Amrock Bantam

The Amrock Bantam is a sturdy, well-built bird with a distinct body shape often described as resembling a lying church bell: broad at the rear and well-rounded. It's a utility-focused bird with a powerful but graceful appearance.

• Weight: Roosters typically weigh 2.6 - 2.9 lbs (1200-1300g), while hens are slightly lighter at 2.2 - 2.4 lbs (1000-1100g).
• Body Shape: They have an exceptionally broad back and rear, with a backline that runs straight to the saddle before sweeping into a full tail.
• Head: The head is somewhat coarse with a bright red single comb, red earlobes, and large, lively reddish-brown eyes.
• Legs: The sturdy, clean legs and feet are a bright yellow color, giving the bird a medium-high stance.
• Temperament: Amrocks are famously calm, friendly, and docile. They are easy to handle and make excellent pets for families and first-time chicken keepers.

Originally bred for both meat and eggs, the Amrock Bantam retains excellent laying capabilities. They are reliable producers of light brown eggs and are known to lay well through the winter months.

• Egg Production: Hens lay around 180 eggs annually.
• Egg Size & Color: The eggs are a good size for a bantam, weighing approximately 1.4 oz (40g), and are light brown in color.
• Broodiness: Amrock hens are known to go broody and are generally considered to be attentive and capable mothers.

The most significant difference between the rooster and hen is in their barred patterning. The rooster has equally wide black and white bars, giving him an overall lighter, grayish appearance. He also develops a larger, upright single comb and long, flowing sickle feathers in his tail.

The hen, by contrast, has black bars that are twice as wide as the white bars. This makes her appear significantly darker than the rooster. Her comb is smaller and less prominent, and her tail is shorter and lacks the rooster's decorative sickle feathers.

The Amrock is an exceptionally hardy breed, well-suited for a variety of climates but particularly renowned for its cold tolerance. Their dense, fluffy plumage provides excellent insulation during harsh winters. Their single comb can be susceptible to frostbite in extreme cold, so precautions like a well-ventilated, dry coop are important.

They are adaptable birds that do well in both confinement and free-range systems. Their calm nature makes them easy to manage in a backyard setting, and they are excellent foragers when given the space to roam.

Barred Patterning

The Amrock is recognized in only one color variety: Barred. This pattern consists of distinct, parallel bars of black and white across every feather. The visual effect is a classic 'cuckoo' look that is crisp and well-defined. The barring continues down to the skin.

Autosexing Chicks

A notable feature of the Amrock is that it is an autosexing breed. This means the sex of day-old chicks can be determined by their appearance. Male chicks have a large, diffuse, light-colored spot on their heads and are generally lighter in color. Female chicks have a smaller, more defined head spot and are darker overall.