Hey Speckledhen! Some Mace Man Pics and some others.......

[lockedhearts]

See! I told you he finally bloomed!

Mace

The girls

Columbian Wyandottes

Partridge Cochin (Bad pic need to take some early in the day)

 

[stuckinthecity]

Beautiful chickens!!! I love your barred rocks.

 

[lockedhearts]

Quote:
Thank You ! Mace and some of my girls came from Speckledhen, they are really sweet birds.

 

[speckledhen]

That Mace did fill out lots, didn't he? He is such a sweet boy, another of Lexie's sons. I see Maddie! She always had the same look. Is she still Miss Nosy?

Oh, Karen, I'll be hatching some really great quality BRs next month. If you want a really nice rooster (though I adore Mace) to improve barring, I'm sure there will be extras. If all goes well, may even have an extra pullet for you.

 

[lockedhearts]

Quote:
You know Maddie, got to be in the middle of it all... I have some of Dutchs daughters growing up, about to move them in with Mace. I need to get rid of 2 Roos, plus RuPaul . I may sell the Partridge Cochin trio too.

 

[stuckinthecity]

speckledhen, what are the weights of you barred rock breeders?
All the "barred rocks" that I've seen up at the trade day are way too skinny. I'm sure they'll be great layers... but I want more traditional, dual purpose barred rocks.

 

[speckledhen]

Mace's brother, Dutch, was a chunky boy. Their sire, Hawkeye, was very deep bodied and Dutch inherited it. Mace was built more like his mother (though he has filled out a great deal, I see!). I think Hawkeye and Dutch in their primes were about 9 lb. I have a hen who is a chunk, too, but I also have a couple who are too small-bodied and want to improve on that.

Some of the hens that Karen has are half sisters to my Becca and Amanda. Amanda is a huge, wide load of a hen and throws daughters who are just as hefty. Here is Amanda.

 

[stuckinthecity]

I have a barred mixed hen who has the body shape of Amanda.

All I can say is, PLEASE keep this line of birds so I can buy eggs from you in the future! lol What great birds you have... I seriously haven't seen many barred rocks with the large shape and weight they should have, like yours.

 

[speckledhen]

I will be improving my BRs in the very near future with some hatching eggs from two very old lines. My BRs are all either hatchery stock (well, Lexie and Ivy were, as was Hawkeye) and a few generations removed from the hatchery. I like to keep the big round bodied ones. Hawkeye, may he rest in peace, was just a common hatchery Rock from McMurray with many battle scars, lice and malnutrition when I got him. However, he had a big deep bodied frame I like to see on a BR rooster. After having proper food and care for a month or two, he became the big guy who produced some awesome kids. Here is a picture of Hawkeye, battle-scarred comb/wattle and all, sire of Dutch, Mace and Zane, among others spread around the US:

Amanda's parents were out of McMurray stock as well, hatched from eggs given to me by a friend. Karen owns a daughter of Amanda's, Zoe, who is a heavyweight as well.

 

[stuckinthecity]

Hatchery?! Who would have thought... He's huge looking.
Now about laying qualities, are your huge girls decent layers?