Plymouth Rock thread!

[kathyinmo]

So, what do you all think? Can this be a nutrient deficiency? I fed Game Bird feed for the first 8 weeks (forgot the protein %, but it was high). Then moved to 19% feed with animal byproducts. They free range everyday. Do I need to do something different?

 

[speckledhen]

I rather doubt nutritional deficiency, especially if they free range.

 

[Chris09]

Kathy --
If I was you I would post your question, a picture of the birds and maybe who you got them from over at the rock club at CROhio.
http://mattlh.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=rockclub
There are some great breeders of rocks over there and they might be able to help you out...

Chris

 

[kathyinmo]

Thanks Chris. Am I the only one to have this experience?

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Quote:
Me too Kathy!! And from folks that are Plymouth Rock Fanciers Club members is where I got my birds.

Chris - BTW, the birds Kathy has from Ducktang are, according to the PRFC members, some of the finest in the US!!!

I have birds that came from the breeder of ducktangs original stock.

I dont understand this "yellow leg" thing.....I went back to a thread I started in Dec and Tim answered with some pretty intelligent genetic answers.

Here is link

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3321151

 

[kathyinmo]

I heard again from Jamie.... It is so nice of him to take the time to respond to my emails.

Kathy,
They will eventually get yellow, but not as yellow as some of the "redder" or white breeds. This seems to be in the bloodline I have and most other families. When I started with these birds, they were well out of type (shape). Since you can only fix one trait at a time and you only keep 10% of your hatch for breeders, it takes many years to correct all the faults in the breed. I was fortunate to acquire bloodlines that weren't as out of type as a hatchery bird. I first started to fix the type by hatching 200 the first year. That year was a great improvement with the outcrossing. I was also able to fix the combs back to 4-6 points not 7-12. I was concerned with the barring, but it also improved. The second year I was able to hatch 100 and work on the heads, improve weight gain ,which you should notice how fast they grow, many times looking naked with feathers trying to catch up. With this slow feathering, that is where you get the better barring. The third year I honed the weight gains and set the type while continuing to work on barring. I haven't really concentrated on the leg coloration, because that one of the more difficult attributes to set because of the dark pigmentation the barred variety has. You can get a real yellow leg from a red or white bird because of the lack of black pigmentation. I don't think you should be too concerned with it at this point, but it should get better the older they get. I'm glad to see you are giving them enough protein and letting them get some meat. Chickens are not vegetarians and a little free ranging helps all the better. Hope this was helpful,
Best regards,
Jamie

On another note, you should go ahead and weigh them at 16 weeks and be keep the pullets that are between 80-90 ounces and cockerals that are 100-110 ounces. If you get two that are the same weight and one is more "stockier" or has more fleshing on the bone, I would keep the better fleshed bird.

Since I have only 2 pullets, I will be keeping them both!

I have tons of cockerels to weigh, I guess!​

 

[33yardbirds]

Quote:
I Have Barred and also Buff The Buff Roo is a Horse the hens are a rich golden buff, one I named Blondie because of her champagne colored body, with a distinct gold head and hackles. Very quiet and personable birds.

 

[BarefootMom]

I have 14 barred rocks.

 

[Lotsapaints]

Quote:

I have Partridge Rocks and currently waiting on some Silver Penciled Rocks due to hatch 7/24 from Wynette. Someday soon my PR will start laying they are so close it's killing me. My roo does the cutiest little dance for his girls I think they are not impressed though. That is the only roo I've seen do the dance which I think is pretty neat maybe Delaware girls don't like dancing

 

[Lotsapaints]

Quote:
I Have Barred and also Buff The Buff Roo is a Horse the hens are a rich golden buff, one I named Blondie because of her champagne colored body, with a distinct gold head and hackles. Very quiet and personable birds.

Do you have pictures? I think buff is a beautiful color but no more rocks for me.....I'm not real sure I really like my Partridge Rocks they are beautiful but mine are not the calmest birds but as they get older they are getting better...