New Hampshire Red
Standard Weights: Cock-8-1/2 pounds; hen-6-1/2 pounds;
cockerel-7-1/2 pounds; pullet-5-1/2 pounds.
Skin Color: Yellow.
Egg Shell Color: Brown.
Use: A dual purpose chicken, selected more for meat production than egg production. Medium heavy in weight, it dresses a nice, plump carcass as either a broiler or a roaster.
Origin: New Hampshires are a relatively new breed, having been admitted to the Standard in 1935. They represent a specialized selection out of the Rhode Island Red breed. By intensive selection for rapid growth, fast feathering, early maturity and vigor, a different breed gradually emerged. This took place in the New England states-chiefly in Massachusetts and New Hampshire from which it takes its name.
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Characteristics: They possess a deep, broad body,
grow feathers very rapidly, are prone to go broody and make good mothers. Most
pin feathers are a reddish buff in color and, therefore, do not detract from
the carcass appearance very much. The color is a medium to light red and often
fades in the sunshine. The comb is single and medium to large in size; in the
females it often lops over a bit. These good, medium sized meat chickens have fair
egg laying ability. Some strains lay eggs of a dark brown shell color. New
Hampshires are competitive and aggressive. They were initially used in the
Chicken of Tomorrow contests, which led the way for the modern broiler
industry.
Reference:
Chicken Breeds and Varieties (A2880), John L. Skinner,
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Images:
Dr. Joe Berry, Department of Animal Science, Oklahoma State University
