The Plymouth Rock chicken is a dual-purpose breed that is suitable for both meat and egg production. Plymouth Rock chicken originated in the United States. This breed is also known by other names such as Rocks or Barred Rocks.
It comes in a variety of colors, the birds are frost hardy and are an excellent breed for a small farm or backyard grower. The Plymouth breed was developed in New England in the mid-19th century and was first exhibited as a breed in 1849.
They are bred as a dual-purpose breed by most farmers and are prized for both their ability to lay meat and their ability to lay eggs.
The first Plymouth chick was banned and other varieties were subsequently bred. This breed is very popular in the United States and some other countries. The main reason for its popularity is its qualities.
The Plymouth Rock Chicken is an exceptional herding breed that is popular for its hardiness, broodiness, docility, and excellent meat and egg production. Most Plymouth Rock chicken varieties were created from crosses containing some of the same ancestry as the barred variety.
At an early stage in the development of this breed, the name Plymouth Rock implied a bird with a bar. But as more and more varieties were bred, it became the designation for the breed. In the 1920s of the last century, the Plymouth Rock was one of the main broiler breeds.
Striped Plymouth stone is also cultivated for its genetic transfer, widely used as a material to create artificial flies.
Physical Characteristics of a Plymouth Rock Chicken
Plymouth Rock chickens are hardy, long-lived, and larger breeds. Some of the varieties of this breed are raised primarily for meat, and some of the varieties are good laying hens.
Plymouth Rock chickens have a full, medium-deep chest and a long, wide back. Their legs and skin are yellow. There are no feathers on the legs. Hens have deep, full bellies, indicating a good laying hen.
Plymouth Rock chickens have nest-colored eyes, a red muzzle with red earlobes, and a bright yellow beak. They have a comb and the size of the comb is medium.
Their feathers are short and quite loose, but not long enough to be easily confused. Like chicken feathers, the lower feathers of the Plymouth Rock Chicken are soft and fluffy.
This chicken breed comes in a variety of colors. Such as lattice, tan, blue, black, Colombian, partridge, silver pencil, white, light, dark, etc.
On average, a mature male Plymouth Rock chicken weighs up to 8 pounds and a hen around 7.5 pounds. Egg production varies by breed of bird. But on average, hens lay about 4 eggs per week.
Behaviour/Temperament
Plymouth Rock roosters and hens are calm and will live happily with people and other animals as pets. They are docile and friendly in nature and generally do well even in tight spaces.
But they will be happier if they can roam freely in the pasture or in the garden. Plymouth Rock hens rarely hatch in good conditions and they are good mothers.
| Breed name | plymouth rock |
| another name | Rocks, lattice rocks |
| Purpose of the breed | dual purpose |
| Broad temperament | Tolerates confinement well, calm, obedient, manageable, friendly |
| Breed size | Heavy (7-8 pounds) |
| sullen instinct | Rarely |
| comb | single comb |
| climatic tolerance | All weather conditions (very frost resistant) |
| egg color | light brown |
| Egg size | big |
| Egg performance | Depends on number of birds (average about 4 eggs per week) |
| feathered feet | Not |
| scarcity | Barred rocks and white rocks are common. All other varieties are rare. |
| Varieties | Lattice, Fawn, Blue, Black, Columbian, Partridge, Silver Pencil, White, Light, Dark, etc. |
Good
- Beautiful
- Friendly
- Rustic (very resistant to cold)
- good diaper
- Suitable for meat production
- Do well in a confined space
- Protective (usually wary of predators)
- Curious
- Ideal as a pet
- Chickens are rarely hatched and are good mothers
Wrong
- Can sometimes be a tyrant
- Some have problems with very hot weather
- Can be stubborn sometimes
Is Plymouth Rock Chicken Right For You?
Plymouth Chicken will suit you if you…….
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- You want to raise dual-purpose chickens for meat and egg production.
- I want to have cold-resistant birds.
- You want to raise friendly and beautiful chickens as pets.
- Interested in large chickens.
- You want to produce light brown, large eggs.
- We are looking for fast growing breeds of chickens.
- Ready to grow beautiful birds in your garden.
- Have a small farm.
- Have young children and want to have a friendly, obedient breed.
- Live somewhere with cold winters.
