it could be one of the other red sex links

here's and isa pullet

here's isa chicks

 

[BellaBokBok]

Thank you kindly! now I know my girls are more than just production hens, they're ISA brown hens

 

[ChickenExtreme]

Red Sexlink

 

[Fred's Hens]

Most of these sex link hens were created by the poultry genetics corporations to be super high laying commercial hens.

They have no "names" as they are not breeds, but crosses, in some cases, multiple crosses. They are strains of layers. It doesn't matter if they have "names" or not, they are hybrids, crosses, specialized mutts designed to lay eggs. There are dozens of these red/gold sex links. Some hatcheries and backyard breeders roll their own by putting a red/gold rooster over a silver (white) hen.

Unless you know for certain this bird was bred by ISA, it could just as easily be a Bovans, DeKalb, Hendrix, Babcock, Shaver, or simply a backyard mix. These are indeed production birds. No reason to be insulted. None of them are proper breeds.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

"Production Red" covers a lot of birds, including most hatchery Rhode Island Reds (which yours isn't).

There are a ton of names for them, some fairly exotic: Cinnamon Queen, Red Star, ISA Brown...

No matter what yours is called, she's bound to be a great bird. I used to keep only heritage breeds, then someone gave me a production red--a Red Star, I think. Anyway, she was my best hen for laying, and very, very sweet. So I got a few more. Now my laying flock is fully half production red, and it's going to stay that way. Be proud of the huge amount of breeding that's gone into making your production red a wonderful hen!

BTW--my ISA Browns are a bit darker red than my Red Stars, and have some dark brown in their tails. Don't know if that helps you decide on what kind you might have.

 

[aoxa]

"Production Red" covers a lot of birds, including most hatchery Rhode Island Reds (which yours isn't).

There are a ton of names for them, some fairly exotic: Cinnamon Queen, Red Star, ISA Brown...

No matter what yours is called, she's bound to be a great bird. I used to keep only heritage breeds, then someone gave me a production red--a Red Star, I think. Anyway, she was my best hen for laying, and very, very sweet. So I got a few more. Now my laying flock is fully half production red, and it's going to stay that way. Be proud of the huge amount of breeding that's gone into making your production red a wonderful hen!

BTW--my ISA Browns are a bit darker red than my Red Stars, and have some dark brown in their tails. Don't know if that helps you decide on what kind you might have.

 

Production Red and Red Sex Links are very different. A trait they share is that they are mixed.

 

[donrae]

Production reds are different than sex links. Reds are kinda generic looking red birds that breed true. Sex links are a one time cross to link the sex to the color of the bird. Both are bred to be high performance layers.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Production reds are different than sex links. Reds are kinda generic looking red birds that breed true. Sex links are a one time cross to link the sex to the color of the bird. Both are bred to be high performance layers.

That's interesting, because that's what I thought, then someone on BYC vehemently said I was wrong, and I shrugged and went with it. I always thought that Production Red meant RIRs that are bred for egg production rather than type, and were what most hatcheries sold.

But since I got called out for saying so, I changed what I told people. I'd very much like to know which is right! In the mean time, I'll shut up over here.

 

[Fred's Hens]

That's interesting, because that's what I thought, then someone on BYC vehemently said I was wrong, and I shrugged and went with it. I always thought that Production Red meant RIRs that are bred for egg production rather than type, and were what most hatcheries sold.

But since I got called out for saying so, I changed what I told people. I'd very much like to know which is right! In the mean time, I'll shut up over here.

A production red has no meaning. It only means what people (the breeder/hatchery/seller intend it to mean. A highly productive red bird. Could have lots of things in it's heritage, but almost always RIR or NH to provide the coloration. Obviously, brown leghorn (?) was introduced to bump up the laying rate from the RIR's 220 egg per season to the almost 290 eggs of some production reds. Many breeders do indeed breed production red strains. A red sex link does not breed true. That is correct.

A red sex link is a first gen cross of red/gold rooster over a silver (white) hen. The commercial hen houses demand millions, yes, 100s of millions such birds to supply the world wide demand for brown eggs, and the red/gold/brown sex link is their bird of choice, pretty much, because it can effectively lay 300 eggs it's first laying year. ISA is just one of the many strains, types, mixes that are made. It has a long reputation and a nice label, so it is natural for folks to desire them. Kind of like saying Kleenex for tissue, or Saran Wrap for plastic wrap.

The fact is that none of these strains/mixes are a proper breed with a proper name. There are no police issuing tickets on such matters. LOL