New Hampshire poultry breeders likely envied Rhode Island for having a chicken breed named for their state. By the mid-1930s, they perfected a breed in the Granite State that grew a bit faster than the Rhode Island and was an important broiler breed until the era of modern hybrids. New Hampshire hens sport light rusty red feathers and lay about 240-medium brown eggs each year. They weigh between six to seven pounds. New Hampshire chicks have buff-colored feathers that will be darker on their backs.