This breed shares many characteristics with its forebears, the Rhode Island Red. They are a heavy breed with yellow skin, bright orange eyes, a single red comb, and red earlobes and wattles. The plumage however is much lighter than the modern day Rhode Island Red with much more gold than brown hues. They still share the same black lacing in the tail feathers, but New Hampshires also have some in their neck feathers and in their wings.

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New Hampshires are a docile, calm, and friendly breed that do well in backyards and gardens. They are known to go broody and make great mothers. Like the Rhode Island Red, they have a reputation for having the occasional aggressive individual – but this quality is much rarer in New Hampshires. Most are curious, trusting, and personable.

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When New Hampshire Reds were first standardized by the American Poultry Association, it was recorded that they laid nearly 340 eggs in a single year. Although this high level of production has not been maintained, you can still expect close to 200 eggs per year. Selective genetic strains of New Hampshires lay a darker brown egg.