I agree. I didn't think my Barred Rock chicks would ever feather out and I understand it takes much longer for them to start laying than the hatchery types. But, I think the wait is well worth it. I've described some of the hatchery types that I have as fast food chickens. They develop fast and lay quickly but the heritage breeds are like fine dining. It may take a little longer but well worth the wait and the money. I can't wait to show them off.Here on BYC, if someone calls their EE an Araucana, they normally get corrected by the purists pretty quickly, LOL. The true, heritage Rhode Island Red folks, like Robert Blosi, Chris09, NYReds, etc, are also pretty quick to point out that 99% of the stuff presented as RIR are a far cry from type, and are called hatchery RIR or production reds.
The truth is that the heritage Barred Rocks were preserved for over a century by a handful of faithful people. The lines have not been polluted and now, after 100 years, the hatchery BR and the heritage BR really are two different birds. The difference in coloration, barring, growth, development, feathering, body proportions, and the like is astounding. I'm utterly and completely amazed at how slow my new BR are developing. Their behaviors are even quite different, as in foraging and broodiness. The hatchery BR has surely been crossed and faster maturing and increased egg laying is the result. 100 years has done some amazing things to most of the old, American Standard Breeds.
Please, please bear in mind that I am a keeper of hatchery, yea verily, commercial hatchery birds and love them. But, my goodness. what a difference. One represents the breeding of the 21st century while the other is like being transported back in time to Little House on the Prairie, circa 1880.