Kristin's Chickens: The Barred Rocks

I had wanted barred Plymouth Rocks since I first laid eyes on a picture of one. I thought they were so attractive with their bold stripes of black and white, their shapey figure, and their classic barnyard appearance. I wanted them so badly, and so we were certain to find a hatchery to provide them.

Barred rocks quickly made themselves among my very favorite breeds, if not the absolute favorite. They were friendly from early on, always flying onto my lap or my arms and filling me in on the latest gossip. I found their feathers so breathtaking as they came in, amazed that they could produce actual stripes as they did.

This group of barred rocks has instilled in me a desire to never go without some kind of Plymouth Rock in my flock. I will always recommend this breed to keepers, experienced or new. They are the best pet chicken breed I have ever owned.

These birds were named after real people. I'll make sure to make note of who with each bird I post.




Cricket is my perpetual stink-eye bird.


A simple bird with simple needs, she does not like having her picture taken when she's busy:


...Or snow in enough quantity to stick on the ground. Here's what she does if there's snow on the ground:


She does, however, like camping, especially the part where you get to sit in a tent.


"Please, may I please come in?"



Cricket had an explosive molt around the end of December, 2012, which in the cold weather prompted my mom and I to make her a little coat to keep her warm. Doesn't she look so happy in her dress?

Cricket is named after Cricket Leigh.




Debra Jo, the girl with the attitude! I always say, 'she's Debra Jo--so much personality that I had to give her two names!'. This girl is so special, she even has her own form of the stink-eye: the Debra Jo diva look!

Debra Jo diva looks through the ages:



Debra Jo loves to eat snow. (It makes a nice rhyme, too.)


Debra Jo is named after Debra Jo Rupp.



Diana is a sweetie and a camera hog.

( "Look at me! Now!!" )


Diana is notorious for being the first barred rock to start laying, but deep in the woods somewhere where I had to find a nest and keep deterring her from going back. I had thought she started laying in the nest boxes, but after I tailed her into the woods, I found she had begun easily a week before then, judging by the number of eggs.

( "Who, me?" )

Diana is pushy, pushy, pushy! She is always running up to me, poking at my ankles for attention. She likes to peck my shirt, too, which often leads to painful pinches as she misjudges how thin the fabric is.


Diana is named after Diana Wynne Jones.



My little worrier, Kate always has a look of concern on her face.


Kate was such a worrier, she wouldn't even let me touch her until she started squatting. She doesn't take many pictures because of her skittishness.

Here she is, worrying about how well we put together this enclosure for the Guinea fowl:



Katykins will squat and let me pet her, but afterwards, she shakes out her feathers over and over again for a good few minutes. I guess she's showing me how indignant she is about it.



Kate has become a little more lovey in recent months. While she still doesn't let me touch her on the ground, she'll hop into my lap if I'm sitting and snuggle right up next to me!

Kate is short for Kathryn and she is named after Kathryn Lasky.



Natalie is the quiet one. She has always been a tad darker than the rest of the barred rocks, as is even shown in how dark her eyes still are.


As she is so distant and secretive, I don't have many pictures of her. I do, however, have a picture of her showing her disapproval of my picture taking.



Here's Natalie disapproving of me taking a picture of her as she was going to roost, too.



Natalie's name comes from the feminine for Nathan, and she is named after Nathan Lane.





names: Cricket, Debra Jo, Diana, Kate, and Natalie
sex: female
age: 2 years old (born May 11, 2011)
breed: Barred Plymouth Rock
egg color: Pinkish-tan, some with speckling of brown or white.