Rhode Island Whites Wanted

WOW! I go away for the weekend and everything cuts loose.

I have Rhode Island Whites, they are well tempered and great producers. Eggs are large and brown. I am collecting for Crystal at the moment and if anybody else is interested, I collect for you too. It should take me a week to collect a dozen or so.

Why have whites??

Nobody else has them. Your right, they are rare and they are a great bird.

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I obviously ran "afowl" of some of your greatest fans, Gramps.
No worries.

I could have said something like Rhode Islands are supposed to be red, not white. THat might have gone over better.
Once I looked into them, I realized that they are not even related to the "famous" RIR and carry the Rhode Island name for entirely different reasons. Me personally, I just cannot get into a white bird.

All in all, it has been a fun exchange - at least for me. I appreciate what you are doing with the breed and applaud your effort. I've learned a little more.
 
I have no worries either.

I too thought at one time that they were related to the reds when I first got them. Then after some research, they are only RI's due to who started the breed.
They look like reds but are white. I ended up with them by some one giving them to me. I just wanted brown egg layers and had someone I knew who was moving out of state. So they gave me my first trio. I too thought White birds were boring. But after I had these for awhile, I found out these birds are great.
Now I'm trying to bring the breed back. Everybody has their favorites and that's OK, but everybody should have a couple of Whites just to even everything out. How's that for a sales pitch??
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Anyway, anybody who wants some get on my list as today it has grown by 3 already. I guess no eatin' eggs for awhile
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Grampa
 
Do the RIW's have the same body type as the RIR's ? I was told the, like you said, the white's are not a sport of the red's right. they were 'made' in RI
 
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My research indicates the RIW was, as you say "made" in Rhode Island. Here's the story:

Rhode Island White Chicken

The Rhode Island White originated in 1888 through the efforts of Mr. J. Alonzo Jocoy of Peacedale, Rhode Island. He developed the breed by crossing White Wyandottes with Partridge Cochins and Rose Comb White Leghorns. In 1903, Mr. Jocoy made the breed known to the public and offered individuals for sale. The breed continued to be developed and improved so that it more closely resembled the Rhode Island Red’s brick-like body shape. This distinctive shape helped to prevent the breed from looking similar to and being confused with White Wyandottes or White Plymouth Rock chickens. In 1922 the Rhode Island White was admitted to the American Poultry Association’s Standard of Perfection during the national conference in Knoxville, Tennessee, that year. The Rhode Island White gained some popularity in the US up until the 1960’s, at which time their numbers began to decline. The breed never came close to the overwhelming popularity that the more famous Rhode Island Red chicken achieved.

The Rhode Island White is a moderately-sized, completely white bird with the males weighing 8 1/2 lbs. and females 6 1/2 lbs. They have long, broad, and deep bodies which are carried horizontally, giving them an oblong and brick-like appearance overall. Their breasts are deep, full, and well rounded. Their heads are fairly deep and are inclined to be flat on top rather than round. Though some single combed offspring do occasionally occur, the breed has been standardized only with a rose shaped comb.

The historic laying ability of the Rhode Island White was respectable by all accounts, with one exceptional hen at the Mountain Grove Experiment Station in Missouri noted as laying 306 eggs in one year. Productive strains of this breed have been known to more typically lay in the 240-250 eggs per year range.

They are reputed to be splendid meat fowl and excellent layers of winter eggs. Rhode Island Whites are pleasant, easy going chickens and would make an enjoyable addition to any family farm. Today, the Rhode Island White chicken continues to have its followers and maintains a population of less than 3000 birds (2003 ALBC poultry census).
--- from the American Livestock Breed Conservancy
 
I have some of grampawith chickens chicks or had some until a low down snake ate one and a friend let 2 of them get chilled. The rooster I have is great and I have asked grampa to get me some more in about 20 days. They hatched well and they were doing really well. They are very friendly and I really like them. I can't find any near me and grampa was really nice and friendly also. Later, dave27889
 
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They do have the same body style as the "Reds" and look like a white "red", but are not related.

To clarify something in Davaroo's research........

The APA recognizes both rose comb and straight comb birds. Mine are straight combs just like the RIR's. I haven't come across any rose combs yet. When I do, I'll will have both.
 
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They do have the same body style as the "Reds" and look like a white "red", but are not related.

To clarify something in Davaroo's research........

The APA recognizes both rose comb and straight comb birds. Mine are straight combs just like the RIR's. I haven't come across any rose combs yet. When I do, I'll will have both.

I think the APA may recognize both types as extant, but I believe only the rose comb variety is considered standard. I say this because I cannot find mention of the SC as being admitted as standard.

The standard, as reported by the University of Mississippi for "Rhode Island" birds is:

Rhode Island Red --Rose Comb, Single Comb
Rhode Island White - no mention of comb

This is consistent with all that I am finding.

I did discover one hatchery (Welp) that offers them, but only the SC variety.

Heirloom Heritage Farms (http://www.heirloomheritagefarms.com/rhodeislandwhite.html)
claims to be offering RC RIW's this year. This may be worth looking into going forward

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I suspect that the SC variety has become recognizable simply because the breed is nearly extinct - and any comb will do, in that case. I do not own a current APA standard book, but I would love to see something from the APA to the contrary.
 
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A few months ago I ordered some heritage rosecomb RIW eggs off of Ebay. They're quickly becoming my favorites
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They are friendlier than any of my other birds, I'm actually thinking of getting rid of some of my breeds to make room for more RIW's.

Here's a few pics, I think they're at 8 weeks right now...

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