The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[chicken pickin]

I've seen some of mine at 10 weeks

That is a nice early age to notice good development. Do you have an example of the very young cockerels that you notice show early good breast development?

 

[weavers rocks]

No I do t have any I've erased a bunch of pics off my phone this season sorry

 

[Fred's Hens]

A good female line. That's what everyone has said about our birds and I have never taken offense. Not at all. The truth is our pullets from a very young age were "Dolly Parton girls", as some like to describe them. Male breast muscle development has been tougher. To me, the development of consistent, consistent breasts on the males is on the front burner of the To Do list. I do believe that muscle must be hung on bone, so protruding keels is essential. It cannot be discussed as two different items. Not in my mind. Slab chested BR males are a dime a dozen. Handle your males at 9 weeks. Run your fingers over that keel and palpate the muscle development.

There is a very good reason why the White Rocks are in better shape, as a variety. The patterned folks spend so much time getting distracted by barring or lacing or coloration, etc that type isn't always the main thing. Well, the main thing needs to stay the main thing and the main thing is type. Much easier said than done. Just ask the SPPR breeders.

Scott Brazinski has done a great job with the Columbians, I'm just not seeing the good Partridge or Buffs or Silver Penciled yet. It is bloody hard work and you've got to have folks stay with things. Bob always talked about the "Three years and out folks". A lot of wanna be breeders don't even last that long, in all honesty. My hat is off to those working with the intricate patterned Plymouth Rocks. Kudos to you for your efforts.

 

[normanack]

I love the patterning of a Barred Plymouth Rock -- the barring is what first caught my eye.
But it's the shape of the Rock that has my mind and heart. The more I learn about type, the more I see, and my interest just keeps multiplying.

 

[chicken pickin]

I love the patterning of a Barred Plymouth Rock -- the barring is what first caught my eye.
But it's the shape of the Rock that has my mind and heart. The more I learn about type, the more I see, and my interest just keeps multiplying.

I agree on this. There is something fascinating about the shape of a Rock. I find myself digging for new info to read on PRs. I even started re-reading this thread. I thoroughly enjoyed the reading the first time but now that I have the birds in hand I am finding that the text in this thread all has new meaning now and its almost like Im reading it for the first time because I have a slightly new understanding.

 

[Banaynaychicken]

Could anyone take a guess on how old this Hen is? Her name is Pollito, and she is my biggest hope for egg production at the moment, as I know she is the oldest out of all of my chickens, but she isn't laying yet, and I want to have a general idea of when she will start laying based on age, I would guess about 19 weeks, but I am a beginner in chicken age, owning, all that good stuff, and I could totally be wrong.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Good conversation the last week or so on this thread. Good job everyone.

Let's also remember that as summer fades to fall and birds get culled and finalists are chosen, don't forget attitude, personality or temperment, whatever you wish to call it. Those traits are also heritable.

I laugh at these various "breed charts and discriptions" here on BYC and hatchery websites, etc. Silliness. One would think that egg laying and temperment are just locked in place with these birds according to variety. "Rocks are docile", "Rocks lay 200 eggs", "Rocks go broody", "Rocks weigh X pounds", "Rocks want to make the Mars landing team". Marketing nonsense. Gross generalities that simply aren't helpful.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Could anyone take a guess on how old this Hen is? Her name is Pollito, and she is my biggest hope for egg production at the moment, as I know she is the oldest out of all of my chickens, but she isn't laying yet, and I want to have a general idea of when she will start laying based on age, I would guess about 19 weeks, but I am a beginner in chicken age, owning, all that good stuff, and I could totally be wrong.

First, it isn't a "hen" at all. It is a pullet. It won't be a "hen" until it moults following it's first laying cycle, or about 18 months of age. I can see that is a hatchery stock bird as well and this section for Standard bred poultry. We're glad you're here and wanting to learn more about poultry and Barred Plymouth Rocks. Be forewarned, this is not a section to discuss pet birds or hatchery stock, ok?

She looks to be around 15 weeks, give or take. She'll likely lay an egg on the very first day her body is mature enough to do so and when she is able. Not a day earlier, nor a day later. LOL I would expect she'll lay around 22-24 weeks, if she gets enough quality feed and adequate daylight/artificial light to stimulate her to lay.

Welcome aboard. Hope you read through the thread and learn as much as you can about breeding Plymouth Rocks. Of course, you'll need access to a cockbird in order to breed.

 

[chicken pickin]

Male #19 is a male that catches my eye. Let me know your thoughts good and bad..


He is the one off the stump in the next 2 pics

 

[Banaynaychicken]

First, it isn't a "hen" at all. It is a pullet. It won't be a "hen" until it moults following it's first laying cycle, or about 18 months of age. I can see that is a hatchery stock bird as well and this section for Standard bred poultry. We're glad you're here and wanting to learn more about poultry and Barred Plymouth Rocks. Be forewarned, this is not a section to discuss pet birds or hatchery stock, ok?

She looks to be around 15 weeks, give or take. She'll likely lay an egg on the very first day her body is mature enough to do so and when she is able. Not a day earlier, nor a day later. LOL I would expect she'll lay around 22-24 weeks, if she gets enough quality feed and adequate daylight/artificial light to stimulate her to lay.

Welcome aboard. Hope you read through the thread and learn as much as you can about breeding Plymouth Rocks. Of course, you'll need access to a cockbird in order to breed.

Aha! I knew I might have been calling her the wrong name when I said "hen" ! And thank-you for telling me the specifics of the thread ^^. These pictures where taken about 5 weeks ago, so I would make the assumption she is about 20 weeks now. I wait her first egg anxiously. Thankyou so much for your help ^^