Plymouth Rock thread!

[catdaddyfro]

I have not had my GSBR's (via XW Poultry Ranch) go broody yet...then again they are only about 16 months old. Have one doing her first molt..hopefully the others will follow suit before November when I plan to show a few! They have been decent layers for non-hatchery birds too.
Time will tell on the 'brood' factor.

I have 5 GSBR from Matt from Jwhips stock I have had 2 of the 5 make an attempt at going broody on me they are determined and hard to break so yours will try in due time, this I'm sure, I have 9 of the F1 Delaware project girls Mrs.Kathy had made by crossing GNH x GSBRs they are a very broody bunch I have at least one a month in the broody buster pen sometimes 2-3 at a time so the BRs most definitely have this one requirement for sure to go down in their stats on being a Heritage type breed for sure.

Jeff

 

[aoxa]

I don't think it has that much to do with color but genetics of the hatchery stock vs the real deal Plymouth Rocks. JMHO. Never had one single hatchery Rock hen brood. The most common hatchery stock breeds, the ones the feed stores get in every year, generally are bred to lay, not brood. Among my Stukel line BR hens, only one of the four has been broody so far, though they are only 2 years old now with one pullet who is a year old, so I imagine the others, or a couple of them, may brood eventually.

If you try nurture over nature, those hatchery rocks can go broody!

I've only had one hatchery Barred Rock, and she went broody at 8 months old. She was a wonderful mother. She raised 21 chicks alongside a silkie.

She was raised by a broody herself, so maybe that really helped?

 

[speckledhen]

If you try nurture over nature, those hatchery rocks can go broody!

I've only had one hatchery Barred Rock, and she went broody at 8 months old. She was a wonderful mother. She raised 21 chicks alongside a silkie.

She was raised by a broody herself, so maybe that really helped?

I'm not saying hatchery Rocks will never brood-the McMurray flock from which my Becca and Amanda's parents came from had one hen who was broody a few times-however, generally, the hatchery Rocks brood very infrequently compared to the true heritage lines.

I have had BR hens from Ideal and their daughters and granddaughters, as well as the daughters of the McMurray hens and none of those have ever shown the slightest inclination to brood.

 

[Wynette]

Hoping some experienced Rock owners can answer my broodiness question. Looking to add a few Rocks to our flock next spring. Breeds we currently have can be broody so we are looking for breeds that lean more towards infrequently broody. Thought a Rock would fit the bill but broodiness seems to vary drastically with the color. Partridge Rock thread said they were a more broody color. If I want infrequently broody do I need to stick with the Barred Rock? The Partridge and Penciled Rocks are my faves.

Sounds like everyone has different experiences. In my opinion, it varies greatly on their flock dynamics, how much (if any) range time they get, and general health - also, whether they are heritage-bred or now. It seems to me that the heritage bred fowl tend to be broodier than hatchery type, but that's my own personal experience.

I have Silver Penciled and Columbian; I have raised Silver Penciled for 7 years now, and only twice on those 7 years have I had one go broody. I have had Columbian Rock for a couple of hears now, and I have one hen that seems to "want" to brood but has never quite followed through, on a regular basis. I also have a heritage-bred Barred hen who is currently brooding ONE egg (she ate all ther rest, darn her!) and seems to be sitting tight; hatch day is Friday.

 

[aoxa]

I'm not saying hatchery Rocks will never brood-the McMurray flock from which my Becca and Amanda's parents came from had one hen who was broody a few times-however, generally, the hatchery Rocks brood very infrequently compared to the true heritage lines.

I have had BR hens from Ideal and their daughters and granddaughters, as well as the daughters of the McMurray hens and none of those have ever shown the slightest inclination to brood.

You know. It was probably just me that made her go broody. I am a magnet for that sort of thing. I have a hatchery BR x RedSexLink that is starting up now. Who would have thought right? She is making the beep-bopping sounds they start doing shortly before they start setting.

I also had a Rhode Island Red go broody on me as well, and a Polish.. Yep. It has to be me.

 

[speckledhen]

You know. It was probably just me that made her go broody. I am a magnet for that sort of thing. I have a hatchery BR x RedSexLink that is starting up now. Who would have thought right? She is making the beep-bopping sounds they start doing shortly before they start setting.

I also had a Rhode Island Red go broody on me as well, and a Polish.. Yep. It has to be me.

Yup, it's just you, lol. Hey, Aubrey Webb told me that D'Anvers are like once a year broodies. Well, mine go broody constantly. The coop that was once called the Bantam Coop is now dubbed the Broody Coop. They're completely NUTS in there!

 

[fatcatx]

Sounds like everyone has different experiences. In my opinion, it varies greatly on their flock dynamics, how much (if any) range time they get, and general health - also, whether they are heritage-bred or now. It seems to me that the heritage bred fowl tend to be broodier than hatchery type, but that's my own personal experience.

Would love more details on above! Your top birds and free-rangers go broody more often (or the opposite)?

 

[aoxa]

Yup, it's just you, lol. Hey, Aubrey Webb told me that D'Anvers are like once a year broodies. Well, mine go broody constantly. The coop that was once called the Bantam Coop is now dubbed the Broody Coop. They're completely NUTS in there!

I don't trust anything bantam not to go broody any less than two or three times a year

Right now I'm up to 6 broodies. I have 26 adults. 8 are boys. So out of 18 chickens, 6 are setting. That's quite enough.

 

[LaLa Chickie]

I had heard that the barred Rocks were one of the most broody colors...?

I have 2 (2yr) Plymouths, never sit on their eggs, but I have an 9 month old that this week decided she needed to sit on all the eggs of herself, and 2 light brahmas..I let her have her way the first day, but next morning I removed all the eggs while she was on them. She just cood at me and let me have them. I picked her up and brought her up to the rest of the flock. Again, in the afternoon I noticed she is staying on an egg again. I took the egg from her. Picked her up again and put her outside with the others. She has gone out with the others since that day. Is that "broody"? I don't have any Roosters...no worry of fertile eggs. She's very healthy and happy. The Light Brahmas just do their own thing.

 

[Wynette]

Would love more details on above! Your top birds and free-rangers go broody more often (or the opposite)?

Well, I very rarely range my birds, as we have a ton of fox in our area. I do have hatchery-bred birds in my layer pen, though, and I have personally never had a hatchery-bred bird go broody. Again, that's must my eperience.

Regarding flock dynamics & general health, I feel pretty strongly that if your birds are in very good health, have plenty of things to do to stimulate them (if they're penned), and in good health, you'll be much more likely to get them to brood. It takes a LOT out of a broody when she broods, thus, she needs to be in really good health to be successful at it. If your flock is peaceful, not a lot of fighting, etc., I would also think that would bode well for broodiness. But, that's just my own personal opinion.