Plymouth Rock thread!

[VillageChicken]

I posted this as a new thread, but hope it's okay to drop it in here since it pertains to Barred rocks.
Here is a picture of my barred roo about 4 months old.

He was sold to me as a 3 week old Plymouth Rock "hen" at a large open air market here in Hungary where I work. I bought him with two other chicks that did turn out to be hens. I believe they were clutchmates, but nothing is for certain, I didn't watch the eggs get laid.

My question is about his genetics and parents. I have read about gold "leakage" in BR's that are Ss+ or s+s+. He appears to be Bb as he does not have the light narrow barring of a BB.
If his two siblings are also barred, then I can assume his father was barred. One of the hens shows some gold in her hackles, the other not a trace. So I might assume one is S and the other s+. So does that mean that dad was likely Ss+?

I am also trying to figure out his E allele as he has no gold in his wing triangle. Would an EE Ss+ show this much gold, or can I assume that he carries ER/e+ birchen because he shows no gold on the wing triangle?

I know real world chicken color genetics aren't as clean as the theory, but if anyone has any experience with barred cross roos, I'd really appreciate it.
Any clue what breed the mom, might have been? It's possible both were barred rocks carrying gold and birchen, but that seems a little unlikely. Seems more like a cross.
Any suggestions would be great.

 

[Lotsapaints]

I don't know enough about bird genetics but WOW he is just beautiful I hope to get some Golden Cuckoo Marans that look like that......

 

[kaitlyn_rae2003]

I am picking up 3 barred rocks on saturday. they will be 5 weeks old. Im still pretty new to chicken farming, and this is my first experience with barred rocks, do you have any advice for me on how to tell if they are "good" barred rocks and any sexing info would be helpful! im hoping for only pullets! thanks a bunch!!!!

 

[Lotsapaints]

The darker ones are pullets SQ ones are slower feathering so they will look not very feathered if you look on this thread you can find pictures so you can get an idea congrats on your find

 

[luvchicks8]

Anyone have buff rocks? If so how are they? Noisy? Do they lay well? Aggressive? Any info I would love pics also. Thanks

 

[Tomhusker]

O.K. I have some questions to ask regarding my BR's. I hope folks here can set me straight on the age of these chicks. I picked them up the Wednesday after Memorial Day and posted pics on this site (but not in this thread.) The breeder I got them from said they were about 6 weeks old. Other told me they were nowhere near that because of the feathering, they were pretty fuzzy yet. So a general consensus was that they were probably between 2 and 4 weeks old. I know that I had been hearing the breeder on the radio offering the chicks for a couple of weeks as "Almost 6 weeks old," and "6 Weeks old."
Now as I read through this thread I see that some breeder BR's feather slower that hatchery birds. I have pics posted below from when I picked them up and as they grew to tonight. Can I get some input from some of you BR experts?

Also, it doesn't matter, I love my BR's. My roo Dave is by far the coolest chook I have ever seen.

Day 1, checking out the new digs:

A couple of weeks ago:

Tonight:

 

[Lotsapaints]

I could tell you what day mine were hatched...the ones I have the closest were 3 weeks when you picked up yours and they look close to the size of yours now and I have some in the brooder now @ 3 weeks comparing those to your pictures I would say that when you picked them up they were around a month..just guessing though a week or 2 isn't that big of a deal in my book though that you are enjoying them is the most important Welcome to the Plymouth Rock thread!

 

[kathyinmo]

I notice that yours have yellow legs in the very first picture. My older ones are just now starting to get yellow legs at 12 wks and 10 wks old. I wonder why that is, that some get yellow legs earlier than others. Notice the girls have a dark color on the front of their legs, too.

 

[Lotsapaints]

I've been reading the The Plymouth Rock standard and breed book; a complete description of all varieties ... with the text in full from the latest (1915) rev. ed. of the American standard of perfection ... also, with treatises on breeding ... etc. That is the way they are very interesting reading I too was worried about my PPR's but I don't need to as they get older the legs turn more yellow what's bad is white legs on roos okay on a hen that's been laying for awhile

 

[Tomhusker]

I figure a week or so either way is no big deal. I guess I'll just trust them to do the right thing and not go into bars until they are legal drinking age.