These hardy birds are the perfect choice for the home flock. They have a tendency to produce eggs no matter what conditions they live in, though of course they will excel in the proper conditions. These excellent layers can produce from 250 to 300 brown eggs per year. The only brown egg layers that can compete are some of the newer hybrid sex-linked strains that were developed from the Rhode Island Red, like New Hampshire Reds, Production Reds, and ISA Browns. The best laying breed for white eggs is the Leghorn.

Rhode Island Reds will begin laying eggs when they reach the age of five to six months. Eggs will come sporadically at first, and you may occasionally get a very large egg with two yolks. This is typical from young pullets. Once they begin to lay, they will gradually lay more regularly, until they produce one egg every 23 to 26 hours. Hens molt once or twice a year. They stop laying during this period so their energy can go to regrowing feathers temporarily. Once they are done, egg production picks right up again. Rhode Island Reds are a dual purpose breed, meaning they make a decent table bird as well. If you can find some old strains of Rhode Island Reds, you will notice they are darker colored, larger and rectangular shaped. The newer strains have been streamlined for more egg production and less meat production.

Rhode Island Red chickens do well confined to a small chicken yard, in a portable chicken tractor or free range. They are excellent foragers who are happy to dig for bugs and worms. This addition to their diet will create eggs with much higher nutrient contents and deep orange yolks. Hens allowed to forage lay eggs with more vitamin A and E, less cholesterol, less saturated fat, more beta carotene and more omega-3 fatty acids. Many cities are allowing people to keep a few hens for egg production. Rhode Island Red chickens would be perfect for these situations. It is recommended to plan for 1.5 to 2 laying hens per person for a family flock. This is a good rule to follow if you plan on eating eggs every day. Otherwise, a small group of four hens can produce 2 to 4 eggs every day except during molting. That is enough to feed most small families a meal of eggs at least every few days. A family of four could make a quiche, for example, as a meal. One quiche uses about four eggs.

Roger Williams established the earliest permanent settlement in Rhode Island at Providence in 1636 on property obtained from the Narragansett Indians. Forced to run away from Massachusetts because of harassment, Williams established a rule of religious and political freedom in his new settlement. Other leaders supporting freedom of worship quickly established similar societies on either side of Narragansett Bay. These societies united, and in 1663 King Charles II of England granted them a royal contract, providing for a greater level of self-government than any other colony in the New World, promoting the continuation of freedom of religion.

The early 1700s was a period of success for Rhode Island. Farming and sea trading became the most thriving trades. Providence and Newport were among the busiest ports in the New World. In spite of making profits from the slave trade, Rhode Island was the earliest colony to make the importation of slaves, illegal. When the Revolutionary War started, the people of Rhode Island were amongst the first migrants to take action against British rule by attacking British vessels. On May 4, 1776, the first colony to give up loyalty towards Great Britain and announce independence was Rhode Island.

The independent spirit of Rhode Island was evident even at the close of the Revolutionary War. Rhode Island was the last of the 13 original colonies to approve the U.S. Constitution, demanding that the Bill of Rights, which secures individual freedom, be added. At the same time, as industrialization increased, Rhode Island’s cities expanded. New people in search of employment opportunities came from a score of countries, mostly from Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, and French Canada. Over the years, as these people became a part of Rhode Island’s industrial structure, the state gained a reputation for its manufacturing skill and quality, which is still a significant asset for the state’s economy.