Personalities that"Rock" -a serious question re: partridge

[TimG]

I saw a Partridge Rock hen at the Fryeburg Fair (Maine) last fall. It was for sale, but had to be picked up on the last day of the fair and I wasn't going to be back at that time. I got the name of the owners from the exhibitor list and wrote to them after the fair, but did not hear back.

Hijack alert: When is a variety actually a different breed? I believe that White Chanteclers and Partridge Chanteclers are two separate breeds, though they are generally listed as two varieties of Chanteclers. I think I also read along the way that Partridge Rocks (and Silver Penciled Rocks) are a different breed from Barred Plymouth Rocks though they also are generally listed as varieties. In the chicken world (or any other world for that matter), is there a scientific difference between breed and variety?

I think the answer to my question is: "breeds" are not differentiated based upon science but rather on common usage.

The Delaware may be more closely related to the Barred Plymouth Rock and New Hampshire (from which it was developed) than the Partridge Chantecler is to the White Chantecler despite the fact that the Partridge and White are considered varieties of a single Chantecler breed while the Delaware and Barred Plymouth Rock are considered different breeds.

Anyway, to tie this back to the original post, there may be no reason to expect Partridge Rocks to behave anything like Barred Rocks even though they are varieties of the same breed. Right?

 

[cybercat]

Quote:
Actually Cher got out of them as her breeding up did not work with the line that she had. I think she might have one a two but that is it.

Temperment wise these are just like Barred Rocks. Friendly out going good layers. My surviving rooster is a love, never has gone after me or hubby. We will be expanding our flock threw breeding so I am not selling this year. I do know of 3 other breeders but they also are not selling. Two which just got their birds this past year from breeders. If you want breeder bird the only way to get them is to join the Plythmouth Rock club. They have one person that is selling but only to members that I know of and only a few.

 

[joletabey]

Cybercat- thanks for that info- I guess this will be a fun challenge- they are certainly a pretty bird! Good to know they are similar to BR in laying and personality.
Easttxchick- what a sweet expression on Tessie, and the color is really lovely.
Timg- that is an interesting question. I have wondered, myself, how one breed can sustain quite so many different colors and looks.

Well, I ams till learning, and the hunt is on!

 

[cybercat]

Since you are in the Carolinas check out Sands poultry. Last I remember they had them. You must pick up as they do not ship or did not last I heard about them.

 

[joletabey]

Thanks!

 

[walkswithdog]

If anything my PRs were friendlier. And I still have one, George but I'll be parting with her this year, to make room for more Blues. Ideal sells healthy hatchery quality PRs and I had good luck as far as health and forage and some even went broody. But had no luck finding BQ or SQ stock to improve with, so let it go for now.

I like the Delawares I got in, and the Blue Rocks so I'm going to stick with those for awhile and add in some marans for dark eggs and a few ameraucanas for blue eggs.

Some of my Dels are lap babies, some not, some rocks are cuddlers some not. My littlest blue pullet is momma's baby and she KNOWS it.

Much of it depends on how you rear them, brood them close to you and they're often so friendly they're a nuisance. Let momma raise them and some are friendly - some not.

 

[Criskin]

I love the partridge coloring, too. I have 3 partridge rock hens and 2 barred rock hens. (You can see their pictures on my page). I used to have a PR roo but I culled him because he had a nasty temper and a white spot on his wing. In my experience, the PR hens are more docile than the BR. They all started laying about the same time and have provided an egg a day ever since. .

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

I had 5 Partridge Rocks from a hatchery last year, I don't remember which hatchery it was, and they were totally nuts. They were 5 of 50, along with RIRs, BRs, Cochins, Wyandottes, Australorps and Orpingtons and the Partridge Rocks were constantly just skittish and flighty.

It sounds like that's probably not representative of the breed, eh? I didn't mind the fact that they weren't friendly at all, I don't want every single bird constantly mobbing me for a hand-out, but if somebody is looking for a nice, small backyard flock, flightiness is not cool.

 

[cybercat]

MM hatchery seems to have a flighty aggessive line of PRs. I know of many that had to get rid of their roosters from them. Also hens are more pecky than they should be. With ours from Mt Healthy our rooster is very well behaved and hens too. Hens actually raise up in nest box for us to collect eggs if they are waiting to lay one when we collect. They do not leave box but just get up enough for us to go under to get eggs. We try not to do that too often.

Now ours are not pets but I do have those that run to me no matter what, even if they are in bed for the night. Since we only have the one rooster for now I guess some of them attached to me a top rooster so tp speak. Our flock is now at 22 so it is expected that not all would go with just one roo. He has his favs that stay close to him and luckily they are the ones I want to keep to expand the flock.

 

[Nana2KJS]

I did finally find the ones recommended at Mt. Healthy. We'll try that and see how it goes.

Thanks to everyone for their replies.