What breed is my "barred Rock look alike" ?

[LKirts]

Hi again all... im back with another question about breed. I ordered from McMurray Hatchery back in April... ordered 2 barred rocks.. ended up with three.. I know we have a special "rare" breed somewhere in here.. this is the only one that is different compared to all the other breeds we ordered. With these pics can anyone tell me what breed she is, or is she just another barred rock breed? Every day she seems to be getting more white feathers somewhere..... thanks all!

 

[Fred's Hens]

She's a mix, a cross.

 

[goldfinches]

Did you order any roos? "She" looks a little rooish

 

[AmyLM]

she doesn't look rooish. LOL she looks like one of my hens that I don't think is a mixed breed (from MMH) who also has feathers that have no barring. Not sure if its a color fault (due to not very selective breeding practices at hatcheries) or what.

 

[LKirts]

She is definetly NOT a roo.. as my rooster mates her all the time.... She started out looking exactly like my other two barred rocks. Then her black got darker than the other two. and lately she is coming out with all this white... these pics were taken yesterday and today she has more white in her tail feathers... They are changing fast. She is very friendly. Not laying as yet, but neither are most of my brown egg layers. (got my first brown egg today from one of my black star hens) So do you all think she IS just a barred rock, with a fault in coloring?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Ok, you can call it a fault, but that is what faults often are. In her background, as a hatchery quality bird, you'd likely find lots of out crosses, which down many generations suddenly appear. She may not be a direct cross, but purebred? From a hatchery? Not very likely. The old time Barred Rocks simply didn't lay like the modern utility or production Barred Rocks sold by the hatcheries today. How did their laying become so prolific? Ah yes. Out crossing no doubt.

That said, so what? It means nothing. If she's a good hen, a healthy hen, a productive hen? I doubt you'll care very much at all.

 

[LKirts]

Shes a sweet hen, (not producing as yet), But kids are curious as to what breed she is... crossed with what? etc etc.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Again, she may not be the first generation result of a cross. But, in her background, White Rock for size, White Leghorn for laying ability were very likely mixed in. Shrug. It happens all the time. We've bred lots of Barred Rocks and Barred Rock crosses. The Barring color, in a rooster, will cover almost anything you put it over. Here's a little pullet we bred. She's only half BR, but she'd pass for a BR 99% of the time, but because of the outcross, she'll flat outlay a true bred BR.




Here are our true bred, heritage Barred Rocks at a similar age.





Can you see the difference? LOL

 

[LKirts]

Huge difference. The other two barred rocks we have look like the bottom pic..

 

[LKirts]

unless its just the pic that is lighter... our other barred rocks are lighter in color than this hen. big difference between the two.