Barred Rocks

[jossanne]

I love my BR's, and think that if I ever had to just choose one breed to keep, it might be them.

You did mention broodiness, and I have to say that they can be broody. One of my two girls hatched out a bunch of silkie eggs for me this past spring. She was an excellent mama. She hasn't gone broody again yet, and the other has never gone broody.

 

[speckledhen]

helmstead has a broody BR hen, but that hen is a few generations removed from the hatchery, which may have something to do with it, but maybe not. None of the hens I had here from helmstead's rooster and hens have gone broody, though, except the crossbreeds whose sire was a Cochin/Silkie cross.

 

[walkswithdog]

My BRs have always been friendly or VERY friendly birds, I have had dozens from several sources. Some were broody, not many.

I 've known dozens more - they were all my great grandmother ever kept.

A mean BR is atypical.

Now I have mostly Partridge Rocks and two Barred Rocks, again very friendly. These two BRs are never broody, some of my PRs do from time to time.

 

[Faverolle]

We have 22 or 23 Plymouth Rock's in several different color variations. All are friendly, fairly curious, and relatively quiet as far as chickens go. I had one roo a few years ago when I had a few hatchery birds still that was not only quite vocal but somewhat nasty but it was definitely the exception as far as our experience has been with the breed.

 

[speckledhen]

In the future, I will probably have only BRs and Delawares, with Buff Orpingtons and a few misc birds in the main laying flock. If I could have one breed, just one, it'd be the BRs, I think, above all others, though I do enjoy several others.

 

[purplepoen]

Barred Rocks are great, out of all the breeds I have I would get more BR's before anything else. They are very friendly and curious, however when they are upset they do make quite a racket, but I would say it's equivalent to when my dog starts barking in the yard, so it shouldn't be a problem for your neighbors. And never once has a BR come after me or even small children who come to visit, they just aren't aggressive. Even the roosters are extremely tame and nice, my head roo is perfectly content to sit on the swing in the yard with me.

 

[easttxchick]

I agree 100% with Speckledhen-my BR hens are very people friendly-I can still at 5 months old pick them up anytime and they still fly up in my lap for treats.

I have Austrolorps(also very good birds), Production Reds(a bit aloof), Gold and Silver Laced Wyandottes, Sumatras and Lakenvelders-if I could only pick one of the breeds I have, it would be the Barred Rocks.

Good luck to you!

 

[TK Poultry]

i love my BR's they being kinda wild never being held still come up to me and say hello they are just friendly birds i love them and im just in love.... i also hav new hamps and they are amazing i finally found another breed i fell in love with and then my EE pair those are like the only breeds i really like and they are all so friendly!!!

 

[Vanessabuffsnsilkies]

Has anyone ever heard of a barred rock bantam with feathered legs? I recently purchased some chicks that were supposed to be barred rocks and when I looked real close to their legs they have feathers on them. They look like barred rocks have the barring coming in. Any ideas?

 

[speckledhen]

Maybe they are Barred Cochins instead.