Barred Rocks Good Shepard Poulty Ranch

[wayne86]

Quote:
Joel Gilman advertises in the Poultry Press. He has several breeds and varieties as Tommy Stanley did before he passed away several years ago. Joel still has some quality birds. I have not seen his Partridge but his number is listed as 804-798-6514. You may also try S. Robert Powell. I know he used to advertise them a long time ago. He may still have some or know where to find quality birds. He is listed in the judges section of the Poultry Press. His number again is 570-282-5197.

Good luck,
Jonathan Patterson

 

[kathyinmo]

I am excited. I was directed to:
http://books.google.com/books?id=sC...esnum=6&ved=0CD0Q6AEwBTgK#v=onepage&q&f=false

I typed up a little from it .... LOOK! This has to be (at least partly) why this strain is so hardy. They were bred to be.
(Next I am gonna type up his breeding protocol).

Reliable Poultry Journal page 590 - 592
E. B. Thompson Amenia, New York breeding Barred Rocks since 1879. First Exhibited at New York in 1884. In 1887 made his great record, winning nearly everything, including first breeding pen, first cockerel, and first pullet. He did not exhibit cocks or hens. The Madison Square Garden Show of February, 1896 marked his eleventh consecutive year as a successful exhibitor winning: Grand Gold special for best cockerel, best pullet and exhibition yards; sweepstakes in gold for best Plymouth Rock on exhibition of either sex and any variety; also other minor prizes.

The young stock produced each year has unlimited range. Mr. Thompson believes firmly in free range. He uses hens exclusively (no incubators) for hatching and brooding. Dozens of houses (brood coops) are located quite a distance apart, over 15 or 20 acres of ground (pasture and meadow land) and the chicks run at will all summer long and late into fall.

These brood coops are ordinary dry-goods boxes. Some of the largest are 3 1/2 x 4 x 4 feet. Others smaller (used for hens with chicks). Larger ones substituted after chicks were weaned.

The results of each mating are studied and the birds that are themselves good and show the ability to reproduce themselves in greatest numbers are valued highest. Mr. Thompson believes firmly in letting his young chicks look out for themselves. After the chicks are weaned they still have a rain-tight coop to go to, but are at large and must go to the shelter of their own accord. They are not nurtured and pampered. It is a case of survival of the fittest, with slight help. Only the more vigorous and hardy ones are desirable. either to breed from or to sell. Rigorous nature is permitted, to a certain extent, to weed out the unfit, the weakly ones.

Every fall, while the old stock is enjoying unlimited range in the orchard, Mr. Thompson spades up all yards and reseeds them with grass and rye seed.

 

[kathyinmo]

I was excited to find an article written by E. B. Thompson, on,
"HOW TO BREED BARRED PLYMOUTH ROCKS."

http://books.google.com/books?id=WwxBAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA31&output=html_text#c_top

BY E. B. THOMPSON.

They are a great favorite with farmers and market poultrymen, who breed this variety more extensively than all other pure breeds combined. As a fancier's fowl the Plymouth Rock has reached a popularity in this country never before known. Utility and actual worth are the basis of this popularity, and make the Barred Plymouth Rock the bird of destiny—a breed come to stay.

There are many valuable breeds of poultry among our standard varieties. Some excel in beauty of plumage and graceful forms; others in massive size and majestic carriage; while still other breeds court favor by their records as egg producers. Nearly all breeds combine some of the good qualities in some degree. Bantams are handsome and good layers of eggs proportionate to the size of the breed. The smaller a Bantam can be bred the better. They have hosts of admirers, and as pets and a breed upon which to exercise a true fancier's skill, they are valuable.

