Chicken Breed Observations - Barred Rock 

We had a Barred Rock. She was one of my favorites. We named her "Bossy" because that's what she was. She wasn't the lead hen because she was younger than half the flock, but she could have been. She was intelligent - a problem solver like you said. She was inquisitive and fearless - always the first to try something new when the other girls hung back afraid. She would often give me the "one eyed look/glare" to say "I see you and I'm in charge." I love the voice of the Barred Rock and how talkative they can be. When she was a chick she was so funny. I would let them out into an area to run and she would put her nose to the ground like a hound dog and cruise along looking for things. I would gently shoo the rest of the chicks (different breeds) back into their enclosed area when "free range" time was over. She didn't take to being "shoo'd" and would often turn and attack my hand. She was spunky and not about to be bossed around. Otherwise she never attacked unprovoked. She was a beautiful little hen. Oh yes - the other thing I noticed about Barred Rocks is their digging ability. She was an awesome forager. She could dig like a dog and loved the compost pile, leaving holes that would put a lazy dog to shame and certainly put the other hens to shame. Her activity level was great motivation for the rest of the flock.

I just got four bard rock babies I'm excited to watch them grow.

My barred rock pullet is 7 weeks and is by far the most loving. Always comes up for attention and loves to be held. You have taught me so much!! We just started raising chickens!🐓

Cute chickens! My very best friend in the world was a special needs barred rock named Sally. She lived 3 years and 5 months on a pillow in a basket on a rolling cart next to my bed. She Passed Sept 2 I miss her so much! Her legs didnt move and after her first molt she turned almost snow white. She never got her bars back but she did gain some gray spots that were individual bars on a single feathers. She was so smart and alerted to someone at the door or a car pulling in the driveway before the dogs would. I shared every meal with her and she constantly watched RU-vid videos with me. She loved RU-vid and would watch live streaming animal shows while I was at work

I have a 7 week old chick, called Rocky She is by far my most confident and precocious bird. Very confident and fearless. When she was only 4 weeks old, she got into a pen with 5 12week old birds, and scared them all with her boldness I have a clutch from her mum and aunties coming through at the moment to join her and my Sussex and australorps

My first chicken, (~2004), was a barred rock hen I purchased as a chick from someone who wanted her for food, when she grew up. I named her Puff, and she grew up alongside what I think was a Dominique, two Rouen ducks, and two Indian Runner ducks. Puff, too, was bullied, in this case by the Dominique, but that all ended when said Dominique was found dead floating in the ducks' kiddy pool one morning. Exactly what happened is a mystery, as the water was shallow, but I suspect a local dog, who roamed a lot, scared her in the night, (even being fenced in), and she jumped in the pool and drowned. Either that or Puff finally snapped and had sweet sweet vengeance. In regards to her temperment and behavior, Puff was clearly intelligent, but very stubborn. This is evident in that we managed to train her to our property lines, by picking her up and bringing her back during free ranging... many, many, many times, especially if she had found a tasty patch of worms or something. She knew when and how to push her luck, but eventually we proved more patient. She also, oddly, avoided crossing the road, (which was a relief, even though it was and is mostly quiet), but didn't have a problem with our asphalt driveway which was so similar. To suit her bull-headed nature, she was also very predatory and territorial toward wild animals: frogs, bugs, and lizards didn't stand a chance, and she even killed a dove that we accidently locked in her pen/run with her one night, (I think it was hiding in a bucket that had been turned on its side), although she didn't eat it like the former critters. If she caught squirrels, opossums, dogs- anything outside the family pets- on the property, it was either a staring match or attack mode. She didn't attack people, though. **Edit** She also knew her name and came running when called, and knew to parallel the mower for free bugs, as they hopped out of the way. As for eggs, she was an amazing layer: she stopped during winter and during the molt. Other than that, we had her about 6 years, I think, and she layed reliably for at least 4, and only skipped occasional days up until her last half-year or year, alive. Then again, she also had a rich diet: chicken feed, whatever she could forage over about two arces, (half-wooded), cooked spaghetti noodles for treats, and... basically all our tomatoes. She was ruthless towards our tomato patch; keeping her out was an exercise in futility. We tried to bribe her with more noodles, but that only spoiled her more and she learned to tap at the storm door for service. Mom, being a sucker for all things fuzzy or fluffy, refused to withhold the noodles and so the carport outside the door became Ground Zero for bird poop. For health issues, she did develop arthrisis in one foot really bad, but I suspect that was an injury that had healed over... which may have been related to me tossing her off the carport after she had crapped all over it for the unteenth time. Hey! I was young and she could fly. She just wasn't so good at the landing part. Anyway, Puff did not care for being held or petted, but she also didn't attack my then-toddler niece, so I consider her attitude towards people good. She handled the humid heat of Southside Virginia well enough, although she would vent her wings and pant on really hot days, (she always had water and shade), but she was something of a busy-body, so stopping her daily patrol- which also cleared the property of ticks- was only accomplished by keeping her in her pen. For winters, she did very well, although we made sure she had as fine of a coop as we could make, to help insulate her from the cold. For cleanliness, she did manage to get poop in the fluff around her butt, but it was never really severe. As to her final demise, one day she just acted unwell and I knew it was coming: by next dawn, she was gone. I don't know precisely what killed her, but she also lived a reasonably long time for a chicken. I buried her before first light as one would a beloved family dog. So there it is. You wanted a database- there's a chapter. Puff, Barred Rock, Pet, Family Member, Layer of the best cake-baking eggs you could ask for.

