History (especally nuclear history) and Linguistics are my passions. contact me on this basis.
Did you comment as paco on the talk:chicken page about a pet chicken? I could not find the image that you referred to, but generally I am good at identifying chicken breeds. You said that you thought that your bird was a Rhode Island Red. There is a DISTINCT difference between "production reds" and exhibition Rhode Island Reds. Production reds are a rich red color, often having black markings on the tail, normal yellow feet. Exhibition reds are dark mahogany red, so dark that they look black in some lights. They also tend to have dark orange/red or brown markings on the feet. I recommend looking at pictures on feathersite: http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Reds/BRKRIR.html Likely your bird was a production red, as they are VERY common.