The Rhode Island Red
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The
Rhode Island Red is a large, heavy breed in a rich chocolate-red colour which
still has a reputation as a utilty breed par excellence, it was developed in
the first half of the nineteenth century in the New England States of Rhode
Island and Massachusetts, and is the State Bird of Rhode Island! It quickly
travelled around the world and has been a popular breed in the British Isles
since 1903. The breed was originated by William Tripp in 1854, he crossed a red
Malay-type cock with the farm birds and developed a rose combed 'red fowl'
which by 1860 was known as the Red Java. These were subsequently crossed with
the Brown Leghorn (for increased laying ability), the Red Cochin (for egg
laying and body size), and the Red Java & Red Malay (for ability to convert
food to flesh, and for colour); the birds had either a rose or a single comb.
In 1903 the first eggs came into Britain, and in 1904 the Poultry Club of Great
Britain approved a Breed Standard for the single comb 'Rhode Island Red', the
following year the rose comb variety was standardised as the 'American Red',
and finally in 1906 the single and rose comb versions were re-united as the
Rhode Island Red with a Breed
Standard accepting either a single or a rose comb. The single
comb is the most common, and today a Rhode Island Red with a rose comb is a
rarity.
During the creation of the breed there was very rigorous
selection for laying ability and the production of large brown eggs; even today
a good strain of Rhode Island Red is still capable of averaging 260 eggs a
year, whilst the very best strains will exceed 300 eggs a year. Over the
years the tendency for the birds to go broody has been almost entirely bred
out, thus reducing the egg laying 'down time'. In addition the Rhode Island Red
is a dual-purpose breed and makes a sizeable table bird.
John can
remember his Grandfather's flock of RIR in rural Warwickshire in the 1950's,
and his Mother's flock in Anglesey in the 1960's and 1970's. Whilst the breed
has become a very popular exhibition variety there are now very few reliable
utility strains available, and unfortunately most strains resemble the many red
hybrids that have been bred from them rather than the breed itself. After some
considerable search we located John Leach's large, free range, flock of
'utility strain' Rhode Island Reds at Lansdown Poultry Farm near Bath; this
strain of Rhodes not only deliver in the nest, but also look like traditional
Rhode Island Reds. They birds lay large eggs with shells of a deep tinted to
brown colour, they seldom take a day off from laying except during the moult,
they are very reliable winter layers, and older birds do lay very large eggs
indeed. What more can one ask for? .
The Rhode Island Red is a very rich
dark mahogany red in colour, though the utility strains lack the intensity of
colour seen in the show strains. The Poultry Club of Great Britain Breed
Standard classifies the Rhode Island Red as a Heavy Breed, with the typical
adult cock weighing in at 8½lb or more, whilst the hen is about
6½lb. The Rhode Island Red has been highly developed as a show breed
with colour being of utmost importance. Unfortunately, like so many breeds,
breeding for the showpen has diminished the utility qualities of the breed, and
when looking at the standard one must be aware that this is for the show bird
and not the utility bird. Having said that there is no reason on earth why a
good utility strain will not almost reach the standard required by the
show judge, BUT productivity will always be of more importance in the utility
strain than undercolour!
If anyone requires Rhode Island Reds for
laying it is important that they obtain stock from a good utility strain rather
than from a show strain, otherwise the results in the nest-box could well be
very disappointing! By the same token if you want birds for exhibition do not
expect to breed these from a utility strain!
