New Hamshire or Production red? Hen or Roo?

[Fred's Hens]

They guy had lots of them and he told me he bred them and barred rocks.

OK, perhaps, perhaps, maybe that red bird has some New Hampshire blood back in its breeding somewhere, but it isn't up to type. I'm sure that fellow breeds happy, healthy and productive red birds, but just because he says they are this or that, doesn't make them so. It is simply a hatchery quality, production type red bird. Not a thing in the world wrong with them. I've got more than a few of them. I like them a lot!!! But it doesn't make them New Hampshires. Here is Fowlman01 photo of his NH.





Did that fellow who claimed to breed Barred Rocks have birds like this?





I have lots of generic, hatchery quality Barred Rocks too. I love them, and we've bred them too. But they are just generic, hatchery quality stock. Again, this doesn't make them bad birds. They are great. Here is a pen of some generic Barred Rocks we've bred, along with some generic red, production birds we've bred. Nice, wonderful, productive birds.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

I agree with Fred that your hen is not a New Hampshire. It is just not. It's the wrong color, and does not have the proper NH body type. It is a production red hen. I have a production red hen and I love her. She is by far my best layer and is quite hardy. She beats the red sex links hands down.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

They guy had lots of them and he told me he bred them and barred rocks.

He may have said that, but I doubt what he has are the true New Hampshires. There are lots of misunderstandings surroundings chickens these days. I've heard easter eggers called Ameraucanas, production reds called Rhode Island Reds, some white production type bird called a Rhode Island White, red sex links called New Hampshires, and more. Some people call these hybrids and mixes pure breeds as a selling technique (ex: hatcheries call easter eggers ameraucanas because the latter is more desirable) and others misname them simply out of ignorance.

 

[PekinBantam]

Oh yeah, now I see the fluffy butt feathers, didn't notice it the 1st time around

 

[farmergirl99]

Yup! I think shes a New hamshire....

 

[flewdacoop]

i also agree not a new hampshire but is a pullet and looks to be a production red

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

Yup! I think shes a New hamshire....

I'll break this down for you. Your hen has red and black feathers around her neck. That is typical of production red hens. Notice that New Hampshires have golden, caramel colored feathers around the neck with little to no black. That right there says that your hen is not a New Hampshire because she has lots of black in her neck feathers. Also notice that the New Hampshires are heavier in build and more fluffy and heavily feathered than your hen. Your hen is narrower bodied and not as heavily feathered as a New Hampshire. Again, typical of production red hens. Also, if you weigh your hen, you will find that she weighs less than a New Hampshire. Also notice that the New Hampshire wing feathers and back feathers are kind of a chocolate-y red color. Your hen's wing feathers lack that chocolate-y tint. The only place a New Hampshire should have a lot of black in the feathers is in the tail feathers which are black. Your hen has black in her feathers besides just the tail. Your hen is not a New Hampshire, she is a production red. Notice that the New Hampshires have 4 different body colors- black tail feathers; golden, caramel neck feathers; chocolate-y red wing and back feathers; and a color in between the neck and wing feathers on the rest of the body. Your hen is the same red color throughout mixed with black. She is not a New Hampshire but instead a production red.

 

[farmergirl99]

SOme of the New hamshires here have Black on their neck. And every new hamshire i look up has black on the neck but whatever...

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

SOme of the New hamshires here have Black on their neck. And every new hamshire i look up has black on the neck but whatever...

I understand your frustrations. There are lots of misunderstandings these days surrounding chicken breeds.
Here is a New Hampshire rooster (courtesy of the internet)

New Hampshire hen (courtesy of the internet):

Some black in the neck feathers may be acceptable, but you definitely don't want to see a lot of it.
This pic shows how a little black in the neck feathers is acceptable:

And again:

 

[farmergirl99]

oh okay... DO you thik maybe a rhode island red?