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Barred Rock

Very tame nice breed that gives you big beautiful brown eggs. They aren't that loud and the...
Overview Reviews (235) Gallery
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General Information

Breed Purpose
Dual Purpose
Comb
Single
Broodiness
Average
Climate Tolerance
All Climates
Egg Productivity
Medium
Egg Size
Large
Egg Color
Brown
Breed Temperament
Kind, Skittish
Breed Colors/Varieties
Barred (black and white)
Breed Size
Large Fowl
APA/ABA Class
American
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Barred Rock Rooster​

The Plymouth Rock a.k.a. Barred Rock is a very popular duel-purpose American breed, known for their excellent laying ability, general hardiness, and calm good nature which makes them a good choice for small backyard flocks and homesteaders.

Chickens called "Plymouth Rocks" were shown as early as 1849, but that flock disappeared and later strains from several different breeders combined to form the foundation of today’s Plymouth Rock breed. Mr. D.A. Upham of Worcester, MA is credited as being one of the primary influences on the breed, he first exhibited his birds at the Worcester, MA poultry exhibition in 1869. His birds are generally acknowledged to be the ancestors of the breed we know today.

A number of different breeds are reputed to have gone into the formation of the Plymouth Rock, including Dominique, Brahma, Black Java and Cochin. The breed gained a great deal of popularity quickly and the Plymouth Rock became the most popular farm chicken in the United States up until WWII.

The original color of the breed was Barred and early in the breeds history the name "Plymouth Rock" implied a barred bird. Barred varieties remain the most popular color today. As more color varieties were developed, the name Plymouth Rock became the designation for the entire breed, which can now can be found in other colors including White, Buff, Partridge, Silver Penciled, Columbian and Blue.

The Barred Plymouth Rock was one of the breeds used as the foundation for the commercial broiler industry in the united States in the 1920's and the White Rock is still often used as the female side of the Cornish Rocks or Cornish Cross type commercial broiler cross.

They are single combed, quite winter hardy, and the hens are good layers of brown eggs. They are occasionally broody and make good setters and mothers.

The Plymouth Rock breed was recognized by the APA in 1874 and is on The Livestock Conservancy's Recovering list.

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Barred Rock chicks

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Barred Rock Juvenile (pullet)

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Barred Rock hen
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Latest reviews

BarredRock412
Pros: Great with kids, friendly, aware of predators, quiet.
Cons: Eats more than our two RIRs combined, often gets pecked on by others.
I love my barred rock. We bought her off craigslist from a breeder when she was about four months old. She's great with kids, loves being picked up and has never attacked, and absolutely LOVES people. Her feathers are extremely soft and she has a lot of fluff. She is very trusting and will fall asleep in my lap. The only time she is ever loud is if she sees a predator, she will squawk loudly and hide when she sees anything in the sky- airplanes, crows, literally anything. She doesn't even trust the family dog. She is a great layer but eats so much... it's shocking how much of a foodie she is. Since she is so docile, she is at the bottom of the pecking order and gets pecked on by the others. If you're looking for a family-friendly bird and great layer, I would highly recommend the barred rock.
Purchase Date
August 2020
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kbroom
kbroom
These Barred Rocks are so beautiful. I'd love to have those. I'm still in the decision stage. So far, I think I'll start out with just two babies. I'm still working on their coop. I have the actual core, but I must fence in underneath the back upstairs deck. It will be 20X20 X10. That should give them plenty of room. I was going to let them be free range, but after watching some videos, where a man said, "If you're going to be free range, just understand that you're going to have some dead chickens," I decided to keep them in a large cage. Their coop will be inside.
DesertGrrl
Pros: - Very gentle and calm birds.
- Makes cute sounds
- People friendly
Cons: - Don't do well in hot weather/climate.
- EATS A LOT OF FEED
My Barred Rock is totally awesome!
Does well with my other chick.
Very chill and laid back and loves sitting on my shoulder nicely.
She doesn't bite and is overall an amazing bird.
She will run up to me if I'm near the coop.

The Bad:
- My Barred Rock is very intolerant to hot weather (mostly black feathers is probably why) and will pant and have wings out (I live in the desert, but my Delaware does fine in this weather).
- Eats a lot of food almost non-stop.
They have a huge appetite for food.
Purchase Price
Free. Was a gift.
Purchase Date
Sept. 26, 2020
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RosiePosey
Pros: Great layer, easy keepers, larger sized.
Cons: Aggressive
We keep free-range chickens that just go in the coop at night so it's important to us to have a fairly protective rooster. Oreo is a fantastic protector of his ladies and treats them all well. He's fought off the neighbor's cat, a fox, and a hawk so far that we've seen. The downside to that is he sometimes thinks he needs to fight us off too! Somedays he's sweet and will eat out of your hand. The next day you round a corner or get out of the car and he's flapping up at you trying to get you with his spurs. The hens are aggressive with the other girls in our mixed flock too. The leghorns can hold their own but nobody else wants to be near them. They do lie a good sized egg consistently and for our purposes, they work. I probably wouldn't recommend this Roo for a more pet-type boy nor the hens for a mixed flock that is cooped as they may beat up the other girls.
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IslandRockFarm
IslandRockFarm
Same happens with us! They are great producers but they are mean hens. We had to move a couple hens to a different coop because they would bully, feather pluck, and wouldn't allow them to eat. This happened though after a mink attack where some hens died, and may have shifted the power dynamic.
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Sealizrus19
Sealizrus19
My hens are mean bullies too. Will probably never get more again...
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Comments

