Plymouth Rock thread!

[aoxa]

That is quite individual. If they avoid the internal laying death sentence that so many hatchery hens die from (one reason I do not buy my laying stock from hatcheries ), they can lay a very long time. I have two BR hens, both daughters of hatchery stock, so not first generation direct-from-the-hatchery, who are going on 7 years old and they are both still laying. Another one is over 4 and lays regularly. Now, at an advanced age, they do not lay all year long, but in spurts.

My true heritage BR hens are only just over 2 years old so cannot say from personal experience about them. My blue, black and splash Rock hens are 3 years old and very regular layers

The more time they take off during the winter and for setting eggs they seem to lay longer. The oldest hen I had (not barred rock) was 7 and still laying when she was not broody. She laid in the winter as well (until setting again).

I have had a few internal layers as well. It is terrible.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Love those girls!

Thanks aoxa. These are F1s. We put put a JWhip XW cockbird over our best 3 Maine line hens. We managed to hatch about 26 chicks and put them on the ground. We will take the females and put them back under their XW sire this winter. We knew this to be a three year deal, but we are going for it. Since the Maine line likely had an outcross to a White Rock some years ago, the barring isn't as tight as it needs to be. Our hope is use the XW-GSBR for that barring and overall size but borrow heavily from the Maine lines vigor. We shall see. The worst that happens is some really nice BR flock birds. LOL

I have no problem with having Rocks hens in my layer house and Rock cockerels in my freezer.

 

[BlackPanther]

Just a quick shot of the hybrids from this morning; I'll post some more later (when I clean up my mess of pictures, LOL)

 

[fatcatx]

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.

 

[speckledhen]

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.

Not one of my hatchery BR hens, nor their daughters, have ever gone broody. Out of the old heritage line BRs I have, so far I have one who has been broody, and she's been there multiple times already.

 

[BlackPanther]

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.

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

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

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.

I raise LF Columbian Rocks and currently have 18 hens/pullets. Of those, only 2 have brooded this year, one time each

To the contrary, I have 2 BLRW hens, and each one has brooded twice since March

 

[speckledhen]

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

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.

 

[rancher hicks]

I have BR's from Kathy and one is sitting right now. This past spring this is what I had, three hens insisting on hatching. I've no a pic of a fourth that was under this nest box. Unfortunately no chicks as the eggs were not fertile. The roo, if off his whatever. I think due to being beaten up by my BM roo who keeps coming back where the BR's are. Things have not been right since I went to AL this past November.

Squirrels were getting into the BM coop and taking the eggs, so the hens moved to the BR coop. DW was at work and unaware. She's not a chicken person, but fed and watered them while I was away. When I came back I dispatched three young squirrels.

In either case this is a very broody line.

 

[cbnovick]

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.