New Hampshire

Origin:  America

Category:  Softfeather Heavy

Egg Colour:  Brown

Sitter:  No

This breed has come into being by a gradual process of development over a period of more than thirty years, from a foundation of Rhode Island Reds, first brought into New Hampshire from Rhode Island and Southern Massachusetts. There is no record of any outside blood having been introduced and the breed has been developed by farm poultrymen of New Hampshire by the continual selection of breeding stock for early maturity, large brown eggs, quick feathering, strength and vigor during the long period of its evolution. They were admitted to the American Standard of Perfection in 1935. Economic Qualities: General purpose fowl for egg and meat production.

SHAPE OF MALE

Comb: Single, medium size, well developed, set firmly on head, perfectly straight and upright having five well defined points, those in front and rear smaller than those in center; blade smooth, inclining slightly downward, but not following too closely the shape of neck.

Beak: Strong, medium in length, regularly curved.

Head: Medium in length, fairly deep; inclined to be flat on top rather than round. Face smooth, full in front of eyes, skin fine in texture.

Eyes: Large, full, prominent, setting moderately high in head.

Wattles: Moderately large, uniform, free from folds or wrinkles.

Ear-Lobes: Elongated-oval, smooth, setting close to head.

Neck : Medium length, well arched, hackle abundant flowing well over shoulders, moderately close feathered.

Wings: Moderately large, well folded, carried horizontally and close to body, fronts well covered by breast feathers ; primaries and secondaries broad and overlapping in natural order when wing is folded.

Back: Medium length, broad its entire length, forming a gradual concave sweep to tail.

Tail: Medium length, well spread; carried at an angle of fortyfive degrees above horizontal. Sickles, medium length, extending well beyond main tail; lesser sickles and coverts, medium length, broad; main tail feathers broad and overlapping.

Breast: Deep, full, broad and well rounded.

Body and Fluff: Body, medium length, relatively broad, deep, well rounded, keel, relatively long, extending well to front at breast. Fluff, moderately full.

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

Plumage: Feather character of broad, firm structure, overlapping well and fitting tight to body.

SHAPE OF FEMALE

Comb: Single, medium in size, well developed, smooth texture, firm at base, straight and upright, having five well defined points, those in front and rear smaller than those in center; slightly tilted at rear.

Beak: Medium length, regularly curved.

Head: Medium length, fairly deep, inclined to be flat on top rather than round; face, smooth, full in front of eyes; skin, fine in texture.

Eyes: Large, full, prominent, setting moderately high in head.

Wattles: Medium size, well developed, well rounded.

Ear-Lobes : Elongated-oval, smooth, setting close to head. Neck: Of medium length, slightly arched, tapering from shoulders to head, moderately close feathered.

Wings: Rather large, well folded; carried nearly horizontal; fronts well covered by breast feathers; primaries and secondaries broad and overlapping, in natural order when wing is folded.

Back: Medium length, broad its entire length, forming a gradual concave sweep to tail.

Tail: Medium length, moderately well spread, carried at an angle of thirty-five degrees above horizontal. Main tail feathers broad and over lapping.

Breast: Deep, full, well rounded.

Body and Fluff: Body, medium length, relatively broad, deep, well rounded; keel, relatively long extending well to front at breast. Fluff, moderately full.

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

Plumage: Feather character of broad, firm structure, overlapping well and fitting close to body.

COLOUR

COLOR OF MALE

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

Beak: Reddish horn.

Head: Plumage, brilliant reddish bay.

Eyes: Bay.

Neck: Rich, brilliant reddish bay.

Wings: Fronts, medium chestnut red; bows, brilliant deep chestnut red; coverts, deep chestnut red; primaries, upper web, medium red; lower web, black edged with medium red; primary coverts, black, edged with medium red; secondaries, upper web, medium chestnut red, having broad black stripe extending along shaft to within one inch of tip; lower web, medium chestnut red; shaft, red.

Back and Saddle: Back, brilliant deep •chestnut red; saddle, rich brilliant reddish bay, slightly darker than neck color.

Tail: Main tail feathers, black, sickle feathers, rich, lustrous greenish black; coverts, lustrous greenish black, edged with deep chestnut red; lesser coverts, deep chestnut red.

Breast: Medium chestnut red.

Body and Fluff: Medium chestnut red.

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

Undercolor of plumage in all sections, light salmon. Slight smokey tinge not to be considered a defect.

COLOR OF FEMALE

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

Beak : Reddish horn.

Head : Plumage, medium chestnut red.

Eyes : Bay.

Neck : Medium chestnut red, each feather edged with brilliant chestnut red, lower neck feathers distinctly tipped with black, feathers in front of neck, medium chestnut red.

Wings: Fronts, bows and coverts, medium chestnut red; primaries, upper web, medium red; lower web, medium red with a narrow stripe of black extending along the shaft; shaft, medium red; primary coverts, black edged with medium red; secondaries, lower web, medium chestnut red, upper web, medium chestnut red with black marking extending along edge of shaft two-thirds its length.

Back: Medium chestnut red.

Tail: Main tail, black edged with medium chestnut red; shaft, medium chestnut red.

Breast: Medium chestnut red.

Body and Fluff: Medium chestnut red.

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

Undercolor of plumage in all sections, light salmon. Slight smokey tinge not to be considered a defect.

SERIOUS DEFECTS

• One or more entirely white feathers showing in outer plumage.

For further information see Disqualifications

STANDARD WEIGHTS

Cock 8 1/2 lbs (3.86kg). Hen 6 1/2 lbs (2.95kg).

Cockerel 7 1/2 lbs (2.95kg). Pullet 5 1/2 lbs (2.5kg).

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.] Public Domain accessed from: https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009169004