sssharon
I have a B.R. Roxanne also. I think they are pretty true to what you read about them. Mine is a little aggressive especially when it comes to food. She's a greedy little girl. She definitely has her favorites but over all they all get along pretty good. Not perfect but pretty good. She always comes running when she sees me and follows me all over. I think she it's because she thinks I have food. I do give them lots of snacks. I have cut down though, I read that fat chickens wont lay eggs so there go the treats. She doesn't let me pick her either. I try to pet her and she runs. Funny birds. I got rid of the worst birds I ever had, Brown Leghorns and I called them the chickens from Hell. They made everyone miserable and my girls are definitely happier without them.
 
cyborg
I have 40 chickens, and only one rooster that occasionally ticks me off. In that group, I have only one barred rock, and I call her BabyDoll. After the morning feeding, she will jump up in my lap for a quick nap. She always follows me around the run. She is quiet, curious, and never makes any trouble with any of the other chickens. I actually thought for a while she was kind of antisocial, she has very little to do with the other chickens. Wish I had another dozen just like her!
 
GreenNonic
I have the same kind of bird, only they called it a Plymouth rock at the hatchery? so i named her Nina (you know like the ship that brought some of the pilgrims)i am really lucky to have such an amazing flock of chicken, i only have the one bard rock but she's about like the book says she doesn't like to be handled that much, but then most of my chickens don't, because i free range them (supervised 4 times a day for 2-3 hours each time so hawks don't eat them)if i need to catch them, they move away from me, but she doesn't really run away, just jogs a little bit and then stops and lets me grab her, lol, or i can shake a little cup of feed and all the chickens will come, I'm sorry you got a weird chicken. Dont let it ruin you for the entire breed though, they are so pretty and soft, i love the one i have.
 
KellyLyn
Added (3) Barred (Plymouth) Rocks to the flock this spring (2014). They are really maturing nicely and should lay in the next month. They are my favorites of the flock: they are the most friendly and approachable to me; non-aggressive to other flock members, they are quiet and the most curious. They are the first to fly up into small trees I have inside run, first to greet me at the Run door each morning. And I really think they are the 2nd prettiest hens of the flock.
 
Bean789
"She's disgusting, always pooping all over herself and generally just having extremely poor hygiene." was in the thread that prompted my original comment. I am new to chicken keeping, but I have not known any of my chickens to have poor hygiene except when they were very small chicks and they got too crowded. Is this normal for all breeds of chickens that it is possible that their hygiene becomes an issue due to their attitudes? I am about to introduce 6 pullets and 4 guineas to my flock. I want to be forwarned.
 
stasichick
we always joke that our little barred rock baby is a rooster too!!! totally bossy! one of our smaller babies but SO RAMBUNCTIOUS! she is a nut! always the first to run out and jump on us, get into trouble, or attack the dog!! definitely has a BIG personality. :eek:) love her
 
chickincrazy
Another thing, mine follow me around in the yard, and they will walk up to you and talk to you! They're just so sweet. The PERFECT breed.
 
Diannastarr
I have to agree they are very good at what they do, and mine are good around me , i pick them up & they talk and chatter away....lol... but thats not saying they are not tough birds , because they are a great all around farm & free range bird...! & produce high quality eggs. they are the old stand by chicken of grandmas day...! tough , hearty & great survivors exactly,
 
Diannastarr
i agree...!! & barred rocks are great people chickens , sooo friendly and sweet with their people...!!! my barred rocks love to be picked up and carried around...lol...and they sit and chatter away by my screen door all day long i can tell just who they are just by their voices....lol.......lol.... : )
 
Jucknath
I have 4 that are 2 months old. They jump up in my lap, I give them cooked rice and they love it.
 
shaninsky
I really like my Barred Rocks. Good, no-nonsense birds. I have had some issues with feather re-growth after moulting but I think I got some poor stock.
 
MoototheCluck88
My Barred Rock is small compared to the other chickens, but she still holds her own. She never bosses the other chickens around though, so that's good.
 
gingerz45
I have a mixed flock of Comets, Orpingtons, White Leghorns, and Barred Rocks, In this flock, the Barred Rocks are the least friendly. All of the other breeds that I have will at least tolerate being picked up and petted but the Barred Rocks run away. My friendliest hen is a Buff Orpington. That said, the Barred Rocks are good layers and easy keepers.
 

Item information

Category
Chicken Breeds
Added by
dylan729
Views
210,122
Watchers
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Comments
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Reviews
235
Last update
Rating
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