Rhode Island Red chickens are a breed that is loved by many…including me. I have 8 Rhode Island Red Chickens (love my Red Stars) and have had nothing but success with them. Their “look” is beautiful and entertaining.
If you’re looking for a great pet chicken to raise in your backyard, there’s no better option than the Rhode Island Red Chicken.
But you may be wondering why they’re so well-liked, especially over other breeds. That’s what I’m here to tell you.
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Creators of Rhode Island Red Chicken
The Rhode Island Red was developed in the early 1900s in the state of Rhode Island.
The breed has since been accepted by the American Poultry Association and designated as Rhode Island’s official state bird. They are also one of the most common chicken breeds in North America.
As the story goes, a sea captain named William Tipp bought a “Malay rooster” from a fellow seaman and took it home. He bred it with his chickens and noted that the offspring laid more eggs than the regular flock.
Despite all the work put into breeding the perfect chicken, it’s another dude who gets credit for naming this breed: William Wilbur.
How do Rhode Island Chickens look? *waggle, comb, color*
The Rhode Island Red is a beautiful bird, with a yellow-ish comb and red wattles. The tail feathers are black, which is perfectly normal for these birds.
The tail feathers are black, and the beak is yellowish/horn colored. The feet and legs should be yellow, and the eyes are orange in color.
Their foot has 4 toes, pretty cool, huh?
Pros Of Keeping Rhode Island Reds *FAQ*
Every chicken breed has its own pros and cons, and many chicken keepers want to know them. Because of that, we did a little research on their characteristics and this article might help you before buying your Rhode Island Red Rooster or Hen.
Firstly, we will go cover the positive side of Rhode Island Red chickens. Let us know in the comments below if your RIRs are similar to this behavior.
Are Rhode Island Reds good layers?
Rhode Island Red hens are known for their high egg production. They can lay anywhere from 280–300 eggs per year and will begin at around the age of 5 months. Their eggs are light brown in color, with a medium size and a thick shell.
What makes this breed of chickens famous for their egg production is that they can be good egg layers during the winter because of their layer of feathers and slightly different anatomy.
You need to treat them as any other chicken in the winter, but the chances are that the Rhode Island Hen Chickens will be the most productive.
If you feed your Rhode Island Hens in the way we suggested to you in the article what to feed your chickens to get the best eggs some time ago, we guarantee that you will be left without words about the quality of eggs this breed can provide.
Are Rhode Island Red chickens good for meat?
Another thing that makes this breed of chickens special is that they are not only excellent egg layers, but their meat is also of very high quality.
The same layer of feathers that helps this breed of chickens be more productive during the winter is why their meat is of very high quality.
This makes their immune system more robust, and thus they are slightly healthier than many other breeds.
This is why many people compliment the meat that this breed provides.
Rhode Island Red Temperament
It’s hard to know how to describe the personality of a Rhode Island Red chicken. It’s not like they’re particularly shy or aggressive, but they definitely aren’t quiet!
Read more in our detailed guide – Rhode Island Red Rooster Temperament if you’re planning to buy one.
Are Rhode Island Reds chickens friendly?
Rhode Island Reds are generally very outgoing, curious, and friendly. They love human company and will follow you around the yard, pecking at your feet if you don’t give them enough attention. They can be a bit pushy and raucous, but it’s all in good fun. I’ve found that my Rhode Island Reds are always very lovable – just not quiet!
Are Rhode island reds aggressive?
Rhode Island red roosters can be aggressive, especially when they’re in a flock with other roosters. So if you’re looking to add one of these birds to your flock, make sure you choose the least aggressive of the bunch.
The Rhode Island Red hen is well-known for being a great layer of eggs. However, they’re also known for being good mothers. This means that while they’re laying their eggs and tending to them, they’re also very protective of their babies.
If you’ve ever had a Rhode Island Red hen, you know that they aren’t very broody—that is, they don’t sit on the nest and hatch eggs as some other breeds do. But when they do turn broody, they become very protective mothers!
Do Rhode Island Reds get along with other chickens?
Most of the time, Rhode Island Red chickens get along well with other birds. My Rhode Island Red hens were pretty rowdy when they were young, but they have calmed down a lot since then. It’s rare that one of my Rhode Island Reds even pecks at another bird.
Cons Of Keeping Rhode Island Red Chickens
This is where it gets a bit tricky. The Rhode Island Red Chickens are a proud breed of chickens, so they sometimes get moody.
They want your attention, and it is like they know that they are special.
If they are not satisfied with the way you are treating them, they will show you – they will turn aggressive towards you or start ignoring your presence.
This can affect your entire flock, so before deciding to breed the Rhode Island Red Chickens, make sure that you have the time to make them feel a bit special.
There are not many left of this breed; this makes them more expensive than other breeds.
Getting to this breed can be a problem for many backyard chicken enthusiasts. It will take some effort, but if you have the right sources, I am sure that you can find a good source for this breed.
The RIR hens that I have also will pull feathers of the other hens I have- I did have a favorite RIR hen that I gave away for this reason! No matter how I supplemented their feed! No I have another one that is doing it to the other hens. Especially if they are in a “spot” she wants to lay in, or a place on the roosting bar. So if given a choice I wouldn’t get RIR’s in a mixed flock especially with hens that have beards and ear muff feathers. They will pluck them out!
I have a mixed flock of 5 different breeds (which I recently added to). My rhode Island red is second in command with in flock and has never plucked a feather. Although she won’t submit to me she will let me pet her on her terms and is always curious what I am up to. My speckled sussex on the other hand has to chase and peck / pluck my wyandotte (even though they came from the same batch of eggs). My honest opinion is that it depends largely on the bird. They may have tendencies of their breed but each bird like us is an individual.
We’ve got 14 chickens, of which 5 are RIR’s. I have found that this breed has a little of everything. We’ve got one who will talk your ear off (really, she does NOT shut up – although we like it), one that wants nothing but to sit on your lap, one that is a bit masculine for a hen, and two who are a little stand offish. All in all, I love them. They didn’t go broody like other breeds, and even though they seem to have a tough molt, they are still one of the most affectionate, albeit needy breeds we’ve got 🙂
Compared to my Black French Copper Marans and Americanas, my RIR’s outlay them hands down. We get eggs all winter long, and their temperament is pretty easy. They are not much into petting, but they are egg laying machines. While I love the blue eggs from the Americanas and the dark chocolate eggs from the Marans, the Rhode Island Reds keep us in eggs year round.
I have six rirs and five le fleche as well as some silver lace Wyandotte and some bantom Colombian buff Wyandotte and the rirs seem to get along well they can be a little pushy sometimes but so can the leghorns I have a few of them as well the egg production is great and they are very smart birds