What is the physical difference between a production red and rhode island red? I got a chick from TCS last year, but it wasent labeled. She is a new layer now, but shes not that big.
It can be hard to tell, the Rhode Island Reds tend to be more brilliantly colored and slightly larger (but that's not always so). You can also wait. A production red will only lay for two years and will look all used up (dull feathers and very little meat). A Rhode Island red bull late up to four years (I even got five from one hen). A production red chicken will lay one, possibly two, eggs per day and a Rhode Island red chicken will only give you 3 to 5 eggs a week. I discovered this news by accident when I was shipped production reds instead of Rhode Island's one time.