New Hampshires were selected for early maturing and large brown eggs. New Hampshires are a dual purpose chicken, selected more for meat production than egg production. The New Hampshires 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. New Hampshires were initially used in the Chicken of Tomorrow contests, which led the way for the modern broiler industry. The mature New Hampshires are a rich chestnut red, of a somewhat lighter and more even shade than the Rhode Island Reds. The New Hampshire baby chicks are also a lighter red.
American Poultry Association Class: American
ALBC Conservation Status: Watch
Production: Medium heavy in weight, it dresses a nice, plump carcass as either a broiler or a roaster. 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 yellow skinned carcass appearance very much.
Standard Weights: Old Male 8 lbs Old Female 6.5 lbs Young Male 7.5 lbs Young Female 5.5 lbs
History: Beginning in about 1915, this dual purpose breed was developed in New Hampshire from a foundation stock of Rhode Island Reds. The Standard of Perfection recognized New Hampshire Chickens in 1935.
