Are you interested in adding Barred Rock chicken to your flock? Then, you’ve come to the right place. It is the most popular variety of Plymouth Rock Chicken.
You can get the complete information about Barred Rocks in this article. It is an excellent chicken which is well-known for its egg-laying capability. Here is the list of the best egg-laying chicken breeds.
Here you will find all the information you need to know about the Barred Rock chicken, such as its history, color, size, appearance, benefits of raising it, and the problems you may have while raising them.
Before you decide to buy a few Barred Rock chicks, I recommend that you go through this complete breed guide to learn all the details.
Also read: Top 10 Best Rooster Breeds
What is Barred Rock Chicken?
Barred Rock chickens are one of the hardest working breeds of poultry. This breed is very beautiful and calm, and it is one of the flocks most productive members.
This breed is known for its excellent egg-laying ability and beautiful plumage.
Barred rock chickens are beautiful because of their striking colors. White and black stripes make this chicken breed an American classic chicken.
What is the Difference Between Barred Rock and Plymouth Rock Chickens?
Barred Rock chicken is a variety of Plymouth Rock Chicken. There are other recognized varieties of Plymouth rock, including black, black frizzle, blue, buff, columbian, partridge, silver penciled, and white.
Barred Rock roosters and hens are more popular than other breeds. This is the most confusing fact that people get confused about Barred Rock and Plymouth Rock chicken.
Common Names of Barred Rock chicken
Below are some of the common names of Barred Rock-
- Plymouth Rock
- Rock
- Barred Plymouth Rock
Many people use different names to call this breed. After hearing any of the above terms, you must be aware that they all refer to the Barred Rock chicken.
History of Barred Rock chicken
The Barred Rock chicken is one of the oldest breeds of chickens in America and was first seen in the 1800s. In 1849, the first specimen of Barred Rock was shown in Boston, Massachusetts and thereafter, it disappeared from the landscape..
In 1869, barred roosters were bred with Java hens to create a Barred Rock prototype. Mr. Upham from Massachusetts did this.
Egg Production
Barred Rock chickens usually lay four eggs per week, and they lay brown eggs. We can say that a single hen of this breed will lay between 200 and 220 eggs per year.
They even lay brownish pink eggs. Here is the list of chickens that lay colored eggs.
The Barred Rock is productive in the initial stages, but their productivity decreases after three years of age. They will continue to lay eggs for about eight years, but their production will not be prolific.
Temperament of Barred Rock Chicken
Barred Rock chickens are calm birds who are known for having a good attitude and not pecking at coop mates. Everything usually works out for them to get along with everyone.
The Barred Rock roosters are calm, sweet, and docile. They are curious and love to check out their environment and see what you are doing.
Barred Rocks love free ranging in the backyard, but if they have enough space they will tolerate confinement. The Barred Rock breed is known for its family oriented nature and caring nature toward baby chicks.
Lifespan
The Barred Rock chicken is a strong breed with a lifespan of about 5-8 years. Life expectancy may vary due to various factors such as country, weather, feeding, and care.
Color, Size, Appearance, Characteristics of Barred Rock Chicken
Color and Appearance
Due to sex-linked breeds, there are no breed standards and color standards for this chicken. These varieties first appeared in 1884. R. C. Buffington exhibited buffs for the first time in 1890.
In 1910, a partridge variety made its appearance in Madison Square Garden and was accepted to the APA in 1914. The Columbian rock came into effect in exhibitions & was accepted by the APA in 1920.
Thereafter, in 1992, the silver penciled that emerged was duly accepted into the APA. APA took the last variety of blue. Barred rock chicken is a large, vaguely triangular with sharply defined barred black with white feathers.
They are friendly creatures and are great with children, as many of them enjoy being cuddled and picked up. They often tap you for affection.
It is a hearty-looking bird with a single red comb and face. Its eyes are bright, and they are very alert. This bird gives much meat with a full-breasted long back, which can raise table fare.
Size
Barred Rock chickens are pretty big and are large, heavy birds, weighing about 7 to 8 pounds. Here is the few of the largest chicken breeds.
They come in both regular and bantam sizes. The rooster is nearly 9.5 lbs, and the hen is about 7.5 lbs.
Characteristics
Here are few major characteristics of Barred Rock Chickens-
- The Barred Rock chicken has black and white feathers with horizontal stripes, and they have four toes, and their skin color is yellow.
- This bird has a unique feature with a single five-pointed comb, and the color of the face and the comb are red.
- The Barred Rock is giant and have a slightly triangular shape body, and their feathers are sharply defined with white and black barred feathers.
- The eyes of this Barred Rock chicken are always bright and alert, and it has a long back.
- The whole breast has plenty of meat and is suitable for use.
Benefits of Raising Barred Rock Chickens
Here are the pros of raising Barred rock birds in backyard coop-
- They are not loud and make a good addition to the city flock. They provide enough eggs and will grow to be about 7.5 lbs.
- Barred Rock chickens are healthy, strong birds and have a great genetic background, and so we can say she has no health issues.
- They are not pushy and overly assertive and will walk away from the confrontation, but they will stand on the ground if pushed.
- Barred Rock Chicken pairs very well with other varieties of chicken in the flock, such as Dominiques, Faverolles, and Barnevelders.
- They even tolerate confinement.
Problems in Raising Barred Rock chickens
They are susceptible to chicken mites, worms, lice, and various other parasites. Bumblefoot is also an additional health issue that Barred Rock chicken gets. Here is the list of best chicken wormers.
Barred Rock requires plenty of space in the coop, as they are bulky and require a large area for freely foraging.
They have a high ego, and that’s the reason they bully other chickens.
This breed of chicken enraged newcomers or new members in the flocks, and most notably, they angered younger chickens in the community.
Care Guide Barred Rock Chickens
This Barred Rock is fairly standard when it comes to grooming, diet, and maintenance. As a result, this breed of chicken acts as a great breed for all the chicken keepers, from the backward enthusiast to the happy homesteader.
Some helpful tips for raising Barred Rock are:
Grooming: This breed doesn’t require special groom needs; only checking for parasites becomes crucial.
Diet: As these are egg-laying breeds, calcium is essential in their diet. You can give extra calcium in their feed. Read the guide on the best vitamins and minerals for chickens.
If possible, you can provide them with oyster shells separate from their egg-laying feed. Crush eggshells and add them to their food, which will serve as an extra source of calcium.
Summary
From small backyards to large farm operations, the Barred Rock chicken is suitable for many locations. These bird’s quiet nature makes it more ideal for an urban setting where neighbors will not be disturbed.
The Barred Rock rooster serves as an early warning system, alerting us to possible danger. They also enjoy human interaction.
Barred Rocks are good for keeping in the backyard and flocks with low maintenance and high productivity. I hope that this guide helped you to learn all about Barred Rock chickens.
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