| Rhode Island Red | ||||||||||||||
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 A Rhode Island Red
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Domesticated
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| Gallus gallus |
The Rhode Island Red is a very popular breed of chicken (Gallus gallus). They are a utility bird, raised for meat and eggs, and also as show birds.
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Appearance
Their feathers are maroon bordering on black. Their eyes are red-orange and they have yellow feet, with redish-brown beaks. Chicks are a light red to tan color with two dark brown bars running down their backs. They are generally good pets to keep and safe around children. They will happily be kept in a run.
History
The Rhode Island Red was originally bred in Adamsville, a small village which is part of Little Compton, Rhode Island. One of the foundation sires of the breed was a black-breasted red Malay cock which was imported from England. This infusion gave the breed its size, disease resistance, overall docile nature and superior meat qualities. This cock is on display at the Smithsonian Institution as the father of the Rhode Island Red breed. In 1925 the Rhode Island Red Club of America donated funds for an elegant monument to the Rhode Island Red in Adamsville, near the baseball field and across the street from what used to be Abraham Manchester's restaurant. (The monument is now on the National Register of Historic Places.) A competing monument to the Rhode Island Red, claiming its creation not for the poultry fanciers, but for the farmers who grew them commercially in great numbers in Little Compton, was erected by the state in 1954 a mile or so south of Adamsville.
Characteristics
Rhode Island Reds are tough birds, resistant to illness, good at foraging and free ranging, and are typically docile, quiet and friendly, though males can be considerably aggressive. Although they are widely known as good layers through cold periods, if the coop temperature drops below freezing their output drops considerably and the tips of their combs become very susceptible to frostbite.
Eggs
Rhode Island Reds are excellent egg layers. Although they can sometimes be stubborn, they can end up producing up to 250 to 300 large, light brown eggs per year. When free ranged, their first year eggs can be too large to fit comfortably in a standard egg carton.
Meat
Rhode Island Reds are also bred for meat, with Roosters weighing in at 8 1/2 pounds, the Hens slightly less. at 6-1/2 pounds; cockerel-7-1/2 pounds; pullets-5-1/2 pounds.
History
Rhode Island Reds were originally bred from chickens in Little Compton, Rhode Island around 1900, and is now the state bird of Rhode Island. Rhode Island Reds and Sussex are also used for many modern hybrid breeds.
References
- Raymond, Francine (2001). The Big Book of Garden Hens. Kitchen Garden Books, ISBN 0-9532857-3-1
- Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens: Care / Feeding / Facilities (Paperback)ISBN-13: 978-1580173254
