Production Red v's Road Island Red?

[202roosterlane]

See I thought mine were RIR too but the more I read and ask questions I find that mine may be more PR's too? Because the tail stands up more.

 

[HHandbasket]

I think the biggest difference between a true Rhode Island red and a production red lies primarily in the eyes of those who stick their noses in the air and look askance at anything that comes from a hatchery.

Production reds are, as others have pointed out, most likely a cross between a New Hampshire red & a Rhode Island red which are very similar in appearance, with the New Hampshire red being a slightly lighter color and somewhat smaller bird. Someone mentioned they've seen red sexlinks sold as PRs, but that has not been my experience. I've only seen red sexlinks sold as red sexlinks, red stars, or cinnamon queens. (I like the name "cinnamon queens" better hehehe... it just sounds prettier.) How chickens are labeled for sale varies greatly from region to region and even from one hatchery or breeder to another.

I don't get into semantics and hair-splitting when it comes to identifying breeds, though. If it's red, lays a brown egg, has a good disposition, and is sold to me as a Rhode Island red, that's what I'm gonna say it is. I think it really matters more if you're planning to show or get into breeding, but if you just want some nice fresh eggs and a bird that's going to be docile and get along well in your flock, you just can't go wrong with a RIR.

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
I think if you were to look at a production bred Red and a "real" Red side-by-side the differences would be obvious even to you.
A few generations back RI Red breeders took two divergent paths. One group focused on production w/o concern for appearance, the other focused on appearance w/o concern for production. While it may be possible that some Reds sold as production birds are the result of a cross there are "Production Reds" that are a result of selective breeding.
As to appearance of Reds vs New Hampshires [no red in their name BTW] the two breeds are not at all similar in appearance. If you were to read the two breed descriptions you'd be aware of this fact. Identifying breeds involves more than semantics or hair-splitting: the various breeds have established standards for type & appearance & it is these factors that define a breed.

 

[202roosterlane]

I agree with you that if you are happy with your chicken that is all that truely matters. I know that I personally would like to have one breed I can work on to help bring back to standard. If that makes any sense at all. Trust me, I am not trying to play God here. I just love Big Red I posted in the above photo, but I have come to realize he IS an Awesome Production Red and not a RIR. And I am fine with that and now I choose to raise both, but in seperate houses. I hope to have pics to put up here in a few days of a friends if he does not mind of some amazing RIRs.

Quote:

 

[Uriel]

I got my Production Reds from efowl.com in July... they're sweet hearts. we ordered all pullets but I ended up with 1 roo 'Pretty Boy' im going to mate them so we'll see how stable the hybrid is...

 

[draye]

Quote:

You go! Hello, I'm an Arkie too. Mablevale.

By the way I have some hatchery RIR's (Pro Reds if everyone wants to call them that), I think they look like RIR's anyway.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:

If it's red, lays a brown egg, has a good disposition, and is sold to me as a Rhode Island red

Now you thinking like a hatchery.

There are way to many people that don't what to do a little work in finding out what makes a R.I. Red a R.I. Red and not just a Red chicken that lays a Brown egg and has Yellow shanks.

Before you say that I am sticking noses in the air, I'm not. I had production reds, hatchery R.I. Red and now I have Reds (Rhode Island Reds) and I will a sure you that there is more of a difference between the 3 types of fowl than you think. Just being a Red fowl, with good disposition, and laying a brown egg is not a the quantification of being a Red.

Chris​

 

[FOGELLY]

I have them both. I really like the egg laying qualities I get from the PR but never would call them RIR or sell them as RIR.
All solid black dogs that like water and retrieves birds are not Labradors.

 

[Tracydr]

Quote:
According to Ideal Hatchery, my production reds are a cross between RIR and NHR.

 

[zibby]

In my very first batch of chickens I had a hatchery bought production red. I knew nothing about standards, I just wanted to get started with laying hens. She was a lovely girl. Pretty to look at, a wonderful disposition and great layer. The next year I bought a hatchery New Hampshire Red. Just for fun and variety. She is five years old and still laying. She is not very red, more orange and she is a bit, I wont say agressive but perhaps a bit assertive. I like her pluck. She has survived some extremely hot summers that have taken some of my other hens. Last spring I got one RIR and one PR again hatchery quality. They grew up identical, I couldn't tell them apart. I thougth they were very pretty but I know nothing about standards(not my interest). They started laying at 19 weeks and were very pleasant birds. Sadly they fell victim to a dog attack.

So, I don't know the differance, but for pleasant backyard egg layers they seem equally eggcellent in my eyes!

zibby