Rhode Island White
 A hen | |
| Conservation status | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Use | dual-purpose layer breed |
| Traits | |
| Egg colour | light brown to dark brown |
| Colour | white |
| Classification | |
| APA | American[4]: 12 |
| ABA | rose comb clean legged[4]: 7 |
| EE | listed, not recognised[5] |
| PCGB | no[6] |
The Rhode Island White is an American breed of chicken. It originates in the state of Rhode Island, in New England in the eastern United States. It is considered in that country to be a distinct breed from the Rhode Island Red.[4] In Australia[7][page needed] and in the European Union[5] it is considered a color variant of the Rhode Island breed.
History
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The Rhode Island White arose from the work of John Alonzo Jocoy of Peacedale, Rhode Island, who from about 1888 cross-bred Partridge Cochins, White Wyandottes and the rose-comb type of White Leghorn. He started selling birds in 1903, but continued selective breeding to increase the resemblance of his stock to the Rhode Island Red.[2]
It was added to the Standard of Perfection of the American Poultry Association in 1922;[4]: 12 [8]: 71 the bantam version was added in 1960.[4]: 7 In the European Union the white is listed by the Entente Européenne as a color variant of the Rhode Island breed, but is not recognised;[5] nor is it recognised by the Poultry Club of Great Britain.[9]: 254 [6]
The breed was fairly widespread until the 1960s, since when numbers have fallen.[2] No numbers have been reported to the DAD-IS database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations since 2015, when a total population of 534 birds was reported.[3] In 2025 it was listed as "watch" by the Livestock Conservancy,[2] and in 2026 its conservation status was listed by the FAO as "unknown".[3]
Characteristics
There is only one color variety, the white. The rose-comb, the wattles and the oblong earlobes are all of medium size and are bright red.[2] The eyes are a reddish bay, while the beak, shanks and toes are yellow.[8]: 72 Average bodyweights for large fowl are about 3.9 kg (8.5 lb) for cocks and 3.0 kg (7 lb) for hens; the corresponding weights for bantams are approximately 1000 g (35 oz) and 850 g (30 oz).[8]: 72
Use
The Rhode Island White is a dual-purpose fowl, suitable for production of both meat and eggs. Hens may give some 200–250 large eggs per year, varying from light to dark brown in colour; they have little tendency to broodiness.[2]
It may be cross-bred with the Rhode Island Red create Red Sex-Link hybrids.[8]: 71
References
- ^ Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to: The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f Rhode Island White Chicken. Pittsboro, North Carolina: The Livestock Conservancy. Archived 17 May 2025.
- ^ a b c Breed data sheet: Rhode Island White / United States of America (Chicken). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed January 2026.
- ^ a b c d e APA Recognized Breeds and Varieties: As of January 1, 2012. American Poultry Association. Archived 4 November 2017.
- ^ a b c Liste des races et variétés homologuée dans les pays EE (28.04.2013). Entente Européenne d’Aviculture et de Cuniculture. Archived 16 June 2013.
- ^ a b Breed Classification. Poultry Club of Great Britain. Archived 12 June 2018.
- ^ [s.n.] (2011). Australian Poultry Standards, second edition. Linton, Victoria: Victorian Poultry Fanciers' Association. ISBN 9781921488238.
- ^ a b c d Carol Ekarius (2007). Storey's Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds. North Adams, Massachusetts: Storey Publishing. ISBN 9781580176675.
- ^ Victoria Roberts (2008). British Poultry Standards: Complete specifications and judging points of all standardized breeds and varieties of poultry as compiled by the specialist Breed Clubs and recognised by the Poultry Club of Great Britain. Oxford: Blackwell. ISBN 9781405156424.