The ornamental breeds are small in size, and fanciers of such do not find their ideal fowls in a large variety—a Cochin, Langshan or Brahma—while fanciers of these massive birds cannot see their ideal in a small fowl, be it ever so gorgeous in feathers and as graceful in movement as a billowy cloud. We are speaking of fanciers in general. There doubtless are some who really love several breeds, both great and small, handsome and plain, but the majority find delight in some particular variety, although they may breed several varieties. For a person who wants a business fowl, one that never deserts its post nor shirks a duty, 1 believe the Barred Plymouth Rock fills the bill nearer than any other breed. They are always ready for business, rain or shine. They are medium in size, and if decently fed are always in good meaty condition to kill after eight weeks old. Their early maturity adapts them especially for broiler use.

The Plymouth Rocks are excellent "all the year around" layers, and will lay as many eggs as any breed that incubates and rears its young. They are the farmer's favorite. In the smaller breeds we may get better layers, but lose size. The larger breeds give us no more if as many eggs as as the Plymouth Rocks, are later maturing and lack that sprightliness and elasticity of movement so admired in a medium sized fowl.

The Barred Plymouth Rock is nearly always the largest class at our American shows, and strictly choice specimens command a higher price than any other American breed, which proves their sterling merits. New breeds come and go, but the good qualities of the Barred Plymouth Rock become more and more indelible. As a practical fowl, suited to the wants and conditions of those who desire eggs, meat and feathers combined in one breed, they acknowledge no competition.

I have bred them over twenty two years, and the experience acquired during that period is of invaluable worth to me as a breeder, and might be called business capital. That the best specimens can be produced by the double mating plan, or a separate mating for each sex, is conceded by the majority of breeders. I will describe these matings as they are made at my farm.

COCKEREL MATING.

To mate a pen for cockerels, select a male of medium dark exhibition color, of bluish shade (even from head to tail), and barred distinctly to the skin in all sections, and as straight across the feather as possible, He should be of standard weight or over, of sturdy build, broad in back, full breasted, and not too high on legs. Wings and tail must be well barred, and tail short; comb small, straight, and evenly serrated; deep bay eyes, and rich yellow legs, set well apart.

The hens and pullets to mate with this male must be large in size, with broad backs, full, round breasts, and the barring of plumage close, narrow, clear cut, and barred to the skin throughout. They must be in color medium dark to dark, eyes bay, and combs small and straight.

The male heading this pen should be a high-class show bird, and his ancestry also of the same quality, the sire and grandsire being exhibition specimens. The hens and pullets should come from exhibition sires; in short, it is necessary that both sides of the mating be strictly cockerel bred for generations back, and from the very best ancestry. From such a mating a breeder can expect high-class exhibition cockerels; the pullets will come about the color of their dams, and be valuable for the next year's breeding.

I believe strongly in ancestral backing, and that males should be used in mating that are bred from sires or dams having the qualities desired in the progeny. In the breeding of horses, cattle, and dogs, pedigree plays a leading part. No horseman would entertain for a moment the thought of paying a large fee for the service of a stock horse, unless such animal came from ancestors possessing pronounced quality. A heifer or bull of a family of great butter or milk producers commands a high price and ready sale on account of the reasonable certainty that these qualities will be perpetuated in the offspring. In breeding all the higher classes of animals great importance is placed on ancestral blood, and animals either registered in the respective records of the breed or entitled to registration at once assume a just superiority over individual animals having no distinct or traceable family lineage. So with Barred Plymouth Rocks, the individual quality must be right and the pedigree undisputed.

The object sought in mating this variety is to get both cockerels and pullets that conform to the standard of perfection in form and color, and to bring out the bluish tinge of the plumage ip a very visible degree. This blue color adds greatly to the beauty of the bird, as do also the "ringlets" which appear in specimens whose feathers are evenly barred and rightly placed.

PULLET MATING.

To produce the finest pullets, use the very best exhibition colored females, clean and bright in color and blue, showing the zebra striping or "ringlets" as much as possible. Discard all those that are splashy or broken in surface color. The barring must be regular and deep throughout and clear in wings and tails. The legs must be deep yellow; eyes red or bay. Let the size be standard and their bodies well rounded, with full breasts and broad backs.

