Plymouth Rock
Also known as: Barred Rock, Rock
A hardy, all-American dual-purpose bird and one of the best all-rounders for a family flock: calm, friendly, very cold-hardy, and a dependable layer of about 200-250 brown eggs a year. The Barred Plymouth Rock is the classic black-and-white farm hen; the main watch-out is that these confident birds can sit high in the pecking order and boss gentler breeds around.
Figures verified against 3 sources. Ranges reflect variation by strain and individual bird.
At a glance
- Eggs / year
- 200–250
- Egg size
- large
- Purpose
- dual-purpose
- Class
- Large fowl
- Hen weight
- 6.5–7.5 lb
- Rooster weight
- 7.5–9.5 lb
- Starts laying
- 18–22 weeks
- Lifespan
- 8–12 years
- Comb
- single
- Noise
- moderate
- Origin
- United States (1869)
- Conservation
- APA recognized
Egg color: Brown
Temperament & suitability
Appearance
The Barred Rock variety has crisp black-and-white barring. A classic American dual-purpose farm bird.
Varieties
This page represents the Barred variety, the Barred Rock, which is the original and most common Plymouth Rock. The other six colors were developed later.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Excellent dual-purpose homestead bird
- Very cold hardy
- Docile and productive, ideal for beginners
Cons
- Can be assertive in mixed flocks
- Moderate broodiness
- Heat tolerance only average
Common questions
Is a Barred Rock the same as a Plymouth Rock?
Yes. Barred Rock is the barred (black-and-white) color variety of the Plymouth Rock breed.
How many eggs do Plymouth Rocks lay?
About 200-250 large brown eggs per year.
When will your Plymouth Rock start laying?
Just got chicks? Enter their hatch date and we’ll estimate the first-egg window for a Plymouth Rock, based on its point of lay of 18–22 weeks. Hens rarely read the calendar, so treat it as a range.
Similar breeds
Sources
- Wikipedia - Plymouth Rock
- The Livestock Conservancy - Plymouth Rock
- Cackle Hatchery - Barred Plymouth Rock
Verified 2026-07-06. Brown eggs (~200/yr) and American class confirmed by Wikipedia and the Livestock Conservancy. Weights bracket both sources (Wikipedia minimums 6.5 lb hen / 7.5 lb cock; APA/LC standard 7.5 lb hen / 9.5 lb cock). The Livestock Conservancy graduated the breed off its priority list in 2023, so no active status.