Partridge Rock Thread

[cybercat]

Breeder show stock will cost you alot. The smaller hatcheries in OH have good starter stock. My flock base is from Mt Healthy and I have 3 gens into them. No major defects showing up. You can check my blog in my sig I have documented flock from day one. I need to get some more pics in of new rooster Longfeather. He has turned out to be WOW.

 

[poultryluvr18]

BlazeJester, what do you mean the penciling comes to a point? Sorry, I'm very new to breeding to the standard and don't know what that means. I've read lots of books, but still don't fully understand. Is there anything else I should be looking for?
Also, I'm kind of confused. So I should be looking at Mt. Healthy, Privett, DFCottage's, and Dick Horstman's? Thanks for your help so far!

 

[BlazeJester]

Quote:
Dick Horstman has the best quality partridge rocks you can find. If you can afford them, they are $6/chick for a minimum of 10 chicks, plus shipping from Pennsylvania. I'll let the others speak for themselves, but some of the members on this thread may be willing to send you chicks or eggs.

If you look at the very last picture on page 23, you'll notice that hen has two clearly defined black "chevrons" on each feather, whereas in the picture of my Meyer PR on page 24, some feathers lack the second chevron or have different shapes. They are also not as clearly defined and the color contrast is not as striking. I'm not familiar with the exact standard since I've not seen the book (someone mentioned it's copyrighted and not available on the internet), but those are things that stand out to me as quality issues for coloring. Being sexed pullets from Meyer, I'm sure they are bred primarily for production.

Not knowing where Mt Healthy & Privett source their birds (someone on this forum might, though, and several of the hatcheries actually have an account here), it's a toss up what you'll get. I'd be inclined to agree if someone told me that smaller hatcheries are able to have better breeding stock because they have less demand and therefore more flexibility toward quality, but I have no direct experience with that.

You might want to put out feelers on the "Chicken Breeders & Hatcheries" section and see if you can get responses from any of the hatchery folks regarding the quality or sourcing of their stock.

 

[Carrie Lynn]

Anyone have opinions on PR being particularly broody?
Thanks in advance,
Carrie Lynn

 

[poultryluvr18]

Okay thanks! I definetly see what you mean about the penciling. Thank you for helping me understand! I emailed a couple hatcheries to see where they got their original breeders from.

 

[cybercat]

As broody as a silky. Out of all the colors in rocks this one is known for its broodiness. One of the reasons I went into this color.

 

[Moonlight Piano]

Ok totally off point

but I just had to share. One of my hens from last year just finished her molt. I was around the chicken pen today and I realized that she was penciled much better then she was before her first molt!

. This astonished me. I have never seen a hen make such a complete turn around in one molt

.

. She is not perfectly penciled, but compared to her only being penciled on the breast prior to molt it's a big turn-around. I will try and get some pics for ya'll tomorrow. But I thought about what cybercat said (and other partridge variety breeders in my area) You just cant get rid of a roo or hen until after first molt when based on color, type, pattern, or any of the such like. I doubt I 'll use her for breeding even now. Her type is HORRID

, and her comb is beyond words

. But I might be tempted if she starts to lay well

. Anyway just though I would share a major epiphany at the chicken arena this week

. Anyway, cybercat

, how are the ladies and gentlemen doing. No more bears I hope

.

 

[Gallusfarm]

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[K-9mom]

Some picture's of my Plymouth Rock girls at 5 months.

 

[cybercat]

The above pages are out of the old Plymouth Rock book 1917 I think. It is on the Plymouth Rock site but you must be a memeber to get it now for it is in the memebers section only. Well worth the price of membership as it covers all the large fowl color variations. It shows picks like those of feathers in each of them. Unfortunatly it would cost alot to reprint it for publication, so is only available on the site.