[kev]

Over the past couple of years I have looked at several chicken breeds to develop a self-sustaining chicken flock. Some of the breeds I have looked at are the Barred Rock, Buff Orpington, Dominique and Australorp (only to name a few). This article will focus on the Barred Rock, which is part of the Plymouth Rock family of chickens.

Why should we care about the Barred Rock? It is a good dual purpose chicken which has been raised for well over 100 years.

I do not consider the Barred Rock a high egg producer chicken, as it only lays around 200 eggs a year. There are breeds out there that lay well over the 200 egg mark. The Barred Rock makes up for its average egg production with its size, hardiness, and its meat quality.

While looking for information on various chicken breeds I came across this youtube posted by FarmRaised which talks about breeding the Barred Rock.

 

[Fepony]

I have no idea what type chickens i have. They are all different.

 

[Texas Magnolia]

A few other reasons I love the Barred Plymouth Rocks are that they're just little mamas. They'll sit on any egg you stick in their nest and they've got a fabulous maternal instinct. They're also good with the weather in TX, both in the heat and in the winter.

And okay, I have to be totally honest or the women from the women's section will bust me; I love them because they're very pretty and I call them my Fashionista Hens.

 

[Preacherboy]

By far and away my favorite breed of chicken. I've raised X breed layers and meat chickens, rhode island reds and some other random mixed breeds. If it is up to me and I can choose it is Barred Rocks.

I looked into the Orpingtons, but always ended up ordering Barred Rocks. Nice eggs, will set on and hatch eggs if you see one. I had a mother raise 11 babies and they all did great. The males make great meat birds too. Last time I ordered 25 (the minimum) from Murray McMurry they sent me I think 33...far and away the majority (supposed to be straight run) was males. I think it was 22 males, I couldn't fit them all into my freezer (I even have a chest freezer) so I gave some away.

 

[delphidad]

Barred rocks have been good for me. I only have 15-20 at a time. They are de-mossing my lawn right now. I throw out crumble and they go to work thatching. I just have to rake it up. Our winter was pretty mild and the moss has gone crazy. My girls are very hardy, rarely lose one to natural causes. I'm picking up 6 chicks at the feed store this week as we'll be having a retirement party for some of the girls soon.:

 

["Spoon"]

My barred rock seemed lazy. I am sure it was just mine, but I had to force them away from the empty feeder to forage. I think they would have starved to death waiting for me to feed them next. So in my book if you are wanting foragers, they are not the way to go.

I think they are a very nice looking chicken though.

 

[Preacherboy]

The guy I worked for had barred rocks that he wouldn't let me feed! He let them loose in the strawberry fields after the season to eat bugs...he would let me feed them when I could get free junk from the grain mill, screenings.

All my chickens have been good foragers, it is like they wanted out the door to get to the woods and the field.

 

[Texas Magnolia]

Mine were very good foragers.. I put them out in the tractors each morning and let them day range, then at night back into the small pen and hen house. I'd feed them a little at night. They actually learned the schedule and would be standing at the gate every morning and would run through the gate to the feeders at night.

But then again, so did my Leghorns and Rhode Island Reds. lol

 

[America's Patriot]

A few other reasons I love the Barred Plymouth Rocks are that they're just little mamas. They'll sit on any egg you stick in their nest and they've got a fabulous maternal instinct. They're also good with the weather in TX, both in the heat and in the winter.

And okay, I have to be totally honest or the women from the women's section will bust me; I love them because they're very pretty and I call them my Fashionista Hens.

Never really thought about it, but you're right. My Barred Rocks and Orpingtons tend to be more motherly than the RIR and Wyandottes. The RIR are definitely more tameable however... they are lap birds for sure.

 

[LuniticFringeInc]

For a dual purpose chicken they are sure hard to beat in my opinion. Every time I have kept chickens these have always been in the mix! Love the eggs they produce and they dont make too bad a fryer either. They seem to be a bit more docile and broodier than the RIR's which is another one of my favorite breeds to keep around. Once they have reached their "point of productivity" they make for some pretty tasty Chicken and Dumplings too!

