Barred Rock Chicks

[Crazy Bee Lady]

I purchased barred rock chicks that are now 8 wks old and they are huge. My other chicks didn't grow this fast. Is this normal.

 

[WingsysRoost]

It did feel like my Barred Rocks grew quite quickly, but I haven't had any other breeds as chicks to compare them to. As long as there are no health concerns or anything like that, I would say they are likely fine.

 

[Crazy Bee Lady]

Thank you for your reply. I am hopeful that we can get them moved into there own tractor this week. The brooder has become very crowded.
Also I got my first egg from my first batch of chicks. I am so excited.

 

[Coops Dad]

My BRs grew pretty quickly but not as fast as our RIRs. Our Bresses, though, are the real deal when it comes to sizing up. This is a pic of three Bresses (one rooster and two pullets) aside our RIRs that all hatched on the same day. The weight is there, too; the Bresse are not all feathers. They're heavy.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

What breeds are your other chicks? Different breeds all grow at different rates. My brahama hen for example is huge, but as chicks my barred rock hen initially shot up much faster than my Brahma. My barred rock was larger up until she seemed to stop growing right around 4 months she reached about full size. My Brahma on the other hand kept growing slow n steady for several months after until she became almost double the size of my barred rock. A barred rock however, compared to say a production breed would appear to grow more slowly.

 

[Crazy Bee Lady]

Bad news, My Barred Rocks were moved to a chicken tracker and doing well. But the racoons found a way in and killed 5 of the 6. I have one left and she is tramatized.. She is moving around and eating and drinking. How long should I leave her Isolated? She is the only one that is this age, the others are a lot older. I have an opportunity to get another Barred Rock of a similar age. Should I do that for companionship?

 

[Crazy Bee Lady]

What breeds are your other chicks? Different breeds all grow at different rates. My brahama hen for example is huge, but as chicks my barred rock hen initially shot up much faster than my Brahma. My barred rock was larger up until she seemed to stop growing right around 4 months she reached about full size. My Brahma on the other hand kept growing slow n steady for several months after until she became almost double the size of my barred rock. A barred rock however, compared to say a production breed would appear to grow more slowly.

I have Wyandots, Rhode Island Red, Buff Oprington and Black Star Sexlink. They all grew at the same rate.

 

[chx]

Bad news, My Barred Rocks were moved to a chicken tracker and doing well. But the racoons found a way in and killed 5 of the 6. I have one left and she is tramatized.. She is moving around and eating and drinking. How long should I leave her Isolated? She is the only one that is this age, the others are a lot older. I have an opportunity to get another Barred Rock of a similar age. Should I do that for companionship?

Yes, but you'll probably have to partition off your run for a week or so. That way they can get used to seeing each other but not pick a fight. After that, I would do the same with the (now 2) Barred Rocks, that is, put them in the partition area and let the older hens get to know them. After a while hopefully they will all become one big flock!

 

[CSKA]

My BRs grew pretty quickly but not as fast as our RIRs. Our Bresses, though, are the real deal when it comes to sizing up. This is a pic of three Bresses (one rooster and two pullets) aside our RIRs that all hatched on the same day. The weight is there, too; the Bresse are not all feathers. They're heavy.
View attachment 3660740

I just bought Bresse eggs, would you be able to provide some live/dressed weight guide? Like at 4 months / 5 months or whenever you got them on the scale (alive or processed)? What I find online is quite confusing...

 

[Coops Dad]

I just bought Bresse eggs, would you be able to provide some live/dressed weight guide? Like at 4 months / 5 months or whenever you got them on the scale (alive or processed)? What I find online is quite confusing...

I put eight young roosters in the freezer last week, they were 3-1/2 months old and were extremely close in size. I didn't weigh them prior to processing but they all dressed out between 3lb 2oz to 3lb 5oz without necks or feet and ready for the freezer. Just the straight carcass. I free range ours on a 6-acre pasture and they get free access to 16% all flock feed. We are one for dinner yesterday and it was excellent.