The Barred Rock

The Barred Rock has been a foundation of American farmstead since the 1800’s. They are also known as the Plymouth Rock. These birds first showed up in Massachusetts in 1849 and then were not seen again until 1869. Mr. D.A. Upham cross-bred some Black Java hens with a rooster with barred plumage and a single comb and clean featherless legs. Other Rock breeds have been developed from this foundation breed such as the White Rock, Columbian, Blue, Buff, Partridge, and Silver-penciled Rock. These other breeds have been mixed with Brahma, Cochin, and the Dominique.

The Rock breeds were the most wide spread breed through-out the United States until World War II, when chicken breeds were industrialized to produce a hybrid broiler. At that time the Rock breeds fell from popularity of larger breeding farms and became the more popular domestic breed of homesteads.

The Rock breeds are well known for their hardiness, they mature rapidly, and feather early, so they are resistant to cold weather. They are a dual-purpose bird that are great brown egg layers and have tasty meat. With a docile disposition and some hens can become broody and are good mothers.

The Barred Rock is black with white bars. White and Columbian rocks are mostly white with some black points on their collar and tail. Buffs show a similar pattern. All of the rock breeds have a single comb with five points, wattles and ear lobes of bright red. Legs are yellow and unfeathered.