The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[Fred's Hens]

YFoR: Yep. Getting the pieces in place now.

I only had 1 breeding pair last year, and sadly lost the cock so was facing sibling mating.

Bringing in some "cousin" birds with compensatory traits gives me 3 small breeding pens next year. And a broad enough base that I won't have to bring in anymore new stock. Very curious to see what hatches.

You're very fortunate to be able to simply drive over the Mr Roy's place and get a valuable breeding male for your wonderful females.
Great job Jill.


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[Yard full o' rocks]

Bee, don't get overwhelmed by the line breeding charts. In simplified terms that is a program used to consolidate the genetics of the original male AND the original female, with the thought that after 5-6 breeding yrs you have almost carbon copies of the original 2.

I think that for most of us, we are trying to IMPROVE on the original 2 and the line breeding process is not laid out for that. Compensatory matings are necessary

However, DO get comfortable with toe punching as it will be important for you to know and understand the lineage of a specific bird on your farm

Hope that helps

 

[Beekissed]

Bee: what breeding system do you use?

Don Schrider had a good article here:
http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/breeding_the_home_flock/

Nothing that would be something for anyone to take note of, that's for sure. I just keep the best birds, cull the rest~ then breed the best. That's the total of my breeding experience. This is my first real experience with breeding quality stock in all my chickening years, so this is a little more refined than that and I want to do it well. I've been blessed/given some stellar stock that has had all the work done on it and I only need to keep those going, improve where I can? but just not let them go down in quality. I'm blessed in that regard, as all the hard work has been done.

I'm just a hillbilly coming to the big town who can't stop looking at the tall buildings and going, "Daaaaaannnnnngggggg!".

 

[uphilljill]

Quote: I am very fortunate for valuable advice from breeders like you and the people in this group. It's good to have a plan and some flexibility going into next season.

 

[uphilljill]

Good luck to everyone going to the show this weekend! Looking forward to hearing the results

 

[Fred's Hens]

We're here!!

Spent the day cooping in and enjoying the company of so many folks. Walt Leonard, Steve Gribble, Rip Stalvey, Terry Disney and so on. Having a ball.

The grandson got his bird cooped in and has hardly left her side all day.

 

[Fred's Hens]

 

[LindaB220]

Whenever I see one of these charts and even the toe punch charts, my mind just goes blank. It just all seems so very complicated and confusing to have that many groups and pens and precise mating strategies. I know they must work or folks wouldn't do them and it probably sets the professional apart from the amateur but I just can't ever see myself being able to sort all that out and keep track of it all and plan that far ahead, let alone have the space for all these separate groups and matings. My eyes glaze over and I have to look away from it to get back to focus.

All I keep thinking is there has to be an easier way to get good, quality birds on the land than complicated pairings between multiple groups and such. I know that's likely wrong but I'm not going to live long enough to get to that point, so I have to think less long term.

I hear you Bee, I'll not be doing it long enough for a 5 year plan.

 

[Beekissed]

We're here!!

Spent the day cooping in and enjoying the company of so many folks. Walt Leonard, Steve Gribble, Rip Stavley, Terry Disney and so on. Having a ball.

The grandson got his bird cooped in and has hardly left her side all day.

Awwwwwww! The future of chickens right there!

Good luck, you guys!!!! Win some for the Rocks!!!

 

[Beekissed]

They're still clean, so that's a good sign! Don't they look lovely? That's a big ol' place.