Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[hellbender]

I don't have a problem with mud (thankfully) but I am more than ready to have rid of snow.

I really don't have all that much problem with cold but this snow make my life miserable! and

keeps the birds in. I let them out if it's 10*F or higher and there isn't any heavy wind but if there

is more than a'skiff' of snow, they're stuck inside, 'chawin' down on heads of cabbage. They

like Bok Choy too but I'll be dipped in #### if I'm paying the difference. They go through a

bushel of cabbage a day.....but if they can get out and peck around on dried up worthless

grass, the cow patties and foot-deep composted goat pack, they hardly look at the hanging

cabbages.

Really ready for Spring!!!

 

[RedRidge]

Anyone know a good material to keep coop runs from getting muddy?  People say use hay or pine needles, but that will rot and not last long.  I have a good feeling when all this snow melts there will be a lot of mud...

The horse bedding Pine pellets I started using work a lot better than I thought they would. They break down when they get wet to a saw dust that packs hard. It's great... No moisture

 

[thedragonlady]

Anyone know a good material to keep coop runs from getting muddy? People say use hay or pine needles, but that will rot and not last long. I have a good feeling when all this snow melts there will be a lot of mud...

Sand works great for me in my covered runs , and I used it in open ones in Ga .It depends on what your soil and drainage are. It takes at least a foot of sand above grade to do any good, as the birds stir it so much.The key thing is to keep straw, and shavings, out of the sand by raking and screening.

 

[thedragonlady]

The birds will enjoy next week. Supposed to get as high as 76. I think that I will do some sunbathing with them.

Let's enjoy the warmth while it lasts, George. A flock of not so little birds tell me....cold snap again at the end of the month.

 

[colburg]

I'll trade y'all summer for snow. I think we skipped spring. Went from telling the girls it's too cold to go outside, to "We better go out now before it gets too hot later."

With some help over on the Plymouth Rock Breeder Thread, I have my choices for my White Rocks this year.

4 pullets








2 cockerels

 

[thedragonlady]

I'll trade y'all summer for snow. I think we skipped spring. Went from telling the girls it's too cold to go outside, to "We better go out now before it gets too hot later."

With some help over on the Plymouth Rock Breeder Thread, I have my choices for my White Rocks this year.

4 pullets








2 cockerels

Love the 1st and 4th pullets !

 

[colburg]

DragonLady, I can see a few reasons why 1 and 4 would be top picks, but would you mind telling me what you like about them, or dislike about the other 2? This will be my first breeding season starting with 4 pair and need all the help I can get.

Fred and Scott have pitched helped us pick out this years pens so hats of to them as well.

So that I don't clog things up with too many pictures, here's a link to a post with the 4 K's, the 4 pullets are in the post after this one.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/811228/the-plymouth-rock-breeders-thread/1250#post_12790154

Thanks so much,
colburg

 

[gjensen]

I was having a hard time seeing what was them, and what was their pose in the picture. Be careful about opinions based on pictures. You did the right thing and asked why, because you can assess that better in person.
They all have a different pose and are facing slightly different directions. The best profile shot is the last one.

Base on an impression, I like the fourth pullet. That impression might be different in person.

At least the color is white. I am having a hard time capturing the true color of my birds and communicating what I really have on the internet.

Regardless, they are nice birds, and a good start.

The warm weather you are having is coming this way. And I would certainly trade you for this weather and yours. I will trade you this summer to. Your part of NM has beautiful weather, you live in a nice place.

 

[thedragonlady]

DragonLady, I can see a few reasons why 1 and 4 would be top picks, but would you mind telling me what you like about them, or dislike about the other 2? This will be my first breeding season starting with 4 pair and need all the help I can get.

Fred and Scott have pitched helped us pick out this years pens so hats of to them as well.

So that I don't clog things up with too many pictures, here's a link to a post with the 4 K's, the 4 pullets are in the post after this one.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/811228/the-plymouth-rock-breeders-thread/1250#post_12790154

Thanks so much,
colburg

Judging solely from these 4 photos, I like the body depth, and rounded breasts of the 1 and 4 pullets the best They also seem to have better toplines in these photos. Concerning the Ks, I like #2 and #4, for the same reasons. I would not use #3, not only because of the knock knees, but because that extra double point on his comb will come back to haunt you.I like the width of back on these 2 boys also.The #1 K is somewhat narrow through the hips in this photo. I'd love to be able to see them all in the flesh, as it is so hard to get good photos of good birds.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Well, at least I now know how to get good pictures of my birds. I have a bleak background too!

Your rocks are beautiful. I like the first and fourth pullets too and the reason is that their backs look stronger to me, coming out of the neck, they're more full at the shoulders and their breasts are carried up and in front. I may not have worded it properly (I'm good at miscommunication) and I don't have my standard in front of me but that's what I notice about them.