The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[uphilljill]

Glad it worked out with the Broodies. Best way to go if you can time it right.

 

[Beekissed]

Yep...I'm pretty pleased with how it all went down this spring. All the chicks~both the WRs and the WR cross birds to be used for meat and utility~are looking good and carry that large breast characteristic of this WR male. I like how much meat he puts on the chicks.

Here's a few pics of the pure WRs and also the WR//BA mix birds that were born at the end of May/beginning of June...

 

[chicken pickin]

Here are some updated pictures of my BPR chicks, they are now 5weeks old and growing well, feathering pretty fast. They are still in the garage brooder, they have yet to move outside. Hopefully they can move out soon once I make room in the large growout coop.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

My birds are not quite 6 weeks and think I've already narrowed down the breeders. Crazy right? Meh, at worst it will set me back a year but barring any defects to type I'll use the two silver colored females and best of the silver cockerels. We'll see next spring if this trio will result in all silver chicks. My thought is it will, if not then I'll grab the best type hen for late spring single mating. Still curious as to the brown everyone sees in this varieties chicks and what that results in mature birds. In lieu of input I'll attempt to eradicate that trait right from the start. Of 14 hatched 6 were silver and 8 brown, 4 cockerels, 2 pullets silver; 1 cockerel, 6 pullets brown. About 50/50 indicating it may be a dominant single loci gene easily rid of.

Here's a photo showing the two distinct coloration of the newly hatched birds, the brown is still prevalent (brown and gold hue) at 6 weeks:

 

[chicken pickin]

I apologize for hogging the thread with all my pictures but I am just loving my BPR chicks. They are 6 weeks now and just had their first outside time. They loved it. These birds are so friendly, laid back, calm and easy going... Its incredible.

I think I took about 500 pictures of them (no lie) My husband was making fun of me for doing a "chicken photo shoot". But I cant help it they are just such pretty chickens. Here is my picture overload of their first day out on the grass and in the sun. I didn't get them all, some were still hanging back in the garage. I have 12 females total and 9 males.

 

[uphilljill]

Lookin' good, CP. They seem to be feathering in nice n quick for 6 weeks. And nice outdoor space! Bet they loved it!

 

[chicken pickin]

Lookin' good, CP. They seem to be feathering in nice n quick for 6 weeks. And nice outdoor space! Bet they loved it!

Thanks. They did seem to have feathered in rather quickly. Im not sure if that is just a trait they have or if its because I don't tend to "baby" my chicks. The weather has been decent so I think these guys were off of their heat lamp completely at about 4.5 or 5weeks old, starting at around 3.5weeks the lamp was turned off during the day on warm ish days. Is feathering in quickly not something we want to see for BPR chicks or does it not matter much either way? Will it affect their barring? Sorry Im still learning.

 

[uphilljill]

My siblings are feathering in at the same pace. I think finishing feathering around 8 weeks old is a good goal for a dual-purpose farm bird.

I've had other lines that are still naked at 12-16 weeks. Slower feathering generally means better barring, but they are often also much slower maturing/egg laying as well. It's always a balance trying to get nice barring, but retaining the practical utility qualities. Fred talks about it a lot earlier in this thread. There is such a thing as too slow.

 

[chicken pickin]

My siblings are feathering in at the same pace. I think finishing feathering around 8 weeks old is a good goal for a dual-purpose farm bird.

I've had other lines that are still naked at 12-16 weeks. Slower feathering generally means better barring, but they are often also much slower maturing/egg laying as well. It's always a balance trying to get nice barring, but retaining the practical utility qualities. Fred talks about it a lot earlier in this thread. There is such a thing as too slow.

Im glad to know they are on track then. I did read the thread in its entirety but its hard to remember some of the earlier discussions.

 

[Beekissed]

I apologize for hogging the thread with all my pictures but I am just loving my BPR chicks. They are 6 weeks now and just had their first outside time. They loved it. These birds are so friendly, laid back, calm and easy going... Its incredible.

I think I took about 500 pictures of them (no lie) My husband was making fun of me for doing a "chicken photo shoot". But I cant help it they are just such pretty chickens. Here is my picture overload of their first day out on the grass and in the sun. I didn't get them all, some were still hanging back in the garage. I have 12 females total and 9 males.

Those are some really sturdy looking youngsters!! Very pretty barring and good feathering.