Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Fred's Hens]

As I recall, he was considering a white rock rooster to put over those pretty white layers he's created... The ones that started off as ISA browns...

Oh, wouldn't that be grand?

 

[NikkiMiChickie]

Oh, wouldn't that be grand?   

:/ sorry, Fred! I should just keep my big mouth shut when I can't remember details.

 

[Fred's Hens]

sorry, Fred! I should just keep my big mouth shut when I can't remember details.

No apologies required. We LOVE our white project birds. Yes, a WR over them would be outstanding.

 

[Beekissed]

Bee, I raised White Rocks since I was a little boy. Got distracted a few years back and focused on other breeds and strains. But, I miss the breed and really want to have them again. But... I want good Rocks. Gee, what a shock, eh? Of course, I could follow my own advice and get box of 50 from one of the better Iowa hatcheries or something, and then sort through for the 4 or 5 decent birds, process the rest, and breed them up for the next 5 years. Might be fun.

But it might also be fun to just start right out with the right birds from the get-go. What doesn't help is that most of the breeders have bloated the bird beyond it's standard. Was also disappointed to find out the the WR was essentially a No Show at the Ohio National this past week. It is reported that the only WR shown we're of "off" quality, huge, ugly rear cushions, etc.

I know who has good ones. I'll tell you that much. I'll also tell you they mopped the floor with other birds shown a week or so ago in Nebraska. (Go Big Red, btw)

I can't blame you. As time goes on and I see these birds in action over the years, I've grown to appreciate them over most of the breeds I've ever owned. I just really like their shape, stature, demeanor, vigor, laying performance, feed thrift, personalities, muscling and their hardiness. I really can't find anything about them to dislike. The three six year old WRs I currently own have shown me just how strong these birds really are. They have bounced back from the worst care and health conditions a bird could have and came out on the other side beautiful. If they get back to laying after all that's been done to them I'll personally kiss each and every one of them!

Here are some befores and afters on these impressive birds:



One week after getting her back in my care. She was horribly thin, had lice, mites, scale mites and impactions in the glands of both feet.



Six weeks after the first pic..a little dirty from the rain but back to feeling good, looking good.



Here's another...thin, lice and mite infested at one week back in my care.



Same hen, 6 wks after the first pic.



And my best WR, Bertha, at one week back in my care...the most impressive of all because she maintained good wt~though still underweight from her usual wt.~ even though she was lice and mite infested and had a severe gleet infection.



That's Bertha on the right a couple of weeks ago....5 wks after getting back home. All three of these WRs are 6 years old and have totally kicked the butts on the younger chickens during this recovery.

I'm completely in love with these WRs and hope and pray they lay just one last season just for the victory of it.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I can't blame you. As time goes on and I see these birds in action over the years, I've grown to appreciate them over most of the breeds I've ever owned. I just really like their shape, stature, demeanor, vigor, laying performance, feed thrift, personalities, muscling and their hardiness. I really can't find anything about them to dislike. The three six year old WRs I currently own have shown me just how strong these birds really are. They have bounced back from the worst care and health conditions a bird could have and came out on the other side beautiful. If they get back to laying after all that's been done to them I'll personally kiss each and every one of them!

Here are some befores and afters on these impressive birds:



One week after getting her back in my care. She was horribly thin, had lice, mites, scale mites and impactions in the glands of both feet.



Six weeks after the first pic..a little dirty from the rain but back to feeling good, looking good.



Here's another...thin, lice and mite infested at one week back in my care.



Same hen, 6 wks after the first pic.



And my best WR, Bertha, at one week back in my care...the most impressive of all because she maintained good wt~though still underweight from her usual wt.~ even though she was lice and mite infested and had a severe gleet infection.



That's Bertha on the right a couple of weeks ago....5 wks after getting back home. All three of these WRs are 6 years old and have totally kicked the butts on the younger chickens during this recovery.

I'm completely in love with these WRs and hope and pray they lay just one last season just for the victory of it.

Jules, if that girl on the right in this last photo, is able to lay 20-30 eggs this spring? Dang!!! You too need a WR rooster for her. I'd hatch every egg she'd lay. All of this are nice, really nice. Wouldn't you LOVE to hatch a bunch of chicks to pick through out of these gals? Look at the nice "tent" of the girl showing us her behind in that last photo. Nice recovery!!!

 

[Beekissed]

I know...I really, really want one last batch from Bertha. She is my broody that has raised all my foster chicks and some of the flock's chicks over the years. She is the one that raised those 20 meaties for me some years back...she is just one excellent bird. She is sweet, calm, an excellent layer and is around 9 or 10 lbs at her full weight...not fat, all muscle.

The one with the nice tent is Raggedy Ann...so named for her appearance when she came home. She has turned out the most fluffy, cleanest behind of the bunch!

So much so that I took a pic of it after 3 wks home...this was the poor thing that looked like she had been caught in a wood chipper. She had a bald butt just 2 wks prior to this pic...lice had eaten her feathers but luckily she was also molting and regrowing new. For some reason, the fermented feed seems to really accelerate the growth and quality of the feathers...everyone is reporting the same phenomenon.

