Help me identify the breed of chicken in this photo from 1920

[write2caroline]

This is a restored photo of a postcard featuring my grandmother (Grandma Dar Snyder) who is about 3 in the photograph. These are barred chickens and quite large. If you look at the chicken on the bottom right she has a small comb. The chicken walking towards the camera appears to be the same breed too and also has a neat comb.

The just seem to be beautiful big chickens and I would love to find some.

I believe this is from a Farm in Washington State.

Any, I am not sure there is a correct answer but it would be fun to try to find out what these chicken's might be.

Caroline

 

[hdowden]

they appear to be barred rocks

 

[speckledhen]

I'd say Barred Rocks (can't see the comb). A true heritage BR is a larger bird than most hatchery stock you see today. The hen coming toward the camera sort of looks like she has a rose comb so could be a cross of a Dom and BR or a Dom, but Doms are usually more "swaybacked" in comformation than a Rock.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Back then, most frontier type folks called a barred bird a Dominecker. They didn't pay much attention as to whether it was Barred Rock or Dominique. Those two breeds were related, no doubt, in most people's minds and the rose comb Barred Rocks faded away in favor of the APA's standard of straight comb, as I understand the history.

Notice how large those fowl were in body. As Speckledhen says, about the only way you're going to get birds like that is to secure some heritage fowl from a line that has been faithfully kept for a century. Yes, they are available.

 

[write2caroline]

I thought they might be barred rocks too but they have a small comb like a sussex or an orpington but I have never seen a barred orp or a barred sussex
Caroline

 

[speckledhen]

Yup, my hens out of the Stukel 50 year pure line are so much stockier than my hatchery hens were or their daughters (except for maybe one of the hatchery descendents, who is unusually large). Since Barred Rocks came out of Dominiques, you have lots of crossing going on back then, I'd assume.

 

[jenbo50]

No idea about the breed as I am a total novice but I must say what a beautiful picture that is!!! x

 

[looneyrooster]

No idea about the breed as I am a total novice but I must say what a beautiful picture that is!!! x

Agreed!

 

[write2caroline]

I just looked up the dominecker...lol dominique???? They have huge combs too. So these appear to be big birds with tiny combs like an orp but barred.....IF there are none around ----- how do I breed them....Any ideas????? Barred rocks which I have also have large combs but these have small tight little combs close to the heads. and round bodies - I think that the photo is in fall or spring because Dar is wearing a coat and hat and the chickens might be puffier because of cold or wind?????
Caroline

 

[Fred's Hens]

Here's a photo from some early 1900 birds. The Barred Rocks were coming into their own, as a breed. Notice how small the combs (single) were in these renderings on the pullets/hens.

Yes, BTW. I am a total sucker for photos from that era that feature chickens. Sweeeeeeet

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