The Plymouth Rock, commonly known as the Rock or Barred Rock, is a popular old fashioned, dual-purpose utility bird which does better in the USA than in the UK. It's a gorgeous looking bird - proud and beautifully feathered. It should lay a large brown egg ideally at the rate of about 200 a year. There are still excellent productive lines in the USA, and the cockerels make good eating too.

The breed was developed in New England in the early 1800's from crosses of Dominique's, Black Java's and Cochins probably, and it maintains its popularity throughout the USA to this day. In the US there are several utility strains - some strains are good layers while others are bred principally for meat and it is much used for breeding as broiling fowl.

They make great pets.