Plymouth Rock Bantam

The Plymouth Rock Bantam is characterized by its sturdy, rectangular body and deep, full breast. It carries its body horizontally, giving it a powerful yet compact appearance. One of its most defining features is the bright yellow skin and legs, which must remain free of feathers.

• Comb: A relatively small, bright red single comb with five distinct points.
• Face: Smooth red face with small, fine-textured red earlobes.
• Eyes: Large and expressive, typically reddish-bay in color.
• Plumage: The feathers are broad and tight to the body, providing a clean silhouette.

They are known to be docile and easily tamed, making them a top choice for backyard enthusiasts and families with children. Despite their calm nature, they are active foragers if given the space.

While primarily kept for exhibition or as pets today, Plymouth Rock Bantams are reliable layers of small to medium-sized eggs. A healthy hen can produce between 150 to 200 eggs per year.

• Egg Color: Ranges from cream to light brown (tinted).
• Egg Weight: Approximately 1.2-1.6 oz (35-45g).
• Consistency: They tend to lay well through the winter compared to more delicate breeds.

Hens are known to have strong maternal instincts and often go broody, making them excellent mothers for raising chicks naturally.

The Plymouth Rock Bantam is exceptionally hardy and adapts well to various environmental conditions. Due to their American heritage, they are particularly well-suited for cold climates.

Their compact body and moderate comb size help prevent frostbite, though extremely low temperatures still require draft-free housing. They also handle heat well, provided they have access to shade and fresh water. They are non-fliers, so a simple fence of about 4 feet (1.2m) is usually sufficient to keep them contained.

Sexing Plymouth Rock Bantams is relatively straightforward once they begin to mature, especially in the Barred variety. Roosters are generally larger, weighing 39-42 oz (1100-1200g), and stand more upright with a proud carriage.

Hens are smaller, weighing 32-35 oz (900-1000g), and have a deeper, more rounded abdomen, often referred to as a egg belly in the standards, indicating good laying capacity. In the Barred variety, roosters appear lighter because their black and white bars are of equal width, whereas hens have wider black bars, giving them a darker overall appearance.

The Barred variety is the most famous, featuring sharp, uniform black and white stripes. however, many other colors are recognized by various poultry associations:

• White: Pure snowy white without yellow tint.
• Buff: A rich, even golden-yellow throughout.
• Black: Deep black with a distinct green luster.
• Partridge: Complex patterning with goudbruin (gold-brown) and black penciling.
• Columbia: White body with black markings in the hackles and tail.