Chick sold as 'Plymouth Rock'

[rachelisneat]

Here's my story:
We just got our first flock (yay!) and purchased our chicks at the farm store. Was planning on Rhode Island Reds, so when they were out, we got the last two Plymouth Rocks. Now, I just found out an hour ago while looking around the site that most Plymouth Rocks are barred rocks. I had heard that barred rocks do best with other barred rocks, and one of the chicks definitely has barred feathers. This is the other chick; she has always been twice as big as her "sisters". Is she a Plymouth Barred Rock? 7 days home, I'm guessing still 10 days old...

 

[Fred's Hens]

She is not a Plymouth Rock, she's not barred, thus not a Barred Plymouth Rock.


Plymouth Rocks have several varieties. The variety name come before the breed name when speaking. Thus, Barred Plymouth Rocks, White Plymouth Rocks, and more, such as Columbian, Silver Penciled, Buff, etc.

 

[rachelisneat]

Yes, here is the other one ; she is barred; I was wondering that their coloring could be so different! Or thought maybe she would change color later on...

So not a Plymouth Rock, any guess what breed? She is white breasted. Mostly black. I can't imagine she'd be anything exotic from our farming store; maybe a hybrid? She's friendly!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Chicks get mixed up at feed stores all the time. Shrug.

Could be any number of black birds with grey or white skin, as the legs show. Australorp would be suspect, I should think.

 

[Wyandottes7]

She looks like an Australorp to me (or possibly a Black Orpington, but they are less commonly sold).

 

[rachelisneat]

Australorp would be cool; the pics I saw of Australorp chicks did not look to have the white breast? Does that go away?

Any advice about keeping/rehoming the barred rock? We got 8 for a 6 bird flock as rooster/disease/accident insurance, so we have decisions to make in a couple months...
I wouldn't want her to be picked on, or be a loner. We can just wait and see! Having a blast so far!

 

[BantamLover21]

She looks like an Australorp to me (or possibly a Black Orpington, but they are less commonly sold).

x2

 

[Spangled]

Australorp would be cool; the pics I saw of Australorp chicks did not look to have the white breast? Does that go away?

Yes. The white breast is just there when they're babies. It will be gone in about 4 weeks ... I think ... I haven't had a penquin chick in a while. A lot of the black breeds hatch with the white belly and the white under the eyes and proceed to become all black. It's genetic.

 

[sunflour]

Yes, here is the other one ; she is barred; I was wondering that their coloring could be so different! Or thought maybe she would change color later on...

So not a Plymouth Rock, any guess what breed? She is white breasted. Mostly black. I can't imagine she'd be anything exotic from our farming store; maybe a hybrid? She's friendly!

This one does look like my Barred Rocks at that age. And with the leg markings, I would think pullet.

 

[rachelisneat]

Thanks all!
Still rooting for all pullets! I keep telling the chicks they are sisters now, so that should help!