The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[SilverRockFarm]

Fred great post above, getting greater back length & width was what I was looking for in my 2014 hatched chicks. The cockerel below is a little light in color having a few white tips in his breast feathers but he had the best back of all my 2014 chicks. So he will be used in many single mating breeding pens this year in hopes of producing better backs in my Silver Penciled Plymouth Rocks.

 

[YardBirdHost]

Does anyone have a suggestion where I can find exhibition quality Barred Rocks? I'm looking for a breeding trio but I would settle for some chicks or even hatching eggs. I searched everywhere for some quality Barred Rock lines and have only been able to make contact with one breeder. Does anyone still work with LF Barred Rocks?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Hugh

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Does anyone have a suggestion where I can find exhibition quality Barred Rocks? I'm looking for a breeding trio but I would settle for some chicks or even hatching eggs. I searched everywhere for some quality Barred Rock lines and have only been able to make contact with one breeder. Does anyone still work with LF Barred Rocks?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Hugh

Hugh

Where are you located? Willing to pay for birds to be shipped (pretty expensive) or are you trying to find them locally?

Thanks

 

[Fred's Hens]

The best ways to get a start, with the Rock variety of your choice, is to get a trio or quad in a shipping box, when they are 5 weeks old.










Another is to make arrangements to meet a breeder at an exhibition and bring home some juveniles or finishing young K's and P's. This method will cost you a few tanks of gas, of course, depending on how far the show is being held from your place. Either way you go, you'll need to budget around $150 or more to get your start. Most of that expense is actually the shipping or transportations cost.





Most top breeders are not on BYC, of course, but there are a few on this thread and they know many other breeders. You must also reconcile yourself to move with great patience. Winter is still holding us all in it's grip, so you'll realistically looking at May or June. Let us know how we can be of further help.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

With hatching season upon us ( or nearly so for yall in the frozen north ) I've seen several posts recently regarding hatching, staggered hatching, etc

I incubate in a Sportsman but prefer hatching in a separate unit due to the mess. I started this project last yr and tweaked it over the non- hatching season. Thus far it has hatched every egg I stuck in it this yr. It cost about $100 total. Ain't pretty, but works

It is a wine cooler I found on craigslist for $25. I added a programmable thermostat/heater unit, a light bulb and 2 high velocity CPU fans. With 2 shelves, each holding a hatching basket that can be divided into at least 3 sections, i can hatch from as many as six breeding pens at one time. I also have an old foam incubator that I can use "just in case". Get creative. It's fun, not too expensive and if I can do it, anyone can. Not special skills needed!!!

 

[YardBirdHost]

I am located in Northern Maryland (PA/MD line) and I'm willing to drive a few hours away to pick up the right trio.

Thanks

 

[YardBirdHost]

Most top breeders are not on BYC, of course, but there are a few on this thread and they know many other breeders. You must also reconcile yourself to move with great patience. Winter is still holding us all in it's grip, so you'll realistically looking at May or June. Let us know how we can be of further help.

The problem that I'm having is locating and receiving a response from the better breeders. I've been communicating with XW Poultry, I'm concerned about the welfare of the birds being shipped from NE to MD.

Thanks

 

[YardBirdHost]

With hatching season upon us ( or nearly so for yall in the frozen north ) I've seen several posts recently regarding hatching, staggered hatching, etc

I incubate in a Sportsman but prefer hatching in a separate unit due to the mess. I started this project last yr and tweaked it over the non- hatching season. Thus far it has hatched every egg I stuck in it this yr. It cost about $100 total. Ain't pretty, but works

It is a wine cooler I found on craigslist for $25. I added a programmable thermostat/heater unit, a light bulb and 2 high velocity CPU fans. With 2 shelves, each holding a hatching basket that can be divided into at least 3 sections, i can hatch from as many as six breeding pens at one time. I also have an old foam incubator that I can use "just in case". Get creative. It's fun, not too expensive and if I can do it, anyone can. Not special skills needed!!!

I hatched eggs (barnyard mix) a couple years ago to test my coolerbator. If I remember correctly, 11 of 12 hatched.

Thanks

 

[chicken pickin]

With hatching season upon us ( or nearly so for yall in the frozen north ) I've seen several posts recently regarding hatching, staggered hatching, etc

I incubate in a Sportsman but prefer hatching in a separate unit due to the mess. I started this project last yr and tweaked it over the non- hatching season. Thus far it has hatched every egg I stuck in it this yr. It cost about $100 total. Ain't pretty, but works

It is a wine cooler I found on craigslist for $25. I added a programmable thermostat/heater unit, a light bulb and 2 high velocity CPU fans. With 2 shelves, each holding a hatching basket that can be divided into at least 3 sections, i can hatch from as many as six breeding pens at one time. I also have an old foam incubator that I can use "just in case". Get creative. It's fun, not too expensive and if I can do it, anyone can. Not special skills needed!!!

This is great! I love these wine cooler style incubator! Great job!

I made a cabinet style cooler incubator last year fairly inexpensively also and it is quite large so it could hold a lot of eggs if I wanted it to. Im still learning how to get better hatches from it and need to add more shelves(I could have 4 shelves) but so far so good. I do need to change the plexi glass to a more clear rather than frosted.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

The problem that I'm having is locating and receiving a response from the better breeders. I've been communicating with XW Poultry, I'm concerned about the welfare of the birds being shipped from NE to MD.

Thanks

Hugh

Remember the "exhibition poultry world" can be very cliquish. The breeders "owe" no one a response, reply, etc and they often have to be woo'd like a new girlfriend....sad, but true. They want to know a bit about you, what you've done with poultry, why you are interested in their birds, etc, etc

Being in your location, there are several decent Rock breeders nearby. Start here and see if you can locate Greg English....he should be able to point you in a direction for Barred Rocks. Eggs might be easy to come by shortly....good birds?, not til next Fall

http://delmarvapoultryfanciers.com/index.php