 

[RandiTS]

I have only had mine for three weeks and have five barred, three buff, and one that I haven't a clue what she is (got that mixed batch from McMurray). The barred are extremely friendly and when I put my hand in the kiddie pool where they are living right now, they line up to take turns getting on my hand for a ride and a snuggle. On the other hand, they are also like a "gang" and are beating up the Buffs - my husband said we had our own little race war going on in the kitchen

 

[dealfinder500]

For those of you who raise them for meat, how long does it take for them to get to butchering size?

 

[13ella]

I've got white leghorns for eggs (what can I say...I like white eggs), but I am looking for the right bird to create a self sustaining flock for meat. I haven't done much research yet...do you think the barred rock would be the best choice for meat only?

 

[wasniper]

Thats funny , I have about 12 bard rocks and not one of them will set on eggs, mso I stick them under a banty to hatch. JT

 

[America's Patriot]

For those of you who raise them for meat, how long does it take for them to get to butchering size?

There are specific breeds that are better for meat birds. However, if you get a large breed, keep them at the 4lb (ish) mark. If they get much larger (or older), they tend to get tough and stringy.

 

[birdlady]

I've got white leghorns for eggs (what can I say...I like white eggs), but I am looking for the right bird to create a self sustaining flock for meat. I haven't done much research yet...do you think the barred rock would be the best choice for meat only?

The Light Brahma or any color Brahma will beat it as a meat chicken.

 

[dealfinder500]

I've got white leghorns for eggs (what can I say...I like white eggs), but I am looking for the right bird to create a self sustaining flock for meat. I haven't done much research yet...do you think the barred rock would be the best choice for meat only?

From what I've read, they are good foragers, a good egg layer (4-5/week), cold tolerant, good mama's, and good meat birds. So it sounds good to me from what I've read..

But reading is one thing, and it's another thing to hear from people who actually have them (like wasniper, thanks!).

Anyone else have them and want to tell us your experience?

 

[dealfinder500]

There are specific breeds that are better for meat birds. However, if you get a large breed, keep them at the 4lb (ish) mark. If they get much larger (or older), they tend to get tough and stringy.

I know there are better breeds for meat. I have some Cornish Rocks right now. But I'd like to know about Barred Rocks.

 

[smaj100]

We have 23 laying birds, 3 barred rocks and they are friendly and vocal. Between the brahamas and barred rocks they are the 1st ones inline to get at the scratch each day. Will sit on your lap for a good petting.

We just finished raising 8 meat birds for a test run of cornish crosses and these things were vultures compared to the other chickens. At the 2 month mark we processed 4 the smallest being 6lbs dressed for the freezer and the largest 7lbs. We did the last 4 2 weeks later and the weights went up considerably. 10.5lbs for the big roo and 8lbs for the 3 hens. All told almost 60lbs of chicken went into the freezer.

However, the cornish crosses are the DIRTIEST birds i've ever seen. If we had to do it again, I wouldn't let them get anything over 2 months old and would probably cut them up for boneless skinless breasts and pieces. I might do a couple for fryers but thats it. I mean that 10 pounder wouldn't even fit in my killing cone....

 

[nicktide]

I have Barred Rocks. My favorite. I need to start over as I had a lot of problems over the past 2 years and I have only 1 rooster and a hen and neither have the qualities I am looking for.

When I selected my flock I started with 12 chicks. I think 5 were roos. I selected the two biggest fattest roos and butchered the rest. I later selected the final roo for his attitude since he was allowed to roam the yard and I don't keep mean roosters. He was named Stew to remind him what will become of him should he turn mean. I later removed one hen that was smaller than the rest. The produced some nice meaty roos (as far as rocks go) that were I guess average layers... never really kept track.

My best layer I have is a barred crossed with a white leghorn. she is four years old and still lays nearly every day. She goes broody and more than once thought she was dead due to white feathers everywhere.