Plymouth Rock thread!

[Fred's Hens]

Fred, when someone saw my Stukel line cockerel, Rex, for the first time as he was around 16 weeks old, the comment was made that the barring was so crisp, that it looked like a test pattern, almost hurt your eyes.

I recently crossed my Delaware rooster (only LF rooster I have left now) with the Stukel Rock hens and I got these several cockerels, all from one hen-apparently Isaac only really likes big Ida, lol. The one in the picture on the left has barring so precise, even being just 1/2 BR, that no one would ever guess he was a cross. I was amazed that the barring carried through from his mother so strongly. I'll be interested to see if he still looks this good when his hackles/saddles come in or if they are more white like sex link roosters tend to be. So far, he's looking great, I think.

Since you Delaware carries the barring of the BR portion of his makeup, this isn't too surprising, but a very pleasant surprise nonetheless. The chick on the right is what one would expect more often. Indeed the Red of the NH portion of his heritage messes with the barring as if it were a male of a BSL. Pretty much the same kind of blend, so again, not too surprising.

That "cross" is a good Barred Rock. It fits the phenotype and thus is what he appears to be. Composite breeds. What are you gonna do, eh? Fact is, he is a Barred Rock. Think of it as an outcross, but he certainly rang the bell.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Here's what I would do. I would absolutely put that boy back over his Stukel mother. I'd be sure of integrity of the breeding pen. I'd hatch out as many chicks as I could from this mating.

You'd have re-stamped the Stukel. That boy is the result of an outcross, but he's still BR.. He carries some genes from his composite nature, but in a couple generations, the chicks would breed true, if you select carefully. They'd be terrific birds because they may have picked up a little vigor from the outcross.

Come to think of it? You really don't want him. He's gonna be nothing but trouble. I'll stop by this fall and pick him.

 

[cbnovick]

Here's what I would do. I would absolutely put that boy back over his Stukel mother. I'd be sure of integrity of the breeding pen. I'd hatch out as many chicks as I could from this mating.

You'd have re-stamped the Stukel. That boy is the result of an outcross, but he's still BR.. He carries some genes from his composite nature, but in a couple generations, the chicks would breed true, if you select carefully. They'd be terrific birds because they may have picked up a little vigor from the outcross.

Come to think of it? You really don't want him. He's gonna be nothing but trouble. I'll stop by this fall and pick him.

Totally agree!!

 

[speckledhen]

Here's what I would do. I would absolutely put that boy back over his Stukel mother. I'd be sure of integrity of the breeding pen. I'd hatch out as many chicks as I could from this mating.

You'd have re-stamped the Stukel. That boy is the result of an outcross, but he's still BR.. He carries some genes from his composite nature, but in a couple generations, the chicks would breed true, if you select carefully. They'd be terrific birds because they may have picked up a little vigor from the outcross.

Come to think of it? You really don't want him. He's gonna be nothing but trouble. I'll stop by this fall and pick him.

I don't know what I'm going to do yet. I don't really want to separate into breeding pens, but I was hatching out these under various broodies because their sire, Isaac, is going on 5 years old now and I have no idea how long he'll be with us. He sure likes Ida, though, lol, and she is quite the male producer, so I have the boy pictured with Indy, plus another living with a broody bantam hen and another living with Ida's Stukel sister, Dottie. That one with Dottie is just over 3 weeks old and is looking like he'll be more like Indy than the others in quality.

 

[speckledhen]

Wow nice looking boy for a cross (even if he wasn't a cross he'd be nice!)

I took crossed and read lost.. I thought your Delaware boy died! Whew..

No, that good boy is still with me, but he's getting up in years and he's recently lost some weight, so I wanted to hatch some new flock protectors before I did lose him. Ike's a great rooster, my good buddy, and I hope he's around for awhile, but I never hear anyone talking about their older Delaware roosters, so doesn't seem they live to ripe old ages.

 

[fatcatx]

I posted this question in another breed forum but wondered about Rock breeders' experiences.
I read in two different books that heritage strains (of any breed) lean towards 70% male/30 female. No reference where they got these numbers of course. Is this ratio what you serious breeders typically see in your hatches?

 

[lynzee63]

Here is a picture of my sweet boy...I think he is beautiful....

 

[LaLa Chickie]

Here is a picture of my sweet boy...I think he is beautiful....

He really is! Beautiful!

 

[speckledhen]

Of course he's beautiful. And a sweet temperament makes him all the more attractive. I started out with a McMurray hatchery BR rooster with battle scars, favus, lice and malnutrition (shame on you, FFA kid!) He paid me back for his rescue and cemented my love of nice tempered roosters-that sweet Hawkeye set the bar high and he'll never be forgotten. I may have my beautiful heritage line BRs, but I love my hatchery-descended hens just as much. They began my love of Barred Plymouth Rocks.

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

These are just hatchery but I still like em'!

You can see more pictures on my thread too!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/790825/mkk-farms-updates-pics-and-stories