Barred Rocks!!

[Countrypunk92]

Heres my babies I got weds. They are 6 days old today.

http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l49/dark-shadow92/?action=view&current=IMAG0132.jpg

 

[babyrnlc]

they are my favorite breed, just a little above EE.

Here are our two. Pepper and Paprika (she has a little bit of brownish flecks on her)

Her is one of them checking out the new nest boxes.

Enjoying a dust bath

Both girls are in there:

 

[crash0330]

Oh how cute they are,
they'll turn out into such beauties with time!
They'll end up looking like this

 

[JenElliott]

Hmmm... I don't think this is what they mean when they say "chicken tractor"?

 

[bhj123]

Binababy
I'm in FL and wouldn't mind giving you free Bared Rock eggs.

That is my hen.

 

[Fred's Hens]

The Barred Rock is a composite bird. It isn't a species. Thus, in the hands of incredibly talented, committed breeders, the "line" or strain may well need "freshening" every decade or so. My use of the word "pure" was not a good choice. The idea isn't "pure" as in mammals, but bred to the Standard. That objective standard that describes the breed. A breed isn't a species but a composition of several foundational birds were carefully blended in the creation of the Barred Rock breed in the latter half of the 19th century, following the Civil War.

The modern breeder, who strives to maintain the breed to its excellence may choose to bring in "blood" from a distant line of the breed kept by someone else. There is likely a very good reason to do this. This can add jump and vigor but might also bring a strength of certain features that a talented breeder knows needs improvement if the strain/line is to continue on to be an excellent expression for the Standard of the breed.

When one "blends" into an establish line/strain a bit of blood from another line/strain or even variety, that breeder has many generations of work ahead of him/her to stabilize the results and he/she always keeps the old strain going on the side in case a back track is required; a do over, if you will.

There are a couple of competing and slightly variant definitions of "Heritage Birds". The APA is still studying how to develop a protocol for labeling flocks "Heritage". What one can be confident in is that at the center of everyone's definition is this common element. Bred to the breed's APA Standard. That's the key thing for me. The other aspects are fun to discuss though.

OK, that's enough as I've gone on far too long.

 

[junebuggena]

Not entirely correct. The barred hens pass one copy to their sons, but none to their daughters. This is why black sexlinks work. The males pass their barring gene to both males and females. Girls only get the one gene from their fathers, while boys get one gene each from both mother and father.

 

[junebuggena]

My Barred Rock rooster chased my 4-yr old son the other day! My husband had to get between them with his lawnmower he was on. He said one more time and it's to the stew pot he goes! I am so bummed, because he is great to his ladies, can gather them with one crow. He is so protective, and hasn't ever been aggressive before. He is I think about 6 months old, so I guess his hormones are really starting to kick in. I really hope there isn't a next time, because I am already getting bullseyes on the yolks and I really wanted to breed him to my Buffs that will be laying in 5 months.

Are Barred Rock roos naturally more aggressive than other breeds? I hope not, because I have another who is a month old chick that I'm hoping to use for breeding too. I almost got a Brahma, but didn't want anything too heavy for my Easter Egger hens to have to support. Maybe I should have researched this a little more before selecting?

Don't wait for 'one more time.' That boy meant business. If your husband hadn't have been there, your child would have been flogged. One time, charging at a child is one too many.

 

[Adb4090]

I adore my barred rock rooster! This is Snoop, King of the Coop at 20 weeks old. He is very productive over his mixed flock and a mating machine, haha.

 

[Countrypunk92]

Quote:
Gorgous birds! My favs are the Barred rocks and the laced Wyandottes.