Rarest breed of chicken in the US?

[Chris09]

Quote:
The reason the Single comb breed [that hatcheries call a Rhode Island White] is not as big as the true Rhode Island White [With a Rose Comb] is because there not the same breed. [not even close]
The Single comb breed [that hatcheries call a Rhode Island White] I believe is a cross breed out of the New Hampshire and hatcheries are pawning off a White single Comb chicken as a Rhode Island White. Here are two hatcheries that have them. [The white single comb chicken]

https://secuservices.com/ideal/newideal/selectproduct.aspx?qty=1&ID=RIWS&Product=535
http://www.welphatchery.com/rare/rhd_isl_wht.asp

Chris

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
In theory waiting to offer to others makes a lot of sense, and in the case of some new varieties or breeds would have been better. But if several breeders are working on a project, you can gain ground faster and have a larger gene pool to work with. The problem is telling who will be serious about the project and who just wants immediate pretty birds to start selling the eggs and chicks as fast as they can. I have known or several cases where someone was quite new to chickens and was very dedicated to serious work on the birds, and of other cases where people were not new, but were also not serious. Sometime it is hard to know in advance.

 

[Cowgirlgrace]

Quote:
"up to the waste" - that's a good one!

Until people actually breed the lavender project birds towards a breed standard, they will continue to look like that. I don't think they are worse than hatchery stock, but they are not good enough to call pure orpingtons either yet (and there are no pure lavender orps out there yet). As far as I know, I am the only one still working to develop/improve them. My hopes when I shared the project were that others would too, but when I posted asking for others to share their progress, I got zero replies on anyone working to improve them.

So I may still have some of the rarest color varieties in the country for orps yet. I'll keep working on them.

Thats not true. I have posted several times talking about my Lavender project. I am matureing Lavs right now thought not sure what generation they are so pretty much deciding to start over, and have the exhibition blacks waiting for them. I bought some from you and two other people who show Black orpingtons. So no progress yet, still waiting for maturity and spring. There is some confusion I would like to clear up though, I have had several people who purchased birds from your project say the color was introduced useing Lavender Ameraucana and some even reported some hens laying a green egg. You have stated this is not true and made reference to a bird in your avatar as your foundation bird. So wondering what that bird is. Want to know as much about this project as I can if I'm going to be seriously working on it. If they need so much work on type then obviously the foundation bird was not an exhibition Orp. What breed was the original bird?

 

[fowlman01]

Quote:
This is the way I recall it.

Walt Leonard

 

[Robert Blosl]

I agree with Walt. I waited 22 years befor I offered my Rhode Island Red bantams to people as I shrunk down large fowl standard reds to bantams. I had good males four years ago but had red rock scrub females which I cant stand. I have today females that are beating my males in the shows that have brick falt back shape. In this breed and color pattern you want to develope it will take at least five to ten years to get the color and type on a Orp you want. Crossing other breeds of chickens to get the color makes this take so long. bob

 

[Chickielady]

Quote:
The reason the Single comb breed [that hatcheries call a Rhode Island White] is not as big as the true Rhode Island White [With a Rose Comb] is because there not the same breed. [not even close]
The Single comb breed [that hatcheries call a Rhode Island White] I believe is a cross breed out of the New Hampshire and hatcheries are pawning off a White single Comb chicken as a Rhode Island White. Here are two hatcheries that have them. [The white single comb chicken]

https://secuservices.com/ideal/newideal/selectproduct.aspx?qty=1&ID=RIWS&Product=535
http://www.welphatchery.com/rare/rhd_isl_wht.asp

Chris

This is so true!
Just click the first link there and read the first sentence "Rhode Island White is a rare variety related to the Rhode Island Red" Wrong Wrong Wrong!!!
There has to be a law against misleading the public in this aggravating manner...like advertising a chevrolet but showing a photo of a Ford for an example.
What is really scarey if the current trend to return to and raise (or "bring back") heritage breeds and think of all the "good" citizens that will go nuts trying to find RIWs and buy these birds thinking they have helped restore a heritage breed, and no doubt want to sell their bird's eggs and thereby make some money from their "endangerd flock"...Oh boy, it will happen, probably in the next year or two...imposter heritage birds will be everywhere thanks to these hatcheries.

 

[Illia]

Alright, Chickielady's jumping on the boat with us!

 

[Cowgirlgrace]

Illia, Wheres the Shamo Pics?

 

[Illia]

Quote:
I posted a bunch in the Washingtonians thread, but here's just a few. These are the rarest breed that I now own. They're also very young, and still have a lot to grow!

The photos certainly aren't as good as I usually take, but it is dark in the coop, and there's a couple red heat lamps to throw things off.

 

[Illia]

Okay, I know this is considered a double post, but I wanted to bring this up because I found it interesting.

From the Exhibition Poultry online magazine, there was a tally up of all the breeds that were shown at the Ohio Nationals. I think this is a really good way of showing how rare things are. Sure, it is only one instance, but it gives an idea. A really interesting one too. . .

I snipped only the rarest breeds out, being that there were only 3 or less:


3 Shamos
1 Spitzhauben
2 Malays
1 Lakenvelder
2 La Fleche
2 Phoenix
2 Faverolles
2 Catalanas
2 New Hampshires
3 Chantecelers
2 Hollands
3 Naked Necks

- No Sultans, Houdans, Crevecoeurs, Delawares, Redcaps, White Faced Black Spanish, Yokohamas, or Javas

And on the more popular side, for a comparison. Some of these breeds in the high numbers surprised me. For one, I thought there were only so many Buckeyes in the US. . . Does EVERYONE show them or something?

There were more Buckeyes there than Ameraucanas, Araucanas, or even Sicilian Buttercups, which I know says nothing of rarity, but it was interesting. . .

62 Jersey Giants
103 Wyandottes
42 Orpingtons
35 Rhode Island Reds
31 Plymouth Rocks
25 Brahmas
51 Cornish
62 Leghorns
32 Minorcas
24 Buckeyes