Partridge Rocks

[Krys109uk]

I get confused about the names of the sex linked rate of feather growth alleles.
Aren't K, K^s (& K^n though I don't think I've ever seen it), both dominant & dose dependent?

 

[cybercat]

I wanted to make one other note on PR and simular breeds. Because they are patterned they do not show there true pattern till they have had the first real moult at or after 1 year of age. There are a few breeds that are like this and for those that do not have paitience these are not the breeds to own. One can't even do color culling or pattern culling till birds are over a year, which is one reason not many breed these types of chickens. Since they grow so slow and take a year to see how they will fill out and true colors, one must have room for that to happen. Which means one must feed these chickens all this time also. Again why there are so few breeders, imagine growing out a whole hatch only to cull most of it after 1 year. Thats alot of food and care. On the flip side these breeds are great for those free ranging for we can let them grow out and not cost us that much.

 

[walkswithdog]

You can cull for very light orange early and totally stipled birds but you're right the rest has too wait. I don't mind the wait and I love the changes...

 

[WinterLadyAK]

My Partridge Rock chicks have grown much faster than most of the other ladies, they are HUGE, and my friends (who has an identical flock from the same hatchery, Murray McMurray) grew much much smaller and got their feathers later. Hers are her smallest and scruffiest, mine are my largest.

It's strange though, they are totally uninterested in treats. They never come over and have become very shy, which is strange because both of our Partridge Rocks were usually the troublemakers in the flock as chicks, and very boisterous and active. Now they're 4.5 weeks old and they've totally mellowed out (not in a maybe they're sick way, they still look healthy). Maybe it's because the Buff Rock ladies have taken over as the flock masters.