Barred Rocks!!

[DesertChic]

I really like my Barred Rock pullet. It makes the most wonderful noises and is so friendly. I hope we share many wonderful years together.

That's awesome! I have two BR pullets that I absolutely adore, and they each laid eggs for more than 20 days straight before taking a break. These really are wonderful birds.

 

[DesertChic]

ok guys I was told the chicks were barred rocks when i bought them at cal ranch store and someone keeps telling me no they aren't can ya help me out here, we have had them for almost a month now they got their first feathers in and are currently going through a molt and growing new feathers as of last week so I'm figuring they are between 8-10 weeks old but that is just a guess. This girl is gonna be a good brooder I'd say as she wasn't going to let the new chicks go into the house she was making so much noise and frantic hearing them we decided to show her the new babies to try and calm her down and she started plucking them out of the box and putting them in a safe place , next morning she was showing them what they was supposed to be doing.

Is this a barred rock or a wyondette?

The image is really small and I wasn't able to enlarge it, so I can't get a good look, but at first glance it looks a lot like one of my BRs at that age. Pretty impressive protective instincts too! I've never heard of such a young pullet taking so much interest in younger chicks.

 

[slordaz]

Here I'll do it larger, they were raised with a young duckling, she is barely starting to get her own feathers but is now quite a bit larger than they are, that mothered them and so far 2/3 of the older ones are showing this attitude of wanting to be momma the other one adopted the 4 new meat birds and the baby mallard. none of the other younger ones seem to be like this. The chicks with her are 4 Rhode Island Reds that are a week or less old. this is from my cheap cell phone so not the greatest of picks. Guess was lucky I only brought 4 chicks but she keeps em covered and warm, you see em peek out from under her wings every once in a while and when she went out this morning after staying there for 2 days straight with them they came outwith her, she defended them fine against the other chicks but we had to put the ducklings in their place especially the older duckling, she acted kinda conflicted as is the one that watched over them as newborn chicks in the brooder and is now a lot bigger than they are.

 

[rfreedlund]

Is this a barred rock or a wyondette?

It looks like a Barred Rock chick to me, too. Are the legs yellow? Cuckoo Marans chicks look almost identical at that age too, so that could be a possibility. Their legs, though, aren't quite as light colored as a similarly aged Barred Rock Chick.I have never had Wyandottes of any kind so I can't say there.

 

[slordaz]

yeah they are yellow forgot to count toes, seem like pretty nice birds so far, they sure like to play a lot at this age lol

 

[rfreedlund]

yeah they are yellow forgot to count toes, seem like pretty nice birds so far, they sure like to play a lot at this age lol

I'll bet it is a Barred Rock then. As they get bigger, the barring will be much more noticeable. Of my original flock, I only picked up two of them, but they are two of my favorites. They just seem to mix in well. They are not too aggressive and they aren't too docile. Plus I like their pattern which is a contrast to most of the rest of my birds which are mostly solid colors.

I did have one of my Barred Rock girls go broody and two weeks ago she hatched 3 chicks from some fertile eggs I got from a neighbor (I have no idea what breed(s) the chicks are). She has been a good mother. She is currently raising her chicks along with two Australorps that I had go broody along with her at about the same time. I didn't give the Australorps fertile eggs but I did give them some day old chicks to adopt. Three of the chicks are more Barred Rocks, but they are being raised by the Australorps! Actually the three mamas are now doing a community job of raising the eight chicks they have between them. They all sleep together and any chick could be under any one of the hens at any time, though, my mama Barred Rock is definitely the head in the pen.

 

[slordaz]

I do notice that in 2/3 of the older ones, we have 4 that i am pretty sure are barred rocks,1 americana and another I am not sure of one of the local breeders couldn't identify it, then just added 4 RIR's we got from a different farm store that brings in straight runs,and even though they are young looks like we ended up with 2 females and 2 roosters. They are getting their first feathers in and there is quit a difference in them 2 are more muted while the other 2 are pretty flashy compared to the other 2. here is a pick we got of the ones she is taking care of, when the BR went to take a dust bath and socialize a little as the heat lamp was on in the coop.

 

[MammaJ]

Got my first egg from Hazel my 20-22 week old BR yesterday, so eggciting!!! She thinks she is a house pet. Always has to be at our feet no matter what we are working on. She is the loudest in my flock and only wants to eat her treats from our hands. She lets the others fight for what is on the floor.

 

[slordaz]

that is so eggcitying for you mammaj, I can't wait for mine to start laying but only about half way there, luckily we have ours on a friends farm and can go get a rooster cause 2 are already wanting to be mommas. I am so glad I went with this breed of chicken. But at the same time I am so nervous too, reading up on egg binding and stuff like that cause just like our chicks are attached to us, we are attached to them especially my special needs son.

I just can't take him to the ranch stores where we got them or he'd want to bring them all home lol

 

[DesertChic]

Got my first egg from Hazel my 20-22 week old BR yesterday, so eggciting!!! She thinks she is a house pet. Always has to be at our feet no matter what we are working on. She is the loudest in my flock and only wants to eat her treats from our hands. She lets the others fight for what is on the floor.

That's awesome! Congratulations on your first egg from her! She looks like one very happy pullet.