 

[Mountain Momma]

Wow! Et tu, MFB? Not another dog massacre!!! It seems such a sacrilege for you and Al to lose all your good birds and ol' hatchery mutts like mine walk around unscathed. It's just not right. I guess it rains on the poor and rich alike, doesn't it? I've always heard if a predator is going to get your birds, it is usually the best one of the flock.

I found that out when I took in two pups some years back. Couldn't keep them contained to a large fenced in area, couldn't keep them contained with electric and went out one night and found them out plucking the rears of two of my oldest, best BAs....I had to kill both birds out of mercy. Then I killed both pups out of sense of justice. Creatures in my care will live in harmony with one another or they will risk a .22 lead injection.

Just thought I'd give everyone a quick update. So far the retreivrs are still among the living. The kids have been given a list of 15 things they must do daily and another 5 they are individually responsible for. Discussing and handing out the list has had a wonderful impact on me. They have been very sincere and dedicated to the list. The green house frame is done, DH did most of it on the absolute coldest day of the year so far(true love or something else?). Its been So cold the outside water froze sitting in the sunshine during the day. About 2 inches frozen on the top. Kept adding boiling water, three times throughout the day to keep it available. I brought the coop water into the house to thaw it. So, looks like i'll need a plan to keep water thawed.
With the kids towing the line on the list somehow the retrievers arent as annoying, however they are now outside every day until 10pm. No matter what.
Emma the pup is fearless and mighty. She is almost 7 weeks and she sits, shakes, is nearly potty trained ( with 3am being the missing link my fault, not hers).
She goes to the coop with me always and usually wants to hang out in the maint area for an hour after I leave. She coralled the new chicken and when the roo flew down to protect the chicken she went after him without hesitation. He was terrified and flew back up to the gate and stared at her. She also prefers battle with the vacuum. The other two have always run from the vacuum and hid in the closet. So ive been holding chickens down to Emma so she knows they are friends not foes. She loves to watch them when they are all together on the roost. That is her favorite thing to do besides taking things away from the retrivers.
The new chicken got pecked the first night -kinda roughed up -so I seperated her for the night. She layed an egg the next morning and I sent her out with the others. Today she seems to be integrated. I used a powder to stop bleeding on her comb and looked it over. It bled a bit but wasnt actually bad at all. She seems to have learned some humility and tonight was arguing with all the others over bbq ribs. So at least shes not stupid. Plus I have a soft spot for assertive domineering hens. Something tickling my brain tells me that is a survival mechanism. My whole flock has always been peaceful and now it seems she will be too. A little early to totally know though.
Ive been reading Bee. So much info, so little of a brain. I might read and tape it outloud to play while im sleeping. If I do that and retain it then I can sell the tapes to Nieman Marcus. If I get aroung to that i'll need to know how many posts each of you have put on this thread so I can divy up the money. lol
Goood night friends
Lisa

 

[Beekissed]

Great update, Lisa! I'm glad you are working with your dogs...I don't think they will let you down if you put in the wrench time on them. Both breeds are capable of bringing so much that is good to a family and a farm that I just know when these puppy stages are gone you will be thankful that you stuck it out with them.

Even at Jake's age, if I took the time to train him on various things, I know he would get them in a snap...he is so easy to train it's like peanut butter and jelly. Easy to make happen. Every once in awhile I'll add something to his repertoire and it never ceases to amaze me at how quickly he gets it and how well it sticks in his head.

 

[Pozees]

I can't blame you. As time goes on and I see these birds in action over the years, I've grown to appreciate them over most of the breeds I've ever owned. I just really like their shape, stature, demeanor, vigor, laying performance, feed thrift, personalities, muscling and their hardiness. I really can't find anything about them to dislike. The three six year old WRs I currently own have shown me just how strong these birds really are. They have bounced back from the worst care and health conditions a bird could have and came out on the other side beautiful. If they get back to laying after all that's been done to them I'll personally kiss each and every one of them!

Here are some befores and afters on these impressive birds:



One week after getting her back in my care. She was horribly thin, had lice, mites, scale mites and impactions in the glands of both feet.



Six weeks after the first pic..a little dirty from the rain but back to feeling good, looking good.



Here's another...thin, lice and mite infested at one week back in my care.



Same hen, 6 wks after the first pic.



And my best WR, Bertha, at one week back in my care...the most impressive of all because she maintained good wt~though still underweight from her usual wt.~ even though she was lice and mite infested and had a severe gleet infection.



That's Bertha on the right a couple of weeks ago....5 wks after getting back home. All three of these WRs are 6 years old and have totally kicked the butts on the younger chickens during this recovery.

I'm completely in love with these WRs and hope and pray they lay just one last season just for the victory of it.

It is easy to see what you and Fred love about these WRs, they are great-looking birds! Is there a huge difference, or not much at all, between White Rocks and Barred Rocks? Can't have white birds here.

 

[halo]

I got white rocks last year from Mt. Healthy hatchery, just for fun and for something different. They were really really nice birds. I ended up selling them and going a different way, but I wouldnt hesitate to get them from them again. They were really good size birds, without being oversized. Nice nice birds.