Select a male of eight or nine pounds weight, of sturdy build, full, well rounded breast, broad back, strong legs (deep yellow in color), yellow beak and bay or red eyes. The plumage must be several shades lighter than for exhibition, clean and bright, entirely free from any shade of brown or smut, and even from end to end. Let the under-barring be as good as it may with these necessary qualities. Such a pullet mating as I have described will please the breeder in results, and certainly produce elegant exhibition pullets.

It is necessary that the male heading this pen be of the best exhibition blood. Never breed from a cockerel, expecting finely colored pullets, unless you know that his dam was an exhibition bird. It is important, too, that the pullets be not only exhibition color, but be bred from superior, prize-winning dams. Chance birds are of but little value to use in the breeding yard, because they will not transmit their good points to their progeny.

Some breeders advocate single mating, or one pen only, to get both cockerels and pullets. In this mating a male is used a little lighter than standard color, and females about exhibition color. The chicks from such a mating will come quite even and uniform as a flock, with a small percentage of culls. Some will show much quality and the majority average good. By persisting in this method and selecting breeders each year, whose sires and dams were of the right color, splendid chicks can be bred, and some good exhibition birds, but the finest exhibition birds produced during the past ten years have been the results of double matings, or a separate mating for each sex.

The utmost skill and care ought always be used in making up the season's breeding pens, for a mistake at this period is fatal to success. It cannot be corrected, and may change a hoped-for profit to a decided loss.

 

[kathyinmo]

YAY! Got some new pictures from Jeremy.....

 

[PepsNick]

I was wondering if anyone has had any hens from this line go broody? I don't think I've read of any... Maybe the opposite. I read that EB Thompson only used broody hens, no incubators, so I assume that this would be in their blood. But I am yet to hear of any setting.

Nick

 

[kstaven]

Quote:
Ultimately the choice on what to breed to whom is yours to make as you will have a better first hand experience and feel for the birds. If everyone followed the same path we would not have the diversity of stock and breeds we have today and in many cases it is those proclaimed hobbyists that have saved some breeds from totally disappearing.

Now to the question of breeder or not. Realistically anyone who works with their birds trying to improve on what they have can be classed as a breeder.

The difference between yourself and others is that you choose to work quietly because it is something you enjoy rather than focus on building a name and fluffing your tail feathers.

 

[kathyinmo]

Jeremy sent me some pictures of his 2011 hatch birds that he has growing out.

 

[kathyinmo]

I have a few chicks growing out. This one male, in particular, catches my eye already. I can hardly wait to see how he turns out. He just seems so "thick" and massive to me already. I don't know if I can capture it in a picture, but here is an attempt......

A few others I have.......

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Quote:
Matt - hate to barge in here, but I have some of Jeremys birds (and others as well) that dont have those BRIGHT yellow legs. I asked the same question of some Rock breeder friends of mine and was told that a lot has to do with diet. As they mature, make certain that they get plenty of

- greens (grass, clover, etc)
- alfalfa
- corn

I am also feeding mine sweet potatoes (which they LOVE). All these things have a chemical compound in them that helps to set that yellow leg color

Hope that helps

(Kathy - sorry for jumping in here!!)

 

[Robert Blosl]

Quote:
There is a pullet up front with a long back see her? If there was anything I would like to see in this strain is a little more lenth of body in the female.

Reason when these females grow up to eightteen months of age and molt back in that is when you compair them to the standard of perfection picture in the apa standard.

When Schilinng use to go to the shows and teach new folks about their chickens he always stressed these pictures that I painted for the standard of perfection are not ckls and pullets.

If you are not carefull your hens and cock bird will be shorter in body and you will have females that will have a wyandotte lenth of body.

Do not kill a good pullet that you have raised because of what I am telling you. Its just a long range goal you need to work on.

Next color. Beginners do not need to worry about color the firest year or two. These birds have very good color and you can work on that after you figure how to breed for type.

Keep up the good work I have about twenty barreds from Nebraska about twenty miles from me to look at. bob