Plymouth Rock thread!

[bellaleah]

If you are just starting out, I would recommend just getting some chickens from a hatchery, feed store or at a swap from someone with a good reputation.

There is a learning curve with chicken husbandry and it best to practice for a year or two with such birds. When you are ready, you can follow along on the Good Shepherd Poultry Ranch thread, or the Heritage Large Fowl Thread.

On these threads, you will find more than a few people who have Barred Rocks of this quality, including me. They often sell fertile eggs to hatch or occasionally, they will ship you started chicks, although the former is affordable and the latter is a bit expensive.

thankyou so much. i appreciate the advice. that sounds like the smart way to start. and by your avatar it says you are up north, do you insulate your coop? thanks, julie

 

[Fred's Hens]

Nope. It is a large barn. Ventilation is much more important, as is a dry environment. Yes, our winter's are cold, bad cold, as in subzero for weeks at a time, quite often. No issues, other than having to heat the water bowls.

 

[blackTNgiants]

If you are just starting out, I would recommend just getting some chickens from a hatchery, feed store or at a swap from someone with a good reputation.

There is a learning curve with chicken husbandry and it best to practice for a year or two with such birds. When you are ready, you can follow along on the Good Shepherd Poultry Ranch thread, or the Heritage Large Fowl Thread.

On these threads, you will find more than a few people who have Barred Rocks of this quality, including me. They often sell fertile eggs to hatch or occasionally, they will ship you started chicks, although the former is affordable and the latter is a bit expensive.

That is pretty much the road we are on now.. we have 4 nice looking Barred Rocks but not near as good looking as the Heritage bred birds..1 rooster 2 hens and a young cockerel that looks really nice but waiting to see how he turns out we are hoping to add some heritage birds into the mix before next spring...

 

[bellaleah]

that's awesome! thanks for the pic, it helps alot! we are building a coop with just the one slanted roof and are going to be keeping top and bottom open with 3-4 inch vents along the entire length. it is an 8x8 coop. vents covered with chicken wire. does that sound adaquate? what do you heat the water bowls with? and do you leave a light on in the evenings for them? ( in the winter) someone told me they need about 14 hours of light, counting the daylight sun. does that sound right?

Nope. It is a large barn. Ventilation is much more important, as is a dry environment. Yes, our winter's are cold, bad cold, as in subzero for weeks at a time, quite often. No issues, other than having to heat the water bowls.

 

[bellaleah]

That is pretty much the road we are on now.. we have 4 nice looking Barred Rocks but not near as good looking as the Heritage bred birds..1 rooster 2 hens and a young cockerel that looks really nice but waiting to see how he turns out we are hoping to add some heritage birds into the mix before next spring...

are you happy that you went that route? or do you wish you had just gone ahead and bought the heritage birds? i am seriously thinking of doing it the way you are doing it. thanks

 

[bellaleah]

and that's another dilemma, i don't want any roo's, we live in a neighborhood and i want my neighbors to still like me, but i have no idea how to tell the difference between the two as chicks. is there a rule to go by? or is it the luck of the draw?

 

[blackTNgiants]

are you happy that you went that route? or do you wish you had just gone ahead and bought the heritage birds? i am seriously thinking of doing it the way you are doing it. thanks

Yes i am happy with the route we took.. it was really a newbie move if you will, we are pretty new to chickens and bought what we could find locally and learned later about the difference in the heritage lines later.. we were looking for hens/pullets that were already laying.. Heritage birds are more expensive but are worth every penny.. im not sure where you could get heritage birds that are already laying but im sure there is some here that know and could help.

 

[tommysgirl]

Originally Posted by Fred's Hens

If you are just starting out, I would recommend just getting some chickens from a hatchery, feed store or at a swap from someone with a good reputation.

There is a learning curve with chicken husbandry and it best to practice for a year or two with such birds. When you are ready, you can follow along on the Good Shepherd Poultry Ranch thread, or the Heritage Large Fowl Thread.

On these threads, you will find more than a few people who have Barred Rocks of this quality, including me. They often sell fertile eggs to hatch or occasionally, they will ship you started chicks, although the former is affordable and the latter is a bit expensive.

I am so appreciative of this advice...on some of the breed threads you feel like a nitwit for even breathing the word "hatchery" but I do think it is a good way to start out. As a noob I got three breeds from MPC last year, and have decided that what I like best are my Delawares. So now that I know this, I will continue to grow and improve my Delawares.

I sort of fell into Rocks.

I ordered hatchery partridge rocks this year because they are so pretty then decided to do a hatch of mixed project eggs where I ended up with a breeding pair of chocolate rocks and in between times I saw Silver Penciled and swooned so by about this time next month I will have some of them purchased from a breeder too. I will see how it goes and if I like them I will continue to work with them and probably add a buff or two to the mix as well.

I am not into showing but I am into getting the breeds I may end up working with to the Heritage Standard. I keep chickens because the amuse me and give me eggs. I am a history teacher and like having breeds that have a story. I also like that you think it's OK that I and others are still learning. Thanks!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Another issue folks who cannot have or do not want rooster is this. Most of the breeders of heritage stock have very few birds to spare. It may surprise folks, but breeders often do not have hundreds of birds. Most breeders are also Back Yard Chicken people, although the back yard may be rural and a bit larger than what city folk have. These birds are rather rare and there are more "preservationists" than there are show bird folks, but their goals are virtually the same. To breed and preserve pure bred, true bred, Standard bred poultry.

Thus, many breeders will not sell to someone who isn't dedicated to preserving the breed. By definition, that means continuing to breed and improve and help the breed. Hope that makes sense.

Getting a few culls is possible, but normally culling isn't done very early, as these birds often take a long time to mature, showing what the have or don't have. Hope that helps.

 

[tommysgirl]

and that's another dilemma, i don't want any roo's, we live in a neighborhood and i want my neighbors to still like me, but i have no idea how to tell the difference between the two as chicks. is there a rule to go by? or is it the luck of the draw?

The little barred girls will be darker I think... someone else can verify but that's the general rule I believe.