Plymouth Rock thread!

[aoxa]

Wow I love that blue colour.. I used to write them off as boring. Until I got a few Blue Ameraucanas. Fell in love with the colour.

Especially if they are laced.

 

[Chicken Momma1]

Here are some more:

[/IMG]

[/IMG]

 

[Chicken Momma1]

 

[Chicken Momma1]

and this is our tiny her real name is tulip por gal she is blind but she is the sweetest chicken I've ever had.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Yes if i'm not mistaken the same Cobb blood that Scott used in his Columbian line.

I probably need to straighten out a misconception here

First, Joe E IS doing an excellent job with the Blue Rocks and HAS incorporated a Cobb Broiler/Barred Rock cross into his line. Joe has a tremendous knowledge of genetics and will do great things as he moves forward with his Blue Rock project. If you ever need a laymens understanding of a genetic question, he is GREAT in that area!!!

Secondly, I did have a separate "project pen" going that was an attempt to use the same cross to improve the front ends on my Columbians....however, the coyotes broke into my project pen and took all of those pullets (no males ever kept) and I was unable to take that project forward. It was a real disappointment as the Cobb bird had been crossed to an EXCELLENT Shafer Barred and I believe the long term outcome would have been incredible.

SO, at this point, all of my Columbian Rocks are still 100% Columbian (or at least are as pure as when I received them, as I have not crossed anything into them). HOWEVER, that too will change next season when I incorporate my F2s (although it will be in a project pen environment also until it is perfected) in an attempt to rid the line of the brassiness found in the males that is a result of a lack of Aph~I in the line

 

[Silver Rock]

I probably need to straighten out a misconception here

First, Joe E IS doing an excellent job with the Blue Rocks and HAS incorporated a Cobb Broiler/Barred Rock cross into his line.  Joe has a tremendous knowledge of genetics and will do great things as he moves forward with his Blue Rock project.  If you ever need a laymens understanding of a genetic question, he is GREAT in that area!!!

Secondly, I did have a separate "project pen" going that was an attempt to use the same cross to improve the front ends on my Columbians....however, the coyotes broke into my project pen and took all of those pullets (no males ever kept) and I was unable to take that project forward.  It was a real disappointment as the Cobb bird had been crossed to an EXCELLENT Shafer Barred and I believe the long term outcome would have been incredible.  

SO, at this point, all of my Columbian Rocks are still 100% Columbian (or at least are as pure as when I received them, as I have not crossed anything into them).  HOWEVER, that too will change next season when I incorporate my F2s (although it will be in a project pen environment also until it is perfected) in an attempt to rid the line of the brassiness found in the males that is a result of a lack of Aph~I in the line

Well I am sorry to hear that. I think the pure Columbian Rocks are very important but I also "like you" think the Cobb cross would have played a very important role in a breeding project.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Well I am sorry to hear that. I think the pure Columbian Rocks are very important but I also "like you" think the Cobb cross would have played a very important role in a breeding project.

Life is full of minor set-backs....as they say "stuff" happens. Gotta dust yourself off and keep plugging. Fortunately, I've been able to improve my front ends through extremely selective culling/breeding, and although there is always room for improvement, its headed in the right direction. Feathers are now tight, backs are long, tails improving and cushions are gone

Fortunately for me I hold limited value in the name of the line from which my breeding stock comes. (HOWEVER!!!, This is not to be construed to mean that I am not truly thankful to them for the opportunity for the chance to obtain the breed/variety) Maintaining "breeder names/lines" are of no consequence to me as I feel that many breeders get "held back" in trying to hold on to the nostalgia of "this name or that". Breeding decisions and the consequences thereof are my responsibility. Positive or negative outcomes are a result of my decisions. Therefore, I experiment readily to identify opportunities for improvement and develop selective control groups, with rigorous and stringent record keeping, from which to test my theories, never introducing ANY of the control group into the main flock until the results are proven. Next year will test my ability to begin ridding the males of brassiness in the hackles, shoulders and saddles...F3s on the ground in Jan/Feb and time will tell.

 

[Silver Rock]

Life is full of minor set-backs....as they say "stuff" happens.  Gotta dust yourself off and keep plugging.  Fortunately, I've been able to improve my front ends through extremely selective culling/breeding, and although there is always room for improvement, its headed in the right direction.  Feathers are now tight, backs are long, tails improving and cushions are gone

Fortunately for me I hold limited value in the name of the line from which my breeding stock comes. (HOWEVER!!!, This is not to be construed to mean that I am not truly thankful to them for the opportunity for the chance to obtain the breed/variety) Maintaining "breeder names/lines" are of no consequence to me as I feel that many breeders get "held back" in trying to hold on to the nostalgia of "this name or that". Breeding decisions and the consequences thereof are my responsibility.  Positive or negative outcomes are a result of my decisions.  Therefore, I experiment readily to identify opportunities for improvement and develop selective control groups, with rigorous and stringent record keeping, from which to test my theories, never introducing ANY of the control group into the main flock until the results are proven.  Next year will test my ability to begin ridding the males of brassiness in the hackles, shoulders and saddles...F3s on the ground in Jan/Feb and time will tell.

Well in my opinion you can use a breeders name to show where your stock came from. Once you start making the decisions on which birds go in the breeding pen the offspring are then the start of your line.
You have made great improvement in the last 3 years or so. My breeding of the Silver Penciled Plymouth Rocks is just starting and I hope in 3 years or so I can say I have improved the SPPRs. One thing I do know and that is I am going to try my very best!

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

Ok guys thanks I will check the color tomorrow but I think one or 2 of them are not as crisp as the other 2 but I don't remember in the color, pardon my ignorance still learning but I want to learn. So it would probably be a good idea to put my best pullets with my best male for experimenting.

 

[Silver Rock]

Ok guys thanks I will check the color tomorrow but I think one or 2 of them are not as crisp as the other 2 but I don't remember in the color, pardon my ignorance still learning but I want to learn. So it would probably be a good idea to put my best pullets with my best male for experimenting.

I would choose the ones with best type and breed them. Then next year I would do the same. Once you get type fixed into your line you can then correct the color.
I will be breeding my SPPRs with a blind eye to color for the first few years until Type is fixed into my line. Color is something that can be fixed when that time comes with the help of using the Double Mating System. Breeding for Type will be my GOAL #1.