Plymouth Rocks. 
175 
or brown feathers. The hens to match a bird of this description should be similar in all points to the cock, 
making allowance for difference in sex, and the larger they are in frame, if of good colour and barring, the 
better results are likely to follow. One thing to be avoided in mating the Barred Variety is, do not mate 
together two birds with whitish ground colour, as the progeny from these would run even more indistinct in 
barring, while on the other hand, if good and well barred sickle feathers are desired in the cockerels the stock 
hen's tail feathers must be evenly and rather heavily barred. Though we have given the foregoing description 
of birds and their proper mating to produce creditable or even an occasional high-class specimen, it will still be 
found that the progeny will at times vary, many of them coming too dark or sooty in feet, some of the pullets 
perfect black in plumage, and some of the cockerels light and washy. The moral of this is obvious that 
when a few are produced that excel in the desired qualification there is but one resource, and that is to inbreed 
them. If this is not carried too far no evil results are likely to follow, but rather the type and colour will be 
definitely and permanently fixed. The other varieties now bred and exhibited are Whites, Blacks, Buffs, 
and Pea-combed Barred. 
The Whole Family stand well up in the scale of useful breeds, probably occupying first position for 
general purposes. They almost equal the Cochin, Langshan, and Brahma in size. The Mediterranean 
varieties in egg product'on, the Game and Dorking in quality of flesh, and in hardiness and adaptability to 
climatic surroundings are second to none. 
One difficulty likely to confront the beginner in breeding the Barred variety, is that while young the 
chickens do not show uniformity of colour, type or symmetry, some of the chickens hatching white on the head 
and neck, white on the breast and underparts of body, with a mixture of black and white on the back, others 
appear almost black, some quite black, and others black with a white stripe down the neck and breast. The 
chickens feather at an astonishing rate, and when from a week to a fortnight old can be picked out with 
tolerable certainty. When the chickens are not black, the sexes can be distinguished at a fairly early age, as 
when bars of black and white appear it may be relied on as a cockerel, but when the wing feathers show black 
for about an inch, followed with faint light bars, a pullet. Those chickens also which exhibit a lot of white on 
the head and down the breast and underparts will invariably turn out light coloured cockerels with white in 
flights and tails. The young pullets rarely appear with white on the back, though at times a little white 
appears on the wing tips, the black on the wings becomes displaced by bars of a light grey colour, becoming 
as they moult more and more distinct. 
The exact or true type of the Plymouth Rock is difficult to describe, different strains varying consider- 
ably, but as a fair guide a modification of the carriage of the Brahma and Dorking is about the nearest we 
can place them, that is, mid-way between the two. 
Fig. 70. — Standard Feather Marking of 
Barred Plymouth Rock. 
Fig. 71. — Faulty Feather Marking of 
Barred Plymouth Rock. 
