Production Red vs. Rhode Island Red

[Michael OShay]

Production Reds are no more than Reds from hatcheries. That is it. There is no formula, certain breed crosses, etc. Ideal advertises their Production Reds as crosses of the NH and Rhode Island Red. There may be some truth in it, but the truth is that they are single combed red birds with yellow legs.

A number of hatcheries (not just Ideal) state that Production Reds are RIR x NHR. I'm curious as to why you would question their claims. Do you have some kind of evidence or documentation to the contrary or is this just a personal opinion?

 

[gjensen]

A number of hatcheries (not just Ideal) state that Production Reds are RIR x NHR. I'm curious as to why you would question their claims. Do you have some kind of evidence or documentation to the contrary or is this just a personal opinion?

Michael it is from experience. I have nearly had them all in the last 20 years. I assure you that there is no actual cross between authentic New Hampshires and Rhode Island Reds to make the "production reds". The Production Reds of today are not the production Reds of yesterday, but the claims have not changed. They are merely a cross between two laying strains that are black tailed red in color. Many are not even a cross.

The label production red was used to differentiate them from Standard Reds, back when the two were heading in two different directions. This occurred during the years of the laying trials. That was a long time ago. It is true, that back then NHs were used to introduce faster feathering and maturity. That was a long time ago, and the birds that are used for this purpose today are much different than they were then. What has not changed is the claims.

You are welcome to take it seriously or not. I do suspect that if you took a lasting interest in the two breeds that in time, you would draw similar conclusions. For me, now, I can look at the birds and tell. I can look at the birds and be absolutely 100% positive that they are not 1/2 New Hampshire.

I used to believe the claims myself.

 

[Michael OShay]

I do suspect that if you took a lasting interest in the two breeds that in time, you would draw similar conclusions. For me, now, I can look at the birds and tell. I can look at the birds and be absolutely 100% positive that they are not 1/2 New Hampshire.

I've not had a lasting interest in Production Reds as I have found through my own experience that the Sex Links will outperform them, however I have had Production Reds in the past and I agree that they usually look quite a bit different from APA quality Rhode Island Reds and New Hampshires (example: a lack of black feathers in the tails). However they do appear similar to many of the hatchery grade RIRs and NHRs, and it may be that the hatcheries are actually crossing these hatchery grade breeds to produce their Production Reds. Also, occasionally, you can get a few white feathers appearing in these Production Reds, but those and other oddities would be consistent with the claims of infusing some White Leghorn blood into the Production Reds. I think perhaps the problem in defining a Production Red is that, since they are hybrids and therefore not recognized by any official poultry association such as the APA, there is no standard by which to define them. Therefore any current definition for a Production Red has pretty much been established by the hatcheries that breed them. Given this, the most accurate definition for a Production Red would probably be: A hybrid produced by crossing two red gene parents, with the occasional infusion of a little White Leghorn blood.

 

[gjensen]

I've not had a lasting interest in Production Reds as I have found through my own experience that the Sex Links will outperform them, however I have had Production Reds in the past and I agree that they usually look quite a bit different from APA quality Rhode Island Reds and New Hampshires (example: a lack of black feathers in the tails). However they do appear similar to many of the hatchery grade RIRs and NHRs, and it may be that the hatcheries are actually crossing these hatchery grade breeds to produce their Production Reds. Also, occasionally, you can get a few white feathers appearing in these Production Reds, but those and other oddities would be consistent with the claims of infusing some White Leghorn blood into the Production Reds. I think perhaps the problem in defining a Production Red is that, since they are hybrids and therefore not recognized by any official poultry association such as the APA, there is no standard by which to define them. Therefore any current definition for a Production Red has pretty much been established by the hatcheries that breed them. Given this, the most accurate definition for a Production Red would probably be: A hybrid produced by crossing two red gene parents, with the occasional infusion of a little White Leghorn blood.

That is about the best that you can do. They are red colored layers, and for that purpose, there is nothing wrong with them. A lot of them are not even crosses, so to speak. Then many that sell Rhode Island Reds, are what we would call production reds.

I do not know if the trouble has been taken to add Leghorn or not. There is a photo a few pages back that has a Leghorn (poor) type comb. I would say some, like the "cherry eggers" appear to have Leghorn type. I really do not know.

 

[MBRAMLETT]

Do you sell hatching egg?

 

[ThePRfan]

Well,im taking a newhampshire red and Rhode island red this spring,and hopefully,they make babies,so that give you a answer,I think the Production reds,better.
Like Chris09 has stated,"You can never go wrong with a red."

Also I should mention,RIR+NHR=The production red...

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

ThePRfan,

Did you do this? Did you take to heritage breeds and cross or were these hatchery breeds that were crossed?

 

[silveraden]

I think this is a better explanation
https://freerangeph.com/are-production-red-chickens-rhode-island-red-rir/