New Hampshire Reds Question

[TimG]

Yeah, do tell.

 

[joletabey]

Can I ask a question about the development of the NH without getting thrown out on my ear? I have Delawares, and the NH was used in their development, so I am very interested in this breed also -
My question is - if the NH was developed strictly from the RIR, how did it get such a different body shape? It is worlds apart from the brick shape of the RIR. It is also a lighter color. And now I will hide under a chair, because I am going to repeat a rumor I heard here on BYC that there was some Buff Orp blood used, but not acknowledged? Believe me, I am NOT cutting the breed, I think they are glorious, but asthey are part of the heritage of my Dels, and I am curious. The Del body shape is supposed to be the bowl shape that a good NH seems to have.

 

[Robert Blosl]

Here is some history Kathy sent me on this breed. I think it may have came out of Germany. All I know is Ken Bowles breed these birds about as close to the standard as any one did years ago. They really put the hurt on the Rhode Island Red breed and the Rhode Island Red club as people had these by the thousands. Maybe a half a million where walking the USA when I was a kid. Today they are scare as Delaware and other old breeds. This happens but I see two to four new breeders getting them moving again and we should see the numbers up to the point that they will not have to be reinvented. Just remember we dont have to raise these old heritage breeds to win champion of the show with them. We just need to breed them so they can score say 92 points out of a hundred. If we do this the gene pool will still be there for others to enjoy when the day comes when some one asks on this web site Where can I get such and such breed. Butter Cups I saw earlyer what a neat breed but very rare. We can not count on the hatcheries to keep these rare breeds going. They do the best they can but they do not put breeding pressure on type and color like guys like me and my friends do. That is why it is best for a new person in poultry to try to get a good gene pool once they have reached the level of raising thier chickens to a good level. It takes two to four years to learn how to be a good chicken raiser and hatcher and then when you have paid your dues you are ready to take on the tough old fashion breeds. I waited four years with my call ducks befor I took on the color that I wanted to breed. It was worth the time and effort to learn from my mistakes. My wife and I voted. It did not take more than two minutes. We have such a simple machine with the use of just putting a number two pencil accross the line. The machine reads the pencil mark and the votes are added to the total for each person. Yet there are states that have machines that are so confushed to use and maybe riged. Look for a lot of cheating in the votes by parties who have unions running the machines to get thier guy elected. You vote for Mr. Smith and the vote goes to the other guy. Why we allow this in this county I dont know. Well off to work to make money to buy chicken feed. Thanks Kathy for the information and for trying to help this old breed stay alive. bob



The New Hampshire Red Chicken takes its name from the State of New Hampshire in the U.S which neighbours the State of Rhode Island that developed the well known Rhode Island Red (RIR). It was developed initially as a commercial breed by Professor 'Red' Richardson, a poultry lecturer at the University of New Hampshire around 1918 from selected strains of RIR, without introducing any other breed. He was trying to improve upon some of the qualities of the RIR to improve profitability of the broiler industry that was starting to evolve locally to supply the markets of New York. He ignored colour and kept selections of slightly different colour varieties, primarily selecting for faster feathering birds which meant they would retain heat and increase feed conversion. Good hatchability of eggs was another one of his selection criteria which in the days where incubators were still new on the market and could be somewhat temperamental, was necessary for farms to be successful. During the 1920's, many farms took them up and during the mid-1930's the New Hampshire Red reached the U.K. They were used as a commercial bird by a handful of farms but the RIR was more popular being used after the war as a hybrid cross with the Light Sussex. Along with a few other breeds (like the Plymouth Rock / Amrock, they were introduced into Germany as part of the post war reconstruction efforts. They became popular in Germany and the Netherlands, as exhibition birds during the 70's and by the 1980's they started to gain popularity in the U.K. They joined the Rare Poultry Society until 1997 when the New Hampshire Red Poultry Club was formed.

