Rhode Rock Hybrid

Hybrid Rhode Rock hens are great roaming birds, they love to forage and free range, they would not be suited to a small back garden set up and would need lots of grass time. Nutrition is important for hybrid chickens, they need a good layers’ pellet and extra treats with calcium, vitamin D and B12 to enable them to produce lots of lovely fresh eggs. You will need to ensure your area has feed and water available at all times. Not the cuddliest of breeds they are not likely to become a lap chicken but can be hand tamed and will tolerate being picked up and handled. They love to forage so the perfect setting would be a large walk-in run for when you’re not around, as they can fly, with lots of space to forage outdoors safely. You can use electric fencing to create safe areas for foraging if you have a big space. Hybrids can fly and would like a roosting bar for sleeping at night, they can also manage a house with a ladder or a ramp.

Hybrid Chickens come in many varieties and are usually cross-bred from different pure breeds such as the Light Sussex, Rhode Island Red and Leghorn. The Rhode Rock is Hybrid bred from the Rhode Island Red and a Barred Plymouth Rock. They are not easily stressed and are generally very confident, friendly birds. Hybrid chicken development is quite new and only started in the 1950’s, before the hybrid chicken was created most farmers and poultry keepers kept pure breeds. Hybrids have been created to lay prolific numbers of eggs, but their egg production is short lived and they tend to slow down after about 3 years of laying, they are capable of laying up to 300 medium to large light brown eggs per year and are not known for being broody.