Rhode Island

Rhode Island
Origin	Category	Egg Colour	Sitter
America	Softfeather Heavy	Brown	No

Rhode Island Red Male by AO Schilling from American Standard of Perfection 1947

Rhode Island Red Female by AO Schilling from American Standard of Perfection 1947

Rhode Island White Male by AO Schilling from American Standard of Perfection 1947

Rhode Island White Female by AO Schilling from American Standard of Perfection 1947

The two colours in Rhode Islands, the Rhode Island Reds and the Rhode Island Whites, are regarded by serious breeders as being two separate breeds due to their separate origins and development. Rhode Island Reds and Rhode Island Whites are general purpose fowls, bred for the production of meat and eggs. Color of skin, yellow; color of egg shells, brown to dark brown.

Rhode Island Reds

The origin of this breed dates back about eighty years to a fowl bred in that section of New England which is located between Narragansett Bay and Buzzard's Bay. The name Rhode Island Red was given the breed in honor of the state where it originated from crossing the Red Malay Game, Leghorn and Asiatic native stock. In 1904, it was admitted to the American Standard of Perfection as a distinct breed of poultry. This was the single-comb variety.

The Rose-Comb Rhode Island Red was admitted to the Standard a year later, although some breeders acclaim it to be the original variety. The earlier Rhode Island Reds sported both single and rosecombs, some even having pea combs, due to their mixed ancestry and the fact of their being bred primarily for market purposes before they became a Standard breed.

Rhode Island Whites

Rhode Island Whites were admitted to the Standard at Knoxville, Tenn., in 1922. They are said to have originated in Rhode Island, from which state they take their name, and were first offered to the public in 1903. They are the result of crosses of Partridge Cochins, White Wyandottes and Rose-Comb White Leghorns. The distinctive shape characteristic of both Rhode Island Reds and Rhode Island Whites is the horizontally carried, oblong body. It is a fairly close-feathered fowl, the texture of the feathers being smooth and firm.

SHAPE OF MALE

Comb: Single; medium in size, set firmly on head, perfectly straight and upright, with five even and well-defined points, those in front and rear smaller than those in center; of considerable breadth where it joins to head; blade, smooth, inclining slightly downward but not following; too closely the shape of head. Comb: Rose; low, firm on head; oval, free from hollow center, surface covered with small rounded points, terminating in a spike at the rear, the spike drooping slightly but not conforming too closely to the shape of head.

Beak : Medium length, slightly curved.

Head: Moderate in length, fairly deep, inclined to be flat on top rather than round; face clean-cut, skin fine in texture, free from wrinkles.

Eyes : Large, full, prominent.

Wattles: Of medium size, uniform, free from folds or wrinkles.

Ear-Lobes: Oblong, well-defined, smooth.

Neck : Of medium length ; hackle, abundant, flowing over shoulders, not too closely feathered.

Wings: Of good size, well- folded, carried horizontally; primaries and secondaries, broad and overlapping in natural order when wing is folded.

Back : Long, moderately broad its entire length, carried horizontally; saddle, moderately broad, feathers of medium length, moderately abundant, blending into tail.

Tail: Of medium length, well-spread, carried at an angle of forty degrees above the horizontal; sickles of medium length, extending slightly beyond main-tail feathers ; lesser sickles and tail-coverts, of medium length, well feathered; main-tail feathers, broad and over lapping.

Breast: Moderately deep, full, well-rounded.

Body and Fluff : Body, long, broad, moderately deep, straight, extending well forward, giving body an oblong appearance; feathers carried close to body ; fluff, moderately full.

Legs and Toes : Legs, set well apart, straight when viewed from front ; lower thighs, large, of medium length, and wellfeathered, smooth; shanks, of medium length, smooth ; toes, of medium length, straight, well-spread.

Link title=== COLOUR OF MALE AND FEMALE ===

Comb, Face, Wattles and Ear-Lobes : Bright red.

Beak : Yellow.

Eyes: Reddish bay.

Shanks and Toes: Yellow.

Plumage : White throughout.

SHAPE OF FEMALE

Comb: Single; medium in size, set firmly on head, perfectly straight and upright, with five even and well-defined points, those in front and rear smaller than those in center.

Comb : Rose; low, free from hollow center, set firmly on head, much smaller than that of male and in proportion to its length, narrower; covered with small points and terminating in a small, short spike at the rear.

Beak : Of medium length, slightly curved.

Head: Moderate in length, fairly deep, inclined to be flat on top rather than round; face, clean-cut, skin, fine in texture, free from wrinkles.

Eyes : Large, full, prominent.

Wattles : Of medium size, regularly curved.

