One of the most common types of chickens used in casual family flocks is the Barred Plymouth Rock Rooster. This lovely bird is white with black lines, and is good both for egg laying and cooking.



My boyfriend took this photo at a nearby family farm, where they raise the chickens for eggs. The Plymouth Rock was bred by a man from Worcester, Massachusetts in 1869. Over the years the breed has been refined to its current popularity.

If you had great grandparents or grandparents who raised chickens for their eggs and meat - as many of our ancestors did - these might be the birds they were caring for! And if you are currently raising chickens for your own use today, you might even have some of these birds in your own back yard.

Next stop on the Virtual Farmyard Bird Tour:
the Langshan Black Rooster

Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens