Barred Rocks!!

[slordaz]

they all look like the barred rock I have hatched, big head spot is usually a cockrelm I have never dealt with sexllinks before, but give em a few days for their feathers to start coming in and you'll be able to tell as for the barring to occur they need one gene from both sides

 

[nowlifehappens]

they all look like the barred rock I have hatched, big head spot is usually a cockrelm I have never dealt with sexllinks before, but give em a few days for their feathers to start coming in and you'll be able to tell as for the barring to occur they need one gene from both sides

Thank you!

 

[daxigait]

Will someone check my guesses on these week old chicks?
A cockrel

B pullet

C cockrel?

D pullet?

E. ? Pullet

F. Cockrel

 

[slordaz]

if I had to guess I would say only the first one is a pullet and the rest cockrel if they are just barred rock. The cockrrels are the only ones that have a bigger spot on the head

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

So I was looking at a hatchery for meat birds this summer and was surprised to find Barred rocks on the list. I raise mine for eggs, not meat. Has anyone used Barr Rocks for meat? Are they truely big enough?

 

[slordaz]

They are what is known as a dual purpose bird, though only one I have even thought of sending to freezer camp or the pot was the rooster the day he drew blood. so that is why you will find them on both lists like that.

You should note they will not be as heavy as a meat bird will, typically meat birds are ready to process in 2-3 months ours is almost a year old now

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

They are what is known as a dual purpose bird, though only one I have even thought of sending to freezer camp or the pot was the rooster the day he drew blood. so that is why you will find them on both lists like that.

You should note they will not be as heavy as a meat bird will, typically meat birds are ready to process in 2-3 months ours is almost a year old now

I had a few Cornish cross, they are currently in the freezer. They were such stupid lazy birds, I am looking at other breeds. I realize none will be like the cornish x just looking for an acceptable alternative. My Barr Rocks just do not seem nearly big enough.

 

[slordaz]

It all depends on how they are managed, we kicked ours out with the flock and made them hunt for food while free ranging with the flock, didn't feed them any different than the egg laying free ranging chickens and they still were bigger than what you could buy at the store when we processed them at 2-3 months where most of your dual purpose birds will be 6-12 months before big enough to even consider it.

We currently have one cornish x that is coming up on a year old and is laying fertilized eggs from our barred rock rooster, though it is getting harder for her to get around she still does, hopefully will have the coolerbator done and try hatching some of those eggs she lays as to get the cornish x they cross the cornish with a plymoth rock

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

It all depends on how they are managed, we kicked ours out with the flock and made them hunt for food while free ranging with the flock, didn't feed them any different than the egg laying free ranging chickens and they still were bigger than what you could buy at the store when we processed them at 2-3 months where most of your dual purpose birds will be 6-12 months before big enough to even consider it.

We currently have one cornish x that is coming up on a year old and is laying fertilized eggs  from our barred rock rooster, though it is getting harder for her to get around she still does, hopefully will have the coolerbator done and try hatching some of those eggs she lays as to get the cornish x they cross the cornish with a plymoth rock

That would be great. I free ranged mine as well, but I still had to kick them out of the barn every day so they could range. Even then they would never go far enough to get food. The hens perhaps could have survived to laying age, I considered trying (I would have got the same mix of cornish x and Barr rock) if you ever do it would love to see the pics of what you get. The two cockerels were too big and one began to walk funny. The other birds never did accept them.
Thanks for the info though, I thought this hatchery was off its rocker.

 

[slordaz]

I sure will, next week we should have the cooler bator done just waiting on part to arrive that couldn''t get locally.

My flock didn't have a problem with the cornish x hens just the roosters, but it's funny cause the poor cornish x so wants to get up and roost with the rest of the flock but she is just to big, trick was we got them really small and tossed them in with the others so they learned that is what they were supposed to do only really only had to chase em out for about a week, roosters again were the problem so they went to freezer camp first we decided as they were so active and got along with the flock to leave 2 hens.

the drake taught all of the hens to fish though lol, only keep the ones that are active foragers as they will stay healthy longer. out poor cornish x hen couldn't grow any taller so now she is just widening out probaly weighs between 18-20 lbs