My Barred Rockabillies and Rockets

[FRlEDeggs]

If they are Marans,

You might not be able to tell by the eggs, they are no darker than any other eggs

I got a chick sold as a barred rock too, but she ended up a Cuckoo Marans

Honestly though I think you have all barred rock roos! So sorry!

 

[lovinlife]

I'm also leaning toward BR, and if so, they look like roos from the coloring. You'll know for sure when they crow or lay eggs.

This is my Cuckoo Marans at 7 weeks old. Notice how dark she is and has mottled white spots.

This isn't the best pic, but here she is at 17 weeks.

One of my BR hens, notice her legs are whitish. My other hen has yellow legs. Hatchery quality birds can vary from the standard.

Silkieowner, your hens have the nicest barring I've seen on BR! Wow.

 

[Jonny Anvil]

Hey Everyone,

Well it's been a long time since I posted so time to update...

It is rather obvious by the amount of Noise going on..... that I do indeed have 6 very healthy and interesting Barred Rock Roosters!!! They are 5 months old. 21 weeks.

All of them have been crowing and strutting their stuff for the past few weeks now....lol
I have made a hard decision and have put 4 of them up for sale, but so far none have moved... big surprise lol.
Now I don't want them all to go but I have to make a choice for the sake of the Neighbours... there are 7 roosters and it's a crowing contest in the mornings,.... or so I have heard... i live in the city and my birds are on my parents acreage .......
There are two of them there is no way I can part with... one is Paleface, the other is Runt. Paleface is just an amazing bird, has always been my baby follows me around and it the most gentle, and really unique looking. Then there is runt I saved his poor fuzzy but one day when he decided to over eat and choked on his food, darn near lost him.

any who here are the 4 I am wanting to part with, hope they find good homes as they are excellent breeder stock.

Tweedle Dee

Tweedle Dum

Bert

Ernie

And here are my babies that I have no intentions of getting rid off.... they have grown on me, Runt almost died when he was only a few weeks old cause he over ate and almost choked..... Paleface, well he has always been my fav as he always looked so different and even more so now.

RUNT

PaleFace (My Fav)

Just to put Paleface in perspective... he is my Biggest Roo and they are all only 5 months old.

Paleface and Runt

Bert & Ernie Crowing and Showing their good sides...lol

 

[Gallusfarm]

Oh thanks for the update - they are beautiful boys! How sweet that Runt and Paleface are your favorites and you are keeping them. Certainly someone will want the other 4. Good luck to you.

 

[speckledhen]

Paleface is not a pure Barred Rock, but maybe you already know that. I love Barred Rock roosters, have owned several of them. Yours are nice utility type boys. They look healthy!

 

[Arty]

Very nice photos. If you lived closer I would give one of your boys a nice home. I have 8 girls that need a boyfriend.

 

[Jonny Anvil]

*Update*

Sadly to say that 4 of the Goons are gone. I was unable to find homes for them so they were processed by myself, and given out to family members. All were very impressed with how well I did process them and even said that it would be hard to tell if it was from the Grocery store or not. So I am proud to say that I am darn good at it. Must be the Chef in me, or the farm boy in my own bloodlines

So overall I have heard nothing but good comments from those who received a chicken, and I myself am very impressed with the Freshness and quality.

There was no way that I could even think about sending Paleface of to freezer camp, so I am proud to say that he is Kicking and is now the proud father of some Chicks, he has been breeding with our Red Sussex hens, so has Sgt Pepper. So the chicks hatching are really random colors... I just love it. Oh and Runt is kicking around but has now started to attack me more and displays for me when i get near him, he saw his brothers while they were on their way to freezer camp, on a stop off at the "hot bath".
I think he hates me now.... that or wants to buy me dinner,... is it possible for a rooster to have a crush on you, i mean after all the ones the I choose were the ones that were picking on Runt???

Anywho.... This new lifestyle is great, I think I can get used to it.

here are some pics.


"Paleface"

"Runt"
No new pictures of Runt he won't let me take any pictures lately..............lol I think he is traumatized

Sgt Pepper and his Gals with Paleface on the prowl

Here is the Result Of Crossing my Red Sussex hens, with my Barred Rock Roo and My Delaware Roo, so pretty much what you see above minus the Turkeys.

 

[LaurenM23]

Wow! You got some very neat babies from those mixes!!! Congrats!

 

[Jonny Anvil]

Ok Sooooo..


Here is where I am at currently..... Confused!

Like I was saying over on this thread My Barred Rock Roosters stem from lines crossed with Stock from Rochester Hatchery as well the University of Alberta bloodlines.
My Hens are direct stock from the UofA. Not sure if that helps at all but gets me a start.


Here is what I am thinking, My Barred Rocks are Production Rocks are they Not?

Would it be wise to continue to use Paleface in a breeding Program specifically for the matter of his size, he is a big boy. Now when I say that I am talking Barnyard mixes for the table, an alternative to what you would find at the super market. I find the local poultry producers are supplying the retail store with a very fatty young carcass who doesn't.????
Paleface has the size and my Red Sussex cross are already a great laying breed and for hens they are heavy girls. They are 9.8 months old and weight between 4.5 - 5.4 which i would say is decent.

If you look at the Posts above, you will see some of my breeding program already started. I want to be able to harvest a few "Heritage" mixed breeds for the table, as well egg production.

With this batch of chicks the intention was to incorporate Paleface's size with the size of the Red Sussex Hens and get a meatier bird more or less, but something lean and not too fatty, like that of the commercial industry.
Because of the unique colorations I was getting I wanted to single out Paleface and Breed him exclusively, So I pen'd him up with a gal and waited 30 days before i collected any eggs for the bator. I just so happened to be testing a theory that the Rooster can help determine the color of the egg... still working on that one

any who here are my results as far as my first stage in the Barnyard Mix idea.

I breed this hen...

with this rooster (Paleface)

and got these chicks from 6 eggs I incubated, only 5 hatched.
these are paleface's children

Note they are not the same birds as above post.
This is my Fav, Bella

another pic of the Group.

Hatch Date was 10/19/2010 they are 7 weeks old, almost 2 months now.

 

[Jonny Anvil]

What I was wondering is if by any chance Paleface would be worth using to help bring "Size" to the Barred Rocks I have by eventually breeding him with these hens.

They are much younger and of Different bloodlines. Direct from the University of Alberta, we hatched them out back on 07/14/10. They are 4.8 months old right now, and no they are not bantams.