what is the difference between RIR and production RIR?

[dave27889]

I was going to order some RIR's from McMurry Hatchery. I took a good look at their listing and saw where their RIR's are production type. Can someone tell me the difference. I take that they are not pure breed. That something was breed into their flock to increase egg laying or something else.
I was going to breed some to get red star and black star later in the year but don't know now if that is possible. Please let me know as soon as you can. I might need to cancel my order. I tried calling the hatchery but they are closed for the holidays. My order is set for delivery March 3rd 2009. Thanks for the help and happy holidays. Dave in NC

 

[greathorse]

They will produce your sex links as you desire. They have been crossed enough to look a lot different than the old style exhibition RIR's that is for sure. But if you are looking for links you are probably looking in the right place.

On the other hand if you have a desire for the old heritage RIR that look like a brick with a tale and a head, and have an awesome mohagony color there are some options for that as well. In that case you would look for some exihibition style breeders. I have some eggs and chicks ordered that will be in that style. I cant wait to get started with them.

I can give you some names for the exhibition breeders if you desire

 

[ibpboo]

here's one info I found
http://bloslspoutlryfarm.tripod.com/id29.html

The next spin-off is a bird that today tries to carry the name of the Rhode Island Red - the popular hatchery Production Red. Production Reds were developed to compete with the Rhode Island Reds in egg laying contests. Crossing Leghorn blood into the standard Rhode Island Red gave an edge on the resultant offspring, which would be used in competition. The ROP egg laying contests held in the North East were supposed to have strict standards; only allowing 10 purebred pullets, that were true to the breed in competition, to be entered by any poultry farm. But it appears the officials of many of the contests did not enforce all the rules. Perhaps they allowed the Production Reds into competition out curiosity? Perhaps they felt a more productive commercial line of brown egg-layer was needed?



Unfortunately, the Standard Rhode Island Red breeders who competed honestly in these Northern ROP contests were beaten by these non-standard high egg-laying birds, and by the 1950s the Production Reds and the commercial New Hampshire’s just about put the purebred Rhode Island Red into extinction. Because of the new popularity of the Production Red and New Hampshire, by 1947 the Rhode Island Red Club membership dropped from a high of 5000 members in the late 1920s, to about 275 members in the early 1950s. This was the beginning of the commercial boom in this country for large chicken house cage operations, and the Production Red soon dominated the brown egg-laying market.

 

[ibpboo]

Another article

http://www.wildwnc.org/education/animals/rhode-island-red-chicken-domestic-chicken

 

[greathorse]

The answer to your first question as to whether or not the hatchery Rhode Island red or production red crossed with a barred rooster will produce a sex link remains the same, Yes it will. There is in fact little purpose in seeking the true RIR if you are going to cross them for sex links. The one article is written by Robert Bosl, who no longer breeds large fowl RIR. He did have one of the foundation lines for many years. He kept the Mohawk line for a long time. I have found some birds from that line and will have them this spring, but my intent is to be able to sell and or give some good blood lines to 4-H kids this spring.

 

[ibpboo]

greathorse, I have RIR's. How would one know if they are production or not? I only looked up that info because of this topic and never knew otherwise.
Thanks

 

[dave27889]

Thanks for the information. Greathorse I sent you a pm. I hope you got it. I will be glad to get the information you have. I noticed that the link you gave me had a person in Willmington NC that had true RIR's. I will call them after I get the information you were talking about. Thanks to everyone else who answered. Like I was telling Greathorse. I want the ture RIR's. I have some friends that wanted the sex-links. They knew that I was ordering the stock I needed and asked if I could produce them some sex-links when my hens were ready. I said that was fine. I did not notice the production words until I got McMurry's catalog and was reading it after I already placed an order. I will cancel the production RIR's and get the real thing as soon as I can find a breeder close to me that can ship chicks. Thanks again and thanks for the quick answers. Dave in eastern North Carolina

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

How would one know if they are production or not?

Do a search on here for geareduplyn and study the pictures he has posted of his birds. Once you've seen them you should have no difficulty telling a production bird from the real deal. Size, color, brick shape, tail set are completely different. The production version has been crossed on a leghorn and the resulting tail set is obvious even to the uninitiated.

edited to add that geareduplyn is in SC and I believe he has posted that he will be selling chicks in the spring.​

 

[speckledhen]

They are right. There is really no comparison between hatchery RIRs and breeder/exhibition quality RIRs. I have had both and still have one 3 yr old hatchery girl. The other three are almost black, they're such a deep color. I call them Amazon-hens because they are huge, statuesque beauties with calm personalities.

 

[ginbart]

Are you looking to show them? I have production RIR's I didn't know that until everyone told me on here but they do lay nice brown eggs so if your only looking for eggs they are great.

I had a post on here where people showed me the difference. I will see if I can find it for you.

edited to add.
There are some great pics of RIR's.


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