Production Red vs. Rhode Island Red

[wjallen05]

Which do you prefer and why? And is there even a difference? (egg-production and size)

 

[Kennyog]

Production Reds are RIRxNew Hampshire Reds. They are very good layers.They might edge out the RIR by alittle in laying ability. In my opinion, both can be a little tempermental.But i woulnd't let that keep you from getting them.You want them for egg production,not pets.

 

[Chris09]

I vote True Rhode Island Reds.. You cant go wrong with a Red.

A Rhode Island Red crossed with a New Hampshire isn't a Production Red.

With the more common Single Comb Rhode Island Red you get variations and other breeds..
Production Reds, "Hatchery" Reds, New Hampshire, Sex-Linked etc. Now from those variations and breeds you can get more variations and breeds....
The New Hampshire, "Hatchery" Rhode Island Reds and Production Reds where developed solely (no other breed added) from the Rhode Island Red. Now there are some people say that there is a variation of the Production Red breed that has Leghorn blood added to it.....

Chris

 

[wjallen05]

I have 3 RIR hens that are going on 12 months old and are just now laying good. I have 4 Production Red pullets that are 6, going on 7 months old and not laying yet. I really can't tell them apart other than the RIRs have big red combs, and are possibly a bit darker in color but not much. Personality wise, my RIRs are mean and bosey, and one of them always jumps up at me which is pretty annoying. I have too many chickens and need to cut back as I have several more "teenage" pullets that will be going into the big coop soon so some of the hens need to go. I am not sure if I should let go of the RIRs or the Productions. The Amish use Productions so I figure they must be good. But I also thought mine should have been laying by now. (they hatched in JUNE) They are all from Ideal.

 

[jerseygirl1]

i loved my production reds, but they tore up my other hens and had to sell them off

 

[Chris09]

wjallen05-

A lot of the RIR that you get from hatcheries will have a mean and bossy attitude. You will find that the RIR's (SQ/Exhibition quality) that you get from a good breeder will be more docile.

Most of the Amish around here (NE Ohio) just use a "mixed" flock of what they can get cheap..
The one Amish family I know has a flock of about 200 Cochin/ RIR crosses.

Chris

 

[wjallen05]

matte- wow. That is very suprising. I don't even do that and I'm not Amish! I have several different breeds and purposly have many "broody" breed hens for the soul purpose of being able to hatch out chicks naturally, if need be.

 

[IDIOT HUSBAND]

I know nothing about the production reds. I do want to defend my RIRs temprament. I bought mine at southern states in June. My family and I have taken care of them played with them. My children catch them all the time and they have never hurt them(we don't have a roo). Our two pet rabits have scratched the children more in two months than my reds ever have. As far as egg production goes we average 9 eggs a day out of 12 hens. We have enough eggs for ourselves and our parents. I couldn't be more pleases with my first chickens. I do want to try other breeds and I will in time but my reds are really making a good impression on me.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
You don't need Electric to hatch eggs in a incubator, just the right incubator Kerosene Powered Incubator or 12 volt incubator.

Chris

True, but I've read the kerosenes are very hard to regulate and turn out poor hatches...and how would the amish charge a 12 volt battery?

Solar charger and a lot of the Amish around here have electric at there jobs where they use everyday power tool, fork lifts the whole nine yards.
Amish cant have electric in the homes and some barns. If the barn is used for a business like selling milk or eggs etc. to stores then some Amish are allowed to have electric and one phone in that barn.
I'm good friends with a Amish auctioneer down in Mt. Hope Ohio and he is able to carry a cell phone for work..

Chris

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
Okay, is this true? 'Cause everything else I've read here says that Production Reds are the cross between NHReds & RIR's. !!!! ???

I found this on a very good website put out but Robert Blosls.
http://bloslspoutlryfarm.tripod.com/id29.html
I believe the was all so printed in the Rhode Island Red Chronicles.

In the 1930s, a movement to produce another dual-purpose fowl, which could compete with the popularity of the Rhode Island Red of the time, was started. The New Hampshire breed was originated in New Hampshire by local commercial farmers and made very popular by a master breeder of Rhode Island Reds, Kenneth Bowles of Canandaigua, New York. (Mr. Bowles not only made this breed popular, but also made a living from providing thousands of chicks to people all over the country in the 1940’s and 1950’s.) The New Hampshire was founded upon Rhode Island Reds that were selected heavily for fast feathering and early maturity. This was done at the expense of traits unique to the breed, such as the brick shape and deep red coloration.
The next spin-off is a bird that today tries to carry the name of the Rhode Island Red - the popular hatchery Production Red. Production Reds were developed to compete with the Rhode Island Reds in egg laying contests. Crossing Leghorn blood into the standard Rhode Island Red gave an edge on the resultant offspring, which would be used in competition. The ROP egg laying contests held in the North East were supposed to have strict standards; only allowing 10 purebred pullets, that were true to the breed in competition, to be entered by any poultry farm. But it appears the officials of many of the contests did not enforce all the rules. Perhaps they allowed the Production Reds into competition out curiosity? Perhaps they felt a more productive commercial line of brown egg-layer was needed?

Now, I will have to look around and find the imformation on the line of Production Reds bred soly from the R.I. Reds...

Chris