production reds and red sex links

[seahuntmike]

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO AND IF SO PLEASE EXPLAIN. I HAVE TWO RED HENS THAT I KNOW ARENT RIR s and it really doesn't matter either way but I was just wondering. Thanks in advance

 

[Blackberry18]

A Rhode Island Red is a pure, dark red-mahogany breed accepted by the APA and in The Standard of Perfection. Production Red is red breed developed to lay better (more than 300 eggs per year). They don't the "brick" shape of a true Rhode Island Red. I also read somewhere that Production Red isn't actually a "breed" but can be any thing from altered Rhode Island Reds, New Hampshires (a breed that developed, but changed dramatically from Rhode Island Red), or some other sort of cross.

 

[Ifish]

Blackberry is correct. Production Reds are not a breed. They are a red feathered, brown egg layer. Can be RIR's, NH's, or a mix of both or other birds.

Red Sex links are a hybrid and what I chose back when we had our little egg selling hobby. They are a hybrid to produce sex link chicks. Usually a RIR x Delaware or NH x Delaware I believe, but a red rooster over a white hen (with silver gene) of other breeds should work as well.

Just out of curiosity, how do you know that your hens are not RIR's?

 

[seahuntmike]

Not 100% there not but they dont have that dark mahogany that I see everywhere online. Ill try and get some pictures up as soon as I can

 

[Ifish]

Not 100% there not but they dont have that dark mahogany that I see everywhere online. Ill try and get some pictures up as soon as I can

Right on. Hatchery RIR's will not have that deep mahogany color that the heritage birds have.

 

[Michael OShay]

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO AND IF SO PLEASE EXPLAIN. I HAVE TWO RED HENS THAT I KNOW ARENT RIR s and it really doesn't matter either way but I was just wondering. Thanks in advance

Red Sex Links are hybrids produced by crossing a red gene rooster (RIR, NH, or Production Red) with a silver gene hen (RIW, SLW, Delaware, Light Sussex, or sometimes a silver factor WR). The offspring can be sexed by color from hatching (males are whitish, females are reddish), and they are egg laying machines, outlaying either parent breed. It's one of the interesting quirks of hybridization. Red Sex Links will not breed true. The offspring of Red Sex Links will simply be mixed breeds (mutt birds) and cannot be sexed by color.
Production Reds are produced by crossing two red gene parents (whether or not they are hybrids depends on whose defining hybrid and how it's defined). Production Reds will be breed true; the offspring will be a red gene bird like the parents and cannot be sexed by color at hatching (unlike Red Sex Links). Production Reds are excellent layers although not usually quite the egg laying machines that Red Sex Links are, however the advantage in Production Reds over Red Sex Links is that two Production Reds bred together will produce Production Red offspring.

 

[Blackberry18]

Red Sex Links are hybrids produced by crossing a red gene rooster (RIR, NH, or Production Red) with a silver gene hen (RIW, SLW, Delaware, Light Sussex, or sometimes a silver factor WR). The offspring can be sexed by color from hatching (males are whitish, females are reddish), and they are egg laying machines, outlaying either parent breed. It's one of the interesting quirks of hybridization. Red Sex Links will not breed true. The offspring of Red Sex Links will simply be mixed breeds (mutt birds) and cannot be sexed by color.
Production Reds are produced by crossing two red gene parents (whether or not they are hybrids depends on whose defining hybrid and how it's defined). Production Reds will be breed true; the offspring will be a red gene bird like the parents and cannot be sexed by color at hatching (unlike Red Sex Links). Production Reds are excellent layers although not usually quite the egg laying machines that Red Sex Links are, however the advantage in Production Reds over Red Sex Links is that two Production Reds bred together will produce Production Red offspring.

About the silver gene in Red Sex-Links, I think I'm beginning to understand about it. My 4-H Manual states the Red Sex-Link is a cross between Rhode Island Red cock and White Leghorn hen. Obviously, this is not the only cross. and so I'm wondering if there is a silver gene Leghorn (Columbian?). Please help me verify this.

 

[Michael OShay]

About the silver gene in Red Sex-Links, I think I'm beginning to understand about it. My 4-H Manual states the Red Sex-Link is a cross between Rhode Island Red cock and White Leghorn hen. Obviously, this is not the only cross. and so I'm wondering if there is a silver gene Leghorn (Columbian?). Please help me verify this.

Actually, White Leghorn hens do not make for a reliable Red Sex Link cross as many White Leghorns do have the silver factor necessary for Red Sex Link offspring. Columbian Leghorn and Silver Leghorn hens do carry the silver genes however and can be used to breed Red Sex Links.

 

[kwhites634]

Right on. Hatchery RIR's will not have that deep mahogany color that the heritage birds have.

Glad to have read your explanation; it explains a lot. Explains why the "RIR's" I thought I was getting from Southern States are mostly a washed-out red with a little white & my rooster is 99% white. I'll give 'em their due, though; they are definitely egg-laying machines.

Being's you're just up rte. 194 from me, do you happen to know where I could lay my hands on some Heritage RIR's or eggs?