Plymouth Rock chicken
The Plymouth Rock is an American dual-purpose breed: cold-hardy, easy to manage, and a good sitter. In the early 20th century it was the most widely kept breed in the US.
The Plymouth Rock is a pure-bred chicken breed in the PCGB Soft Feather Heavy class. Its origin is given as Massachusetts, USA.
It is kept in large and bantam forms. Recognised colours: Barred, Black, Buff, Columbian, White, Blue, Partridge, Silver Pencilled (Non Standardised), Bantams standardised in Blue, Partridge only. Typical adult weights: cock about 3.4 kg, hen about 2.95 kg, bantam cock about 1.36 kg max and bantam hen about 1.13 kg max.
Expect roughly 190–240 eggs a year, with tinted/light brown shells. It is mainly kept for eggs and for the table.
Compiled from poultryclub.org, poultrykeeper.com, en.wikipedia.org. See sources
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Identity
- Species
- Chicken
- Type
- Pure breed
- PCGB class
- Soft Feather Heavy
- Origin
- Massachusetts, USA
- Kept for
- Eggs, Table
History
It was first shown in Boston in 1849, then disappeared for 20 years. The modern breed is thought to come from D.A. Upham's 1869 Worcester birds, a barred cock over Black Java hens, selected for barring and clean legs. Brahma, Cochin, Dominique and others are also linked to it. It reached the UK in 1870, and stock crossed the Atlantic often until the early 1900s. UK birds diverged, so the American type was standardised in 1958 as the Amrock.
Appearance
UK standard colours: Barred, Black, Buff, Columbian and White. UK bantams are standardised in Blue and Partridge only. Often described as a bigger Dominique.
Recognised colours
Barred, Black, Buff, Columbian, White, Blue, Partridge, Silver Pencilled (Non Standardised), Bantams standardised in Blue, Partridge only
Size and weight
- Forms
- Large, Bantam
- Cock
- 3.4 kg
- Hen
- 2.95 kg
- Bantam cock
- 1.36 kg max
- Bantam hen
- 1.13 kg max
Eggs
- Eggs a year
- 190–240
- Egg colour
- Tinted/light brown
- Notes
- Brown eggs, raised for meat and eggs.
Temperament
Not recorded yet.
Hardiness
Resistant to cold
Broodiness
Good sitter
Flying
Not recorded yet.
Suitability
- Beginners
- Easy to manage
Conservation status (RBST)
Not on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust's priority list.
Breed club
- The Plymouth Rock Club, breed-specific · Website
Sources
This page is compiled from:
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