Barred Plymouth Rocks vs. Rhode Island Reds

[chickenlover007]

I will admit, RIR roosters are more handsome than rocks

He begs to differ

 

[black_cat]

Rocks over RIR all the way- but I do like the partridge pattern over the barred one. @cmom 's RIRs are gorgeous, but aside from those ones, I don't really like RIRs.

 

[PioneerChicks]

Collection thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/bickering-breeds-thread-collection.1434142/

 

[cluckingheck]

Then they would of been sexlinks hens would of been solid males would be barred

Yeah, I know. They would’ve looked something like my black sex-link pullet, Tilly

i have no idea what she’s mixed with, she very well could be a BR/RIR too.

 

[cmom]

Here are a couple of pictures of the Good Shepherd Rocks from his facebook page. His birds are pure standard birds (heritage).

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Uh, no?

oh okay

 

[PioneerChicks]

@Starburst @cluckmecoop7 @Laura_BelgianBantams_63 @HuffleClaw

 

[The Happster]

@cmom has show quality RIR.

 

[PioneerChicks]

Because of my extreme love of the barred pattern, next year I will be getting Hollands. Hollands are the rarest American chicken breed, so I want to breed them to save the breed. They are almost the exact same as rocks but lay white eggs and have gray-brown bars instead of black.

They are so rare, in fact that the white variety of Hollands have gone extinct
I have a crazy dream of restoring the variety through careful breeding of barred Hollands and maybe white Plymouth Rocks? They wouldn't be pure, but it would make me happy to know I did my best for this awesome breed.

 

[PioneerChicks]

I think Production versus Show Quality should be evaluated. Because quite frankly production Barred Rocks and production Rhode Island Reds are garbage. Exhibition quality birds are a different matter though. That mahogany gene in the RIR really makes a difference.

That is a great point. I do love the deeply colored RIR, but as I said before, good quality rocks are striking!