Rhode Island Red chicken
The Rhode Island Red is a rectangular, 'brick-shaped' American dual-purpose breed and the backbone of many hybrid layers.
The Rhode Island Red is a pure-bred chicken breed in the PCGB Soft Feather Heavy class. Its origin is given as Rhode Island, USA.
It is kept in large and bantam forms. Recognised colours: Dark Red almost Mahogany, A Rhode Island White does exist but is not well-known. Typical adult weights: cock about 3.85 kg, hen about 2.95 kg, bantam cock about 790–910 g and bantam hen about 680–790 g.
Expect 250+ eggs a year, with brown shells. It is mainly kept for eggs.
Compiled from poultryclub.org, poultrykeeper.com, en.wikipedia.org. See sources
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Identity
- Species
- Chicken
- Type
- Pure breed
- PCGB class
- Soft Feather Heavy
- Origin
- Rhode Island, USA
- Kept for
- Eggs
History
It was bred in Rhode Island and Massachusetts in the late 1800s (poultrykeeper says the early 1890s) by crossing Oriental fowl such as Malay, Cochin, Java and Shanghai with Brown Leghorns; the deep red came from the Malay. Sidney Risdon brought eggs to Somerset in 1903. It entered the American Standard in 1904 and the British in 1909. It is Rhode Island's state bird.
Appearance
Deep red plumage.
Recognised colours
Dark Red almost Mahogany, A Rhode Island White does exist but is not well-known
Size and weight
- Forms
- Large, Bantam
- Cock
- 3.85 kg
- Hen
- 2.95 kg
- Bantam cock
- 790–910 g
- Bantam hen
- 680–790 g
Eggs
- Eggs a year
- 250+
- Egg colour
- Brown
- Notes
- Modern strains are bred for laying. In the US, traditional non-industrial strains are on the Livestock Conservancy 'watch' list.
Temperament
Not recorded yet.
Hardiness
Not recorded yet.
Broodiness
Not recorded yet.
Flying
Not recorded yet.
Suitability
- Good to know
- Its 'gold' plumage genetics make it a key parent of sex-linked hybrid layers. It is a separate breed from the Rhode Island White.
Conservation status (RBST)
Not on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust's priority list.
Breed club
- The Rhode Island Red Club, breed-specific
Sources
This page is compiled from:
Review
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