A homestead breed: Rhode Island Reds make good foragers, layers

Ruth Nicolaus
Nov 1, 2021
Nov 1, 2021

Chicken breeds Rhode island reds (1).jpg — A single comb Rhode Island Red rooster. Rhode Island Reds were very popular on farms across the nation as dual purpose birds.
Submitted photo

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Ruth Nicolaus

Fred Ness knows poultry.

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Chicken breeds Rhode island reds (2).jpg — A rose comb Rhode Island Red rooster. Rhode Island Reds have mahogany red bodies with tails that are all black.
Submitted photo

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Chicken breeds Rhode island reds (3).JPG — Kaylee Ness shows a rose comb Rhode Island Red hen, which won Champion Large Fowl at the Fremont, Nebraska 4-H Expo in 2018.
Submitted photo

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Freelance writer Ruth Nicolaus loves (nearly) everything about the Great Plains, but mostly its people. She lives in eastern Nebraska. Reach her at editorial@midwestmessenger.com.