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I'm kinda tossing this months featured chicken info together at the last min, so please forgive me if it's not quite compleat.

Barred Plymouth Rock






Courtisy of wikipedia

The Plymouth Rock, often called simply Rocks or Barred Rocks (after their most popular color), is a chicken breed that originated in the United States. The Plymouth Rock is a dual-purpose, cold-hardy bird and therefore makes a great breed for the small farm or backyard flock owner. The Barred Rock is often called the Plymouth Rock, but this title correctly belongs to the entire breed, not just the Barred variety.

Characteristics

Plymouth Rocks are large, long-lived chickens. Some varieties are good layers while others are bred principally for meat. They possess a long, broad back; a moderately deep, full breast; and yellow skin and legs. The hens have a deep, full abdomen, which is a sign of a good layer. The face of a Plymouth Rock is red with red ear lobes, a bright yellow beak, bay-colored eyes, and a single comb of moderate size. Their feathers are fairly loosely held but not so long as to easily tangle. The chicken's bottom feathers are soft and downy, like baby chicks feathers.
In terms of temperament, both roosters and hens are calm and will get along well with people and other animals such as pets. The hens often will go broody if in the right environment, and are good mothers.

Colours
There are eight colours of Plymouth Rocks recognized in most of the world, but in Australia, the barred colour is split in to two separate colours, Dark Barred and Light Barred. The difference between these colours is highly noticeable, with the bars of white colour wider and the grey lighter in the Light Barred, than in Dark Barred.
The list of colours correct for most of the world (Namely the United Kingdom, America and Canada), is the following:

• Barred
• White
• Buff
• Partridge
• Silver Penciled
• Blue
• Columbian
• Black

With the following list correct for Australia, as per the Australian Poultry Standard, 1st Edition:

• Light Barred
• Dark Barred
• White
• Buff
• Partridge
• Silver Penciled
• Blue
• Columbian
• Black

Eggs
Plymouth Rocks lay a large egg that varies in color from light to medium brown with a touch of pink. The birds continue laying throughout the winter but with decreased production. The amount of eggs laid is dependent upon the strains of the birds.


A Barred Rock Egg

Weight

The standard weights for Plymouth Rocks, as established by the American Poultry Association, are as follows: **** - 9-1/2 pounds; hen - 7-1/2 pounds; cockerel - 8 pounds; and pullet - 5-6 pounds.

Approximate weightRooster3.4 - 4.3 kg7.5-9.5 lbsHen3.0 - 3.4 kg6.6 - 7.5 lbsCockerel3.6 kg8.0 lbsPullet2.3 - 2.7 kg5.0 - 6.0 lbs

Sexing:

Sexing a juvenile in my experience is quite easy.
Cockerals:
-fatter legs
-more yellow legs without the grey, or less grey on front of legs
-more red comb and waddles
-comb and waddles are larger and grow faster
-there is more white barring on feathers (more 25/75 blk wht)
-feathers are muted or greyish
Pullet:
-skinny legs
-greay splashed on fronts of feet and legs
-more of a black color
_they seem to be more of a 50/50 black/wht
-paler waddles and comb
-small comb
-faster feather growth

Chicks:
There is feather sexing, like with any breed.
The feather seem to be all one length on wing tips-it may be a cockeral.
Feathers are 2 length-it's prob a little pullet.

Courtisy of Speckledhen on byc:

"Males: larger, splotchy headspot, lighter silvery/grayish color rather than black, no or little black down leg fronts

Females: headspot is more defined and smaller, down is very black, legs usually have dark wash down the front.

These, taken together, will give you the sex about 90% of the time. The other 10% aren't as clear and can fool you."