The ISA Brown is a hybrid type of Sex Link chicken, which is the result of crossing Rhode Island Reds and Rhode Island Whites[1][2]. The ISA Brown is a hybrid, not a true breed. It is known for its high egg production of approximately 300 eggs per hen in the first year of laying.
ISA stands for Institut de Sélection Animale, the company which developed the breed in 1978 for egg production as a battery hen. In 1997, the ISA Group merged with Merck & Co., forming Hubbard ISA, so the breed is sometimes called Hubbard Isa Brown. In 2005, Institut de Sélection Animale (ISA) and Hendrix Poultry Breeders (HPB) merged. Institut de Sélection Animale SAS, France (ISA SAS) is now an operational centre of Hendrix Genetics. In March 2005, Hubbard was purchased from Merial Ltd by Group Grimaud La Corbiere, SA.
The cross is a friendly pet, very confident and not afraid to go first but when it gets older it becomes a little bit pecky and eats a lot more . They are very good layers.