Barred Rock Rooster

[atief1253]

I hope I have the correct site. We are thinking of getting a barred rock rooster. I hesitate because we had a hen which would take off every morning and go somewhere until it was time to go into the coop. She would mysteriously appear from any direction and walk in like nothing was wrong. We tried running after her, looking everywhere, and never found out where she went. A fox got her as she was coming out of the woods one day. Of course if she had been in the yard near her coop, it would not have happened. Do all barred rocks take off each morning and return at the end of the day or was mine just an oddity?

 

[Bonniebooboo]

Some chickens just do that, not particular to barred rocks. My chickens get out and usually go within 50 yards of their coop in all directions. they go in the road ditch, barn lot and even to our back door which is about 70 yards from the coop but never take off unless a predator gets them. If one wonders like that, they could potentially get a buddy to go with them and teach a few to do the same. Not sure how long that was going on, but she/they need a large covered run and kept penned if you get anymore that do that and don't want them eaten by a predator. Best of luck if you get more birds. Sorry about the predator attack. I have had Barred rocks only a few at a time, but have had them and other breeds for over 30 years, and none have made it a habit of staying gone in the timber.

 

[bobbi-j]

Just like people, they are all different. Some breeds are known more for certain attributes than others, but there are always a few that didn't get the memo and do their own thing. So it's impossible to say if one chicken will act a certain way or that ALL chickens of a certain breed will do the same thing. The only way to find out is give it a try.

 

[atief1253]

Some chickens just do that, not particular to barred rocks. My chickens get out and usually go within 50 yards of their coop in all directions. they go in the road ditch, barn lot and even to our back door which is about 70 yards from the coop but never take off unless a predator gets them. If one wonders like that, they could potentially get a buddy to go with them and teach a few to do the same. Not sure how long that was going on, but she/they need a large covered run and kept penned if you get anymore that do that and don't want them eaten by a predator. Best of luck if you get more birds. Sorry about the predator attack. I have had Barred rocks only a few at a time, but have had them and other breeds for over 30 years, and none have made it a habit of staying gone in the timber.

It would have been interesting to find out what she was doing all day, if she had eggs, etc. That's why I am hesitant about getting a rooster and having him take off.

 

[Bonniebooboo]

Yes that would have been interesting to know. she may well have started a nest out there, but if she went broody she probably wouldn't have kept coming back at night. doesn't mean she wasn't laying eggs out there. she found a nice spot maybe and kept going to it, but may have found tons of bugs she like eating and kept going there. One of my hens this summer I thought maybe quit laying as she wasn't leaving anything in the nest box. One evening by accident I found a nest of white eggs in the grass sweeper I pull behind the mower. nice nest. this hen just liked the spot and kept laying her eggs there instead of the coop, but she has never gone broody in 4 years. she is 4 and a half. She just had a spot she liked and deposited her eggs there. I have to do Easter egg hunts pretty much every day letting the hens out.

 

[ScottKelly1974]

I have had similar issue with my buff hen. She stopped laying eggs in the nest box and played them under the deck. The other hen started laying eggs under some wood proper up against the fence. I found them and took the eggs. Then she started laying under the deck. Now I have them in the winter cage with the hatched chicks.

Two of the chicks are Barred Rock, one rooster and one hen. They both hatched on August 7. I am not planning to keep them.

 

[ScottKelly1974]