|
| A nice bunch of Rhode Island Reds at 15 weeks. |
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| . | The Poultry Club of Great
Britain Breed Standard for the Rhode Island Red |
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GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS : MALE Carriage: Alert, active, and well balanced. Type: Body deep, broad, and long; the keel bone long, straight, and extending well forward and back, giving the body an oblong look. Back broad, long and in the main nearly horizontal, this being modified by slightly rising curves at the hackle and lesser tail coverts. Saddle hackles of medium length and abundant. Breast broad, deep and carried in a line nearly perpendicular with the base of the beak; at least it should not be carried farther back. Fluff moderately full, but with the feathers carried fairly close to the body; not a Cochin fluff. Wings of good size, well folded and the flights carried horizontally. Tail of medium length, quite well spread, carried fairly well back, increasing the apparent length of the bird. Sickles of medium length, passing a little beyond the main tail feathers. Lesser sickles and tail coverts of medium length and fairly abundant. Head: Of medium size, carried horizontally and slightly forward. Beak medium in length and slightly curved. Eyes full, bright and prominent. Comb single or rose. The single of medium size, fine texture, set firmly on the head, perfectly straight and upright, with five even and well defined serrations, those in front and rear smaller than the centre ones, of considerable breadth where it is fixed to the head. The rose of medium size, low, set firmly on the head, the top oval in shape, and the surface covered with small points, terminating in a small spike at the rear. The comb to conform to the general curve of the head. Face smooth and of fine texture. Ear-lobes fairly well developed. Wattles medium and equal in length, moderately rounded and of fine texture. Neck: but not too loosely feathered. Of medium length, carried slightly forward, and covered with abundant hackle, flowing over the shoulders Legs and feet: Legs well apart. Thighs large, of medium length, well rounded and smooth. Toes, four, of medium length, straight, strong and well spread. FEMALE The general characteristics are similar to those of the male, allowing for the natural sexual differences. The tail, however, should not form an apparent angle with the back, nor must it be met by a rising cushion. It should be a little shorter than medium and quite well spread. Neck hackle should be sufficient, but not too coarse in feather. In the mature hen the back would be described as broad, while in the pullet it would look somewhat narrower in proportion to the length of her body. The curve from the horizontal back to the hackle or tail should be moderate and gradual. COLOUR Plumage, Male: The neck red, harmonising with back and breast. Wing primaries, the lower web black and the upper red; secondaries, the lower web red and the upper black; flight coverts black; wing bow and coverts red. Tail, main feathers, including the sickles, black or greenish-black; coverts mainly black, but they may become russet or red as they approach the saddle. The general surface of the plumage should be a rich brilliant red, except where black is specified. It should be free from shafting, mealy appearance, or brassy effect. Absolute evenness of colour is desired. The bird should be so brilliant in lustre as to have a glossed appearance. The undercolour and quill of the feather should be red or salmon. With the saddle parted, showing the undercolour at the base of the tail, the appearance should be red or salmon, not whitish or smoky. Black or white in the undercolour of any section is undesirable. Plumage, Female : Neck hackle red, the tips of the lower feathers having black ticking, but not heavy lacing. The tail should be black or greenish black. In all sections of the wing the undercolour and quills of the feathers are as in the male. With the remainder of the plumage the surface should be a rich dark, even and lustrous red, but not as brilliant in lustre as the male. It should be free from shafting or mealy appearance. In both sexes, other things being equal, the specimen having the richest undercolour shall receive the award. In both sexes: Beak red-horn or yellow. Eyes red. Face, comb, wattles and ear-lobes bright red. Legs and feet yellow or red-horn. Standard Weights : Cock: 8½lb; Cockerel 8lb . Hen: 6½lb; Pullet 5½ lb |
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Serious Defects : Feather or down on shanks or feet, or unmistakable indications of feather having been plucked from them. Badly lopped comb, side sprig or sprigs on the single comb. Other than four toes. Entire absence of main tail feathers. Two absolutely white (so-called wall or fish) eyes. Squirrel and wry tail. A feather entirely white that shows in the outer plumage. An ear-lobe showing more than one half of the surface permanently white. (This does not mean the pale ear-lobe, but the enamelled white.) Diseased specimens, crooked backs, deformed beaks, shanks and feet other than yellow or red-horn colour. A pendulous crop shall be cut hard. Coarseness. Toes not straight and well spread. Super fitness. Under all disqualifying clauses, the specimen shall have the benefit of the doubt. Robustness is of vital importance. |
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