Breed · Chicken breed
New Hampshire
Gallus gallus domesticus
Also known as: New Hampshire Red
The New Hampshire is an American dual-purpose chicken breed selectively developed from the Rhode Island Red for faster growth and earlier maturity, valued as a productive meat-and-egg bird with a rich chestnut-red plumage.
Record
Livestock breed- Breed of
- Chickens
- Species
- Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)
- Type
- Dual-purpose
- Origin
- New Hampshire, United States
- Recognition
- Registered
- Conservation status
- Not establishedReported per source and date (e.g. FAO DAD-IS); not a fixed property of the breed.
- Registries
- FAO DAD-IS · Global · as of 2026-07-12Chicken breed recorded in the global domestic animal diversity inventory.
- American Poultry Association (Standard of Perfection) · United StatesRecognised as a distinct breed from 1935.
- Adaptation
- Hardy and adaptable across temperate climates, tolerating cold and general farm conditions with basic shelter.
- Primary uses
- Dual-purpose meat and egg production, Meat-oriented crossbreeding, Backyard and smallholder flocks
Registry listing or variety protection is jurisdiction- and date-specific and does not by itself indicate current commercial availability, universal cultivation approval, patent status, or a recommendation.
The New Hampshire is a dual-purpose chicken breed developed in the United States in the early 20th century by intensively selecting Rhode Island Red stock in the state of New Hampshire. Breeders emphasised rapid growth, early feathering, early maturity, and vigour rather than a new colour or type.
The result is a robust, medium-heavy fowl with lighter, more chestnut-red plumage than the Rhode Island Red, laying brown eggs and producing a good meat carcass. It has been used both as a farm and exhibition bird and in commercial meat crosses.
Origin and history
From the 1910s onward, New England breeders selected Rhode Island Red lines specifically for quick growth and early maturity, and the New Hampshire was admitted to the American Poultry Association standard in 1935 as a distinct breed. It became important both for meat and as a parent in broiler and dual-purpose crosses in the mid-20th century.
Appearance and characteristics
- A medium-heavy, well-rounded body built for a good balance of meat and eggs.
- Plumage a lighter, brighter chestnut or salmon-red than the deep mahogany of the Rhode Island Red.
- A single comb, red earlobes, and yellow legs and skin.
- A generally calm and vigorous disposition; birds mature and feather early.
Use and management
The New Hampshire is a practical dual-purpose breed kept for brown eggs and meat, and it is valued where early maturity and good growth are priorities. It suits backyard, free-range, and smallholder systems and has been used in crossbreeding for meat production. Hardy and adaptable, it performs well under ordinary farm management.
Relationships
Evidence-backed connections in the knowledge graph.
Farming systems
Scope & limitations
Geographic scope: Global breed overview; standards, strains, and populations vary by country and registry.
Climate context: Kept across temperate regions; valued as a hardy all-round dual-purpose breed.
- This is a general breed profile, not strain-specific performance data or husbandry guidance.
- Meat-oriented and exhibition strains differ in growth and laying; only qualitative generalisations are given.
- Conservation risk status is not asserted here because it varies by country and population.
Sources
This article draws on the following authoritative sources. See our sources & methodology for how they are selected.
- [1]DAD-IS — Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (opens in a new tab)Authoritative
FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
Cited for: Breed recording and global diversity status
- Type:
- Official registry
- Jurisdiction:
- Global
- Accessed:
- 2026-07-12
- Moderate
Cited for: Breed origin, history, and general characteristics
- Type:
- Reference database
- Jurisdiction:
- Global
- Accessed:
- 2026-07-12