Barred Rocks Good Shepard Poulty Ranch

[tinalibnania]

This is my flock of BRs, best breed I could have hoped for as a first timer. Got them as day old hatchery chicks and you will notice my roo has a HUGE comb for 5 1/2 months, kinda surprised me. I love my flock, they have thrived since day 1, started laying at 5 months and they do have that green sheen to the feathers. I have read in show standard books that the green sheen is desired.

Quick question, is his comb being so large prefered?

 

[seminolewind]

I think your BR;s are totally stunning!!! I have 2 hens and they are no where near that lovely. I still love them tho.

 

[Robert Blosl]

His comb is perfect for a hatchery barred rock. I bet they have nice tails and the females lay like crazy. They are so pretty. bob

 

[tinalibnania]

Thank you , they are more beauiful than I expected for hatchery chickens and they do lay like crazy

Most of the people that see him and have chicken experience just cant get over his comb

 

[Jwhip]

Male 1

 

[Jwhip]

Male 2

 

[Jwhip]

Male 3

Which male is the Best???? What do you think Bob?

 

[tigercreek]

I sure hope he shows up to answer this one! Can we assume that they are all the same age? There looks to be a significant weight diffference. I wish this had been asked and answered a week ago, I just culled 9 cockerels !! Hope I made the right choice .......stan

 

[Robert Blosl]

I like the comb on the bottom male, I like the body type on the top male but his comb is not good and his tail is to thin in comparison to male in the third picture.

They got pretty good tails fill led out. I saw a ckl at Matts house a few days ago and he had a tail much like his sire that you took a picture of last year that I liked but his tail had no lift but it was fully furnished which was good.

Head points can be corrected in about three to four years if you put breeding pressure in this section. Like if you had a female that had good over all type and had a pretty good comb, you could mate her to male number one and then split the second half of the year with male number three. Toe punch the chicks and then the next year mate the best pullets from the third male to the first male and the best pullets from the first male to the third male and then you could get a better head from the third male onto a male such as your first male.

You could also, mate the first male to a good hen that has molted back with good type that has a good comb and then mate her best son from this male back to her with a improved comb. Then the next year pick the best male with a better comb maybe a six or five point comb and nice blade back to her again. In no time you could get these head points to look like the standard or like our white rock males heads we have today.

If you don't have a male with a good head he cant win best of breed even if he has killer shape or type or color. Great leg color on all birds.

Some may say where is the gravy bowl rock type a few have type like a Rhode Island red or brick shape. Again I think the secret is to look at your females if you have two or three that have stunning gravy bowl classic rock type with good lifts they will help you faster than your males will to improve type in your line. Many old timers felt that the female had more influence on shape maybe ten percent more and the male had more to the mating in color. I am thinking after one of our Rock Club members wrote a article about the Colombian color pattern that was his feelings. He also is a rabbit breeder and feels the same in this area in rabbits. So think about this as you put your mat tings together this year.

I looked at the tail of the third bird notice his stiff sickle and lesser sickle feathers. That's the trait you need to develop in a good tail on male barred rock. You got some good points there but also some that have to be improved ,but that is what you have to do as a breeder. You being a cattle breeder will have a eye for this. You just got to grade up and improve and in no time you will have a winning combination.

As breeders they all have faults but the third male has the barred rock tail with stiff sickle and lesser sickle feathers which you need so desperately in this color pattern. He has a pretty good comb would like it to be bigger but its ok. He has type like a red but if I could find me a pullet or old hen with good rock type she could compensate that for you in the chicks..

As breeders number three number one number two. I like the substance of the tail on number three even if he has red shape with the right female you could pass this strong trait onto all your birds for years to come. He also has good lenth of body so if you have a short bodied female with super rock type he could help her with that fault. That is in my view how you could end up with some very nice chicks next year from two birds with major faults.

Nice pictures for the folks to look at of a standard breed barred rock and thier black and white color. Sure have pretty barring.

This is just my view what do I know about rocks I am a Red Man and more into breeding than showing. bob

 

[halo]

Bob thank you so much for the fascinating critique. Could you comment on the wing carriage on them?