Chicken breed
Rhode Island Red
Also called RIR
The Rhode Island Red is an American dual-purpose breed known for steady production of brown eggs. Hatchery strains have been selected for laying and are less broody than older heritage lines. They handle cold well; roosters can be aggressive.
At a glance
200–300eggs a year
4–6eggs a week
16–26weeks to first egg
6.5 lbhen weight
8.5 lbrooster weight
Largeegg size
Traits
- Cold hardyhigh
- Heat tolerantmedium
- Goes broodylow
- Egg colour
- brown (medium brown)
- Temperament
- active, hardy; can be assertive
- Origin
- United States (Rhode Island)
- Comb
- single
- Bantam size
- Available
- APA standard
- Recognized
- Conservation
- Graduated 2023 (non-industrial Rhode Island Red; no longer on the Conservation Priority List)
- Purpose
- dual
Good for
- beginners
- egg production
- cold climates
Watch out for
- some roosters are aggressive; manage carefully around children
- single comb can get frostbite in severe cold
- hatchery (production) strains differ from heritage "old-type" lines
Looks and feathers
Deep red plumage; APA recognizes single-comb and rose-comb varieties.
Our drawing shows the most common US variety; colours vary.
Similar breeds
All breedsSources
- 1Rhode Island Reds (product/breed profile)Cackle Hatchery
- 2Rhode Island (breed page)My Pet Chicken
- 3Rhode Island Red Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
- 4Accepted Breeds & VarietiesAmerican Poultry Association
- 5Rhode Island Red Chicken (breed facts)The Livestock Conservancy
- 6Managing Chickens From Chicks to Peak Egg ProductionUtah State University Extension (J. Okoh, E. Perry; October 2025)
- 7Chicken Breeds & Varieties (A2880), incl. APA standard weightsUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension
Hatcheries often disagree on eggs a year; ranges span every source we read. How we check the facts.