Rhode Island Red egg color

[Heartlandrabbitry]

Quote:
Aren't RIR's now not really the true ones that use to be around? I heard that it is very hard to find an actually RIR now because people use to breed them with another breed? May or may not be true but that's just what I have heard. My RIR doesn't lay brown eggs, they are more of an light tan color.

 

[BrewedInNh]

Here are the three egg colors we get. The white egg is from the Leghorn in my avatar.

The tan eggs are from this girl with the white ears. Red sex link?

And, the dark brown eggs are from this girl. Production red?

 

[babyboomer1001]

Quote:
The picture you posted looks exactly like a RIR should look, right down to the yellow skin but, perhaps, it was crossed with something else in its past. They are supposed to lay light to medium colored brown eggs, not ivory colored eggs. Mine lays a consistent light to medium brown egg. The ivory colored egg posted is definitely very, very pale looking and I would never guess that it is from a RIR. If you get many eggs, don't be too disappointed, at least she's healthy. My pullet started laying eight days ago and I have had six eggs out of the eight days. Buy another one from a breeder and hope for a darker brown. Better yet, buy one of the darkest brown egg breeds and it should offset the ivory. In fact, I chose chickens with eggs of every color. I hope you will learn to like the ivory eggs. They won't taste any different.

 

[MontanaChickenLady]

Your RIR looks like my RIR! I also have a New Hampshire Red and she's a much lighter version of my RIR. Both chickens lay about the same color eggs.....a medium brown. My Black Sexlink lays very large eggs and they are the darkest brown out of all of them. My Light Brahma is the largest chicken out of all the flock and yet lays the smallest eggs out of the flock and they are a light rose color....pretty.

 

[Chris09]

I know this is a old thread but.

Tpotter,
Your Rhode Island Red is actually a Production Red.

Chris

 

[stcroixusvi]

I love this thread - I love my chickens. I bought from a hatchery, and my favorite quote from someone on this forum after seeing a picture of one of my polish roosters, "not bad for a hatchery bird." Like a lot of facts from history, the breeding of birds seems to take place selectively, and hatchery birds are the common folk. But in reality, genes are genes, and a hatchery bird could come up with the right combo to produce a nice chicken that lays great eggs, whatever she is called or looks like.

 

[Chickenexpert]

No, no, no do not ever feel bad about purchasing those hens and rooster. They aren't chestnut and laying deep brown eggs because they are the regular breed. The form that is chestnut is called heritage RIR's. We have an original as well and she lays the same colored eggs. I suggest spending more time with your chickens to get to know them better and you won't be so disappointed with the pullets. Just because they don't lay dark eggs doesn't mean they're worth while. Hope this helps.

 

[Chickenexpert]

*doesn't mean they aren't worth while

 

[Clover Run]

We have 2 Heritage RIR and we have some "other" RIR's as well. The Heritage RIR are from a local farmer who has been breeding them for over 30 years and wins at all the shows and fairs He travels to the Boston show as well and usually wins.
When selling other chickens off our little farm everyone is fascinated with our 2 Heritage. They glisten in the sun and are such a deep mahogany red. That is the key - the mahogany gene.
We also have 4 other RIR's that are not as dark - from a different farm - they do have some mahogany as well and they lay a very dark terra cotta egg. Production or commercial RIR are very diluted in color and the focus is on egg production. The heritage are very heavy and mature much later.

Here are the four with a mahogany gene but not pure heritage:



Here are the 2 Heritage RIR - very rare to see these so well bred and I paid for them believe me! You should have seen his rooster - like out of a painting!

 

[Swim Skinny]

I have 11 laying RIR hens from Cackle Hatchery....they lay mostly medium brown eggs although there is some variation, speckles and shades of tan to brown. Our eggs sell for $4/dozen and are mixed with occasional Ameraucana, Buff Orp, and Silver Lace Wyndotte eggs...customers keep wanting more than we produce at 8-9 dozen per week.