The RIR is distinctly different in both colour and type to the Rhode Island Red and the differences in colour are clearly defined. The New Hampshire Red was first standardised by the American Poultry Association in 1935, some years after its creation. There are two very rare colour varieties that are not standardised in the U.S or U.K, these are Blue Tailed New Hampshire Reds (created in the Netherlands during the late 1980's) and New Hampshire Whites (created by crossing New Hampshire Reds with White Barnevelders during the early 1950's in Germany). Very little has been found about these and if you have any information or photos of these, we would be interested to speak with you.

 

[TACEYPERKINS]

great info Bob thanks!

 

[bunnibird55]

Bob, that is so neat you know all this wonderful history. How the blazes did you learn so much? I read everything I can get ahold of, but you are better than a book! Any time you think of something a newbie like me should know, please post it! Thanks again! I have only been raising my NH chickens for 4 years and I look forward to learning a lot more from you in the years to come!

 

[TimG]

The New Hampshire Red Chicken takes its name from the State of New Hampshire in the U.S which neighbours the State of Rhode Island that developed the well known Rhode Island Red (RIR).

New Hampshire does not border Rhode Island. And, I believe the official name of the breed is New Hampshire with no "red".​

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
New Hampshire does not border Rhode Island. And, I believe the official name of the breed is New Hampshire with no "red".

I believe it was stated that New Hampshire neighbors[/i] the State of Rhode Island and was not said that it border.
Also I believe that in the early 1930's the breed was still known as the New Hampshire "Red" but when it was interned into the Standard of Perfection they had to drop the "Red" off the name...

Chris

 

[Robert Blosl]

I have a net work of chicken frineds who we brain storm ideas with and also work on projects with. We have tried to help folks who want to start a Delaware line they needed New Hampshire Females. Could not find any strains hardly left in the USA. Then the next thing a freind tells me of Doug in Indiana who has some he got out of Germany where they still breed them like we did int the old days. Next thing you know Doug crossed a Barred Rock male ont to a New Hamshire female got ten chicks andone of them was a Delaware and had the besttype and color that I have seen. She almost looked like she jumped out of the standard or was used by Schilling as a model for the standard.
Last night I got a email from a guy who called me up at work about two months ago who was intrested in Buff Rocks and Maybe Light Brhamas.

He showed me pcitures of his Light Brhamas and are some of the finest large fowl inthe USA.

He will be part of our net work or web to help people get into this line of fowl.

Its not hard to do I guess being the Secetary of the Plymouth Rock Club and the former President of the Rhode Island Red Club has me many contacts.

Also, when I started this hobby 22 years ago I read about 50 old poutlry books and all the Rhode Island Red Journals going back to 1912 to the present. Interviewed ten master breeders by telephone befor they died and got their stories and thier secrets befor the pasted on.

Last night I was interviewing a local fishing pro who is 85 years of age. He was sharp as can be and got some secrets from him tomorrow he may be in law law land and can not tell me a thing.

You just got to keep probing and looking like a old hen looking for something to eat on free range. The internet can help alot if you use it correctly.

I dont think we would have the knowldge today from others if it was not for this computer and sites like this.

Anyway for you NewHampshire lovers I hope to get some New Hampshire eggs in March from Frank Reese who has had a flock for 30n years. Frank says they came from a fellow who was from Oklahoma so let say he had them for 20 years. These should have all the old genes in them that Ken Bowles had when he sold them to this guy in Oklahoma 50 years ago. My job get the eggs hatch the chicks then ship them to a fellow in Arkansas who will raise them and put them togeather for next year to be shared by others.

God knows what other breeds I will get involed with be for the year is over. But its fun to see if we can do it. I still have the Plymouth Rocks to promote and the club so that is my number one goal. Also, the R I Reds. bob

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
I think you need to work on Delawares next!

 

[kathyinmo]

I went to the ILL-MO show today. I bought 2 trios of New Hampshires from Doug Akers. Here they are .... that's German blood in those birds, Bob ...