Ear-Lobes: Oblong, well-defined, smooth.

Neck : Of medium length, moderately full- feathered.

Wings: Rather large, well- folded; fronts, well covered by breast feathers ; flights, carried nearly horizontally ; primaries and secondaries, broad and overlapping when wing is folded.

Back : Long, moderately broad its entire length, carried horizontally, blending into tail.

Tail: Of medium length, moderately well-spread, carried at an angle of thirty degrees above the horizontal; main-tail feathers, broad and overlapping.

Breast: Moderately deep, full, well-rounded.

Body and Fluff: Body, long, moderately broad, moderately deep, straight, extending well forward, giving the body an oblong appearance; feathers, carried close to body ; fluff, moderately full.

Legs and Toes: Legs, set well apart, straight when viewed from front; lower thighs, of medium length, well- feathered, smooth; shanks, of medium length, smooth; toes, of medium length, straight, well-spread.

RHODE ISLAND REDS

COLOUR OF MALE

Comb, Face, Wattles, and Ear-Lobes: Bright red.

Beak : Reddish horn.

Head: Plumage, brilliant red.

Eyes: Reddish bay.

Neck : Rich, brilliant red ; plumage on front of neck, rich red. Wings : Fronts and bows, rich brilliant red ; coverts, red, primaries, upper webs red, lower webs black and narrow edging of red ; primary coverts, black edged with red ; secondaries, lower webs red, the red extending around end of feathers sufficient to secure a red wing-bay and lacing the upper portion of upper webs, this color growing wider in shorter secondaries ; remainder of each secondary black, feathers next to body being red on surface so that wing when folded in natural position shall show one harmonious red color.

Back and Saddle : Rich, brilliant red.

Tail: Main-tail feathers, black; sickle feathers, rich, lustrous greenish black; coverts, mainly greenish black, red as they approach the saddle.

Breast: Rich red.

Body and Fluff : Rich red.

Legs and Toes : Lower thighs, rich red ; shanks and toes, rich yellow tinged with reddish horn. A line of red pigment down the sides of shanks, extending to tip of toes, is desirable.

Plumage: General surface, rich, brilliant red, except where black is specified ; not so dark as to appear brown or chocolate nor so light as to appear orange, free from shafting or mealy appearance ; the less contrast there is between wing-bows, back, hackle, and breast the better. A harmonious blending in all sections is desired. The specimen should be so brilliant in color as to have a glossed appearance.

Under-Color of All Sections: Red.

COLOUR OF FEMALE

Comb, Face, Wattles, and Ear-Lobes: Bright Red.

Beak : Reddish horn.

Head : Plumage, brilliant red.

Eyes: Reddish bay.

Neck : Rich red, with slight ticking of black, confined to tips of lower neck feathers; feathers on front of neck, rich red.

Wings : Fronts and bows, rich red ; coverts, red ; primaries, upper webs red, lower webs black with narrow edging of red; primary coverts, black edged with red ; secondaries, lower webs red, the red extending around the end of the feathers sufficient to secure a red wing-bay and lacing the upper portion of upper webs, this color growing wider in the shorter secondaries ; remainder of each secondary, black, feathers next to body being red on surface, so that wing when folded in natural position shall show one harmonious red color.

Back: Rich red.

Tail: Main-tail feathers, black; the two top feathers may be tinged with red.

Breast: Rich red.

Body and Fluff: Red.

Legs and Toes: Lower thighs, red; shanks and toes, rich yellow tinged with reddish horn.

Plumage : General surface color, rich, even red, except where black is specified, not so dark as to appear brown or chocolate nor so light as to appear chestnut, free from shafting or mealy appearance.

Under-Color of All Sections : Red.

SERIOUS DEFECTS

See General Disqualifications for both types.

RHODE ISLAND WHITES

• Shanks and toes showing complete absence of yellow. (DQ)

RHODE ISLAND REDS

• One or more entirely white feathers showing in outer plumage;
• Shanks and feet other than yellow or reddish horn.

STANDARD WEIGHTS

Large Fowl

Cock 8 1/2 lbs (3.86kg) Hen 6 1/2 lbs (2.95kg). Cockerel 7 1/2 lbs. Pullet 5 1/2 lbs.

Rhode Island Red Bantams

The shape, color and disqualifications, except for weight, of Rhode Island Red Bantams shall be the same as for the corresponding variety of Rhode Island Reds.

Cock 34 oz. Hen 30 oz. Cockerel 30 oz. Pullet 26 oz.

SOURCES

• The American standard of perfection, illustrated. A complete description of recognized varieties of fowls, as revised by [the Association at its 62d-67th annual meetings, 1937-42.] https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009169004