Barred Rocks Typically nice chickens?

[RebelsHope]

I have a variety. I know I have some RIR, Barred Rock, Silver Laced Wyandotte, and Buff Orphington. I need to post some more pic soon. But my question is just about the barred rock. My barred seem more friendly than the rest of them. I feed cheese at night to get them to come in, and the barred rock will actually eat it out of my hand. It is really cute. I hold out a little piece of shredded cheese and two of the three will just pick it from my fingers. They are the only ones that will. Are Barred Rocks typically good natured little chickens?

 

[rooster-red]

It has been my experience that as a rule they have good temperments, even the Roo's.

 

[lurky]

Are you sure its a hen? It could just be a friendly chick......but the 'one' friendly one i had ended up being a Roo. The boys seem to be more brave. That was the only real difference with mine until the feathering changed.

 

[speckledhen]

Absolutely!!!! I love mine. My main flock rooster is a Barred Rock that I bought(rescued is more like it) at 10 months old. I have four Barred Rock hens and as I lose my birds over the years, I plan to go to only Barred Rocks and Blue/Buff Orpingtons. They are friendly, attractive, curious and consistent layers. Just an all-round great breed. My original flock was composed of the exact breeds as yours is and I love them all, but Barred Rocks have been my favorite from the beginning.

 

[PurpleChicken]

We have one Barred Rock. He's nice but our Buff Orpington is the sweetest. Our RIR
turned out to be a roo so it's hard to judge.

 

[RebelsHope]

I am sure that I have hens now. I sold my roo. Now I kind of wish I kept him. My RIR roo is sort of a . . . well the other term for roo.

My buff is very skittish , I am very surprised because I always heard how calm they were. Maybe she will come around.

 

[speckledhen]

There are individual differences between birds, as you've seen with your Buff Orp. They are in general like their breed characteristics call for, but not always. My Buff Orp, Sunny, was a little skittish for awhile, till after she went broody last year for the first time and almost died. After we saved her, against her will, she became very friendly like my other one always was.

 

[DoctorGoose]

All of my BRs have been kind, well-mannered, and friendly....Do your Wyandottes seem a little more high-strung?

 

[speckledhen]

I wouldn't call them highstrung at all. Mine are not quite as friendly as the Barred Rocks, but they would still be considered friendly, I'd say. Even among my three SLWs, there are different personalities. Two don't mind me picking them up, but the third one really hates it. If you don't pick her up, she's fine.

 

[Davaroo]

Cyn hit the nail on the head: each bird is different.

I used to have an Autrolorp hen, Hazel, who would follow me around until I picked her up and stroked her between the wings, along her back. If I didn't, I risked tripping over her and breaking my fool neck until I did. Once she got her attention, she would totter off on her merry way, ruffing her feathers and ca-lukking to herself.
What did the rest of the A-lorps think? They didn't give me even a passing notice...which tends to be the rule for most chickens.
I have yet to have a chicken who did the same.

But, as a rule the Barred Rock has what is normally called an even temperament and has been called everything from friendly to mild-mannered.

They have been bred for 150 years or so now and that is one of the very traits that has been bred in. As an all-purpose fowl, I would place the BR as the benchmark. You can hardly go wrong with a vigorous strain of them and stand an excellent chance of success when they are well managed.