Free Range Chickens!
Additional Breeds
Fresh Chickens, Ducks and Geese
Seasonally, we have available fresh farm-raised free range chickens, and ducks and geese for the holidays.
*Our flock is resting for the winter, but will be back working in the spring, laying fresh eggs daily.
I have been keeping Rhode Island Red chickens for years, but I will be slowly switching over to Barred Plymouth Rocks for their superior meat production, (one half of the famous Plymouth Rock crosses) and adding some of the historically important and rare Dominiques.
Plymouth Rock Chickens
Varieties: Barred, White, Buff, Partridge, Silver Penciled, Blue, Columbian
Standard Weights: Cock-9-1/2 pounds; hen-7-1/2 pounds; cockerel-8 pounds; pullet-6 pounds. Skin Color: Yellow. Egg Shell Color: Brown. Use: Meat and eggs.
Origin: Developed in America in the middle of the 19th century and was first identified as a distinct breed in 1869, from crosses of Dominique, Java, Cochin, and perhaps Malay and Dorking. The first Plymouth Rock was barred and other varieties developed later. The Breed became popular very rapidly, and in fact, until World War II, no breed was ever kept and bred as extensively as the Barred Plymouth Rock. Its popularity came from its qualities as an outstanding farm chicken: hardiness, docility, broodiness, and excellent production of both eggs and meat. Early in its development, the name Plymouth Rock implied a barred bird, but as more varieties were developed, it became the designation for the breed. The Barred Plymouth Rock was one of the foundation breeds for the broiler industry in the 1920's, and the White Rock continues to be used as the female side of the commercial broiler cross.
Characteristics: Plymouth Rocks are a good general farm chicken. They are docile; normally will show broodiness; possess a long, broad back; a moderately deep, full breast and a single comb of moderate size. Some strains are good layers while others are bred principally for meat. They usually make good mothers. Their feathers are fairly loosely held but not so long as to easily tangle. Generally, Plymouth Rocks are not extremely aggressive, and tame quite easily.
Status: Watch. The Barred Plymouth Rock is still a popular farm chicken but, as a dual-purpose bird, is still far less common than its more specialized White Rock cousin.
The Dominique breed was developed from the fowl introduced during the early settlement of New England and was widely distributed in the Eastern half of the United States by mid 19th century. The breed was generally known as Dominiques except in the region of origin where they were known as Plymouth Rock and occasionally as Pilgrim Fowls. The differentiation between Plymouth Rock and Dominique was not made until the 1870s with an "improved" type finding an enthusiastic response among exhibitors and farmers. The breed was never used commercially, and was eventually eclipsed on the farm by the gradual shift to "Plymouth Rocks" when the improved type of "Dominique" had been transformed into the "Plymouth Rock." While for many years Dominiques were very rare, there has recently been a revival.
Dominiques have many advantages besides their handsome appearance. They are hardy, do well on open range as well as in confinement, are generally calm by nature and are easy to work with and show. They hatch well, are early feathering, mature young, and are of moderate size. The American Poultry Association's Standard of Excellence indicates that cocks run 7 pounds; cockerels, 6 pounds; hens, 5 pounds; and pullets, 4 pounds. The females are good mothers, reasonably good layers of light to dark brown, and show less tendency toward broodiness than many other exhibition breeds. Dominiques are also good meat birds.
The Dominique is a medium sized bird with black and white barring over the entire body. The rose comb is characteristic. A dual propose breed, these birds were kept to produce brown eggs and chicken for the pot. The heavy plumage not only protected the birds in cold weather, but provided material for pillows and featherbeds. The plumage coloration also made them less conspicuous to predators. They were expected to make a part of their living by foraging and to raise a clutch or two of chicks each year.
Adapted from the Oklahoma State University "Breeds of Livestock" webpage. Additional references: Chicken Breeds and Varieties (A2880), John L. Skinner, University of Wisconsin-Madison and The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Box 477, Pittsboro, NC 27312