I raised 4 chicks sept 2019 they are 8-9 months great layers and so loving they are creme crested leg. Believe this or not they play the toy piano and the toy xylophone, they are so smart, they are the divas. one of the best things I ever done and mine are spoiled rotten like yours AWESOME

I’ve got 19 Barred Rocks. They are alert and very smart. Thanks for talking about this cool bread!

I have 7 Barred Rock hens right now. Two are Gracie and Glory and I have 5 new littles that are 4-1/2wks old. I love this breed because they are very smart, not worried about anything, prolific layers and have adorable personalities. 🥰

We love our Rocks and have added more chicks this year. Great layers and easy going. They will always be in our flock! Fun video! Cheers from Minnesota!

I recently got 5 barred rocks and 2 spotted sussex. They're about 7 weeks old atm. Cutest creatures I've ever seen!

I love your opening, so cute!

Gracie is adorable! Thank you for the video. 🌹

We love our Barred Rock Jacinta! She loves to be picked up and to be pet! 💕

Just bought Barb rock chickens 6 Hens Used to have some many years ago were my best chickens and yes smart so I went back to them

We had a Barred Rock, loved her.

“Jurasschick” Park! 😂 Very clever. Wish I’d thought of that!

I'm on my 3rd set of chicks. In my first set, we had a Zebbie, a barred rock. Our experience is consistent with yours. She was mellow and a good layer.

They are very laid back. By far the most calm of any chickens I’ve had. Probably not the best layers but do lay good. I had a silver laced Wyandotte also that was a Fe nominal layer. Even at 3 years old she embarrassed the younger girls. For strictly egg output I’d go with red sex links. I got 5 older ones this spring and I was knee deep in eggs quickly. They are pretty tame also. Only one of the 5 will eat from my hand. I had a couple barred rocks that were lap chickens. When it’s hot a lean a piece of plywood against a wall and put a small fan at one end. It’s connected to a thermostat so at 95 it comes on. The chickens found this diy wind tunnel and park in it when it’s on.

I owned few barred rocks, after a moult the feathers growing back actually have nothing to do with her past or previous rooster damage. The colour spots are only patches of black from pigmentation. The black feathers do reflect either green/teal or purple from the sun. And not all but most of my barred rocks were very loud lol, I had exceptions though. And the white stuff on her but it's actually vent gleet, usually cause by too much fibre like sunflower seeds (it's the shell that as fibre)

We have Barred Rocks, Wyandotte, and Australorps. All great birds, but if I could only have 1 type it would be the Barred. Smart, adventurous and funny. Dom follows me around the yard talking the whole time and Aubrey is a talker too and protector of the flock.

I’ve been binge watching your channel, and I really enjoy your videos! I’m a new chicken mama. My chicks are 4 weeks old. I’ve learned a lot from you. Thank you 😊

Just became a Chicken Parent today. We live in a county that has restrictions on how many we can have, so we started with just 4 chicks and two of which are Barred Rocks ( Dottie and Gertie). 1 is a Leghorn that I named (Dixie) and the other is a ISA Brown which is named (Ginger). Looking forward to watching em grow and keeping tabs on their personality traits, especially since we are doing so much research and finding out all kinds of new things about chickens. I wish we'd got into this alot sooner in our lives.

We love our Barred Rock. Her name is Sassy and she is sassy, lol. She bullies our rooster and is top chicken. She also will complain if she isn't happy, lol.

We have 3 barred rocks. They started laying around the end of March early April (20 wks-ish). Agreed, a smart breed. It took 2 or 3 days to get them to go up in the coop at night (used a light inside till they were in.) 2 of them are LOUD, if we had close neighbors they would complain. LOL it's usually early in the morning and when they see me thru the screen door, then the conversations start. It's hilarious. They come when I call them or if the see me about 90% of the time. They used to bite and peck us a lot but that has almost stopped since getting older. I would be nervous introducing a new chicken, sometimes they gang up on my cat and chase him when he's in the back yard. (we laugh.) Definitely a keeper, great layers and entertainment. They have done well with our 2yr old easter egger.

Just watched your video on Silver Laced Wyandottes. I have a Barred Rock too. 🥰

I've had a couple barred rocks and they were the most reliable layers in my first flock. Big Mama and her sister Patty were also the top chickens in the pecking order. Big Mama layed eggs so big they barely fit into the store cartons. I've lost a few old hens over the past year, so I plan to get chicks this spring. Barred rocks are at the top of my list, but last time I got two, they were roosters. I live in town, and they were both bullies, so they made a midnight trip to freezer camp.

I just got 6 babies. Can't wait until we get eggs from them.

My Barred Rocks are two months old, one pullet (Precious) and one cockerel (Blackberry) Is that the right terminology? They are as sweet as can be!

awesome

I have 8 barred rocks and all of mine think they have to be in our laps everyday they are so special to our flock their names are mommy, Nellie, Emma, star, storm, whisper, Susie, and Louisiana

what is the breed with the gold on its neck? i have a hen that is still growing thats starting to look like that

I have two barred rock chicks. 1 week old! Ursula and Ella (Cruella) I went with Disney names. 8 total chicks. Willow (buff orpington) and Rapunzel (Buff Cochin... a surprise thought she was a BO) Two Easter Eggers and two Welsummers. They haven't pi ked their names yet!

here in East Tennessee I have a osterloh, to White leghorns, a Tetra, and is a brown, 1 Rhode island red, and for Golden comets. In the winter months I do not use any extra lighting to send me a light daylight earlier in the morning and they pretty much lay all winter longin the winter months I will generally get approximately 6 to 8 eggs a dayand in the summer and spring and fall I can get anywhere from 8 to 13 eggs depending on the day and if they all lay or not. My golden commentsRhode island red, and my two white leghorns are my best layers the osterloh will lay an egg approximately every two to three days, she has the speckled eggs. My Easter egger belay approximately three to four eggs a week

Thanks for this video! Do you like your coop? We are considering the same model. Do you feel it's large enough and holds up well over the years?

Planning on getting rocks in the spring. Are there any differences in the strains? Looking at white rocks or a mix of white and barred.

my barred rock also is at the top of the pecking order and watches for predators like yours, I wonder if they tend to do this with a lot of other peoples flocks too?

Does the barred rock pick on the Easter edgers?

I have 2 hens. I'm thinking about getting more. What do you mean exactly by the pecking order? Will they bully the chicks? 🐥🐥

Any thoughts on A quiet rooster breed that will not torpedo egg production if I decide to breed/hatch chicks? I have 4 sussex and 2 austrolorps. I thought about getting A goose till I saw they eat like 7X the amount of feed.

Trying to decide which chicken breeds I want . And it’s hard.

New sub. Shout out papart tv god bless happy farming

I won’t be able to reach them when they are sleeping?

Are you in chicken group for Texas

Where in Texas?

Trying to decide between Barred Rock and Golden Sex Linked.

"Chicken gossip".....lol

Impossible to judge a breed with just one chicken.