Plymouth Rock thread!

[tigercreek]

What line do you presently have? You may have said somewhere earlier, but I do not remember.

My birds are from the 'Good Shepherd' line. I agree with you about looking for a happy medium, I am not looking for a GS rock that lays like a leghorn. Mine are shut down for the season and will not start back up till late spring. Seems like I should be getting eggs for more than 6 months of the year. I can't imagine that the true heritage farms would feed a bird for half the year and it not produce? ...stan

 

[Fred's Hens]

Actually, it is entirely possible that the old birds of 1890 laid only 180 eggs per year. That is roughly six months. Those six months would roughly correspond to the six months of increasing light and/or fair amount of light. The bird would certainly meet it's obligation for species perpetuation and then some, if it laid 180 eggs per year.

The imagined praire farmer of 1890 in South Dakota likely did not expect eggs from November through February. They'd freeze anyhow, if not collected quickly. The association of fasting during Lent, ie, roughly the 40 days of February and March, was culturally interesting because fasting you were likely going to do, no matter what. You weren't getting egg and you were out of meat anyhow. LOL

The eggs are associated with Easter and the advent of spring, likely coincided with the return of egg laying anyhow. Just some rambling thoughts.

I too have GS Barred Rocks. I often tell people who seek true, rare, heritage fowl that they might consider whether they are truly what best meets their expectations and needs.

 

[tigercreek]

Actually, it is entirely possible that the old birds of 1890 laid only 180 eggs per year. That is roughly six months. Those six months would roughly correspond to the six months of increasing light and/or fair amount of light. The bird would certainly meet it's obligation for species perpetuation and then some, if it laid 180 eggs per year.

The imagined praire farmer of 1890 in South Dakota likely did not expect eggs from November through February. They'd freeze anyhow, if not collected quickly. The association of fasting during Lent, ie, roughly the 40 days of February and March, was culturally interesting because fasting you were likely going to do, no matter what. You weren't getting egg and you were out of meat anyhow. LOL

The eggs are associated with Easter and the advent of spring, likely coincided with the return of egg laying anyhow. Just some rambling thoughts.

I too have GS Barred Rocks. I often tell people who seek true, rare, heritage fowl that they might consider whether they are truly what best meets their expectations and needs.

Interesting musings there Fred! Being a 5th generation Floridian I never looked at it that way.....and I tell people the same thing.....weather or not it is a good bird depends on what you want it to do. I do enjoy my BRs, and will keep a few for sure, maybe work on breeding the earlier and heavier layers. I was kind of hoping to get a line that someone has already done the leg work on, kind of the easy way?? lol .........stan

 

[RachaelS]

Hi Rachel

Maybe your Barnvelders will start laying again soon, and if you are lucky the hen that lays soft shelled eggs may have built up her supply of calcium during her moulting rest and will lay strong eggs again. I'm not really knowledgeable in this area, but hopeful for you. I have a 3 year old easter egger just starting to lay again after a 2+ month rest and her egg shells are better now. She has been a better egg layer than my spprs. (I don't think I could enjoy eating her either, but had no problem eating one of her offspring a few weeks ago.)

How is the weather in Texas? In PEI we have had an unusually warm fall. We haven't had snow yet (we usually have snow early in November), but I hear that we may be getting some this weekend. Anyway, I'm ready. I have my wood in the woodshed and snow tires on the car.

Hope you had a great American Thanksgiving!

I had to look up PEI, pretty sure you don't live at the Petroleum Equipment Institute, so guessing it stands for Prince Edwards Island

Yes, cracking myself up!!! It is unusually hot here in TX also. We normally at least wear sweaters on Thanksgiving Day but it was short sleeves and a nice 72 out. Lots of food and family, I LOVE Thanksgiving all the family, love and Thank fullness without the worry of gifts like during Christmas.

I love snow! I think it has snowed a total of 6 times during my lifetime here in TX. My kids have only seen it once.

So I was taking the broody SPR out of the main coop and putting her in a brooder pen during the day, then moving her back into the main pen at night. Each day she was back in her nest box the next morning. However, yesterday, she was in another box and there was an egg

So I am guessing another girl laid and she got on that egg. So the others are finally starting!!!! Just in time to quit for the winter LOL!

 

[bird sitter]

Anyone have barred rock hens for sale in Texas? Or honestly any hens? Lol I have three barred rock hens and I love them!

 

[Amanda4414]

Oh thanks everyone for the appreciation! I am hoping to show my chickens again next year and I want to learn more, but I am having trouble finding good information and facts about the breed. I started a thread for Plymouth Barred Rock Bantams, but there isn't any replies, if you could reply I would love to here from you!

 

[catdaddyfro]

My birds are from the 'Good Shepherd' line. I agree with you about looking for a happy medium, I am not looking for a GS rock that lays like a leghorn. Mine are shut down for the season and will not start back up till late spring. Seems like I should be getting eggs for more than 6 months of the year. I can't imagine that the true heritage farms would feed a bird for half the year and it not produce? ...stan

Hey there Stan.
Heres the way I view the situation on these heritage types BR, NH, RIRs and so on. All of these hens weigh upwards of 7 to9.5 lbs. During the short daylight hours and cool days it takes almost as much feed that these girls can consume in a days time to energize(keep warm) and motivate(use energy feeding and converting/metabolizing) themselves. There just simply is not anything left to make an egg out of at the end of the day. Whereas the more production types will weigh in around 4.5 to 6lbs(big) here they can still eat the same amount of food in the same amount of time each day but their bodies do not have the mass to sustain or move about, therefore they will have some leftover carbs and proteins and these can/will eventually add up enough for them to spit out an egg here an there during this time of the year. The only other way I see getting anymore production from those big ol gals this time or the year is simply by trickery/foolery and artificial stimulation of daylight and a more comfortable ambient temperature, simulated seasons. If you get 200 eggs out of these types their first pullet year that is a good average. I would figure their next year 60+ days of molt starting in late summer/early fall they may not produce 160 to 180 It is simply because of the daylight and lack of mostly. IMHO LOL take it for what its worth.

Jeff

 

[bird sitter]

My polish cockerel has been mating with my BR hen. What would come out of that?
Black crested black polish bantam cockerel x Plymouth Barred Rock hen

 

[tigercreek]

Hey there Stan.
Heres the way I view the situation on these heritage types BR, NH, RIRs and so on. All of these hens weigh upwards of 7 to9.5 lbs. During the short daylight hours and cool days it takes almost as much feed that these girls can consume in a days time to energize(keep warm) and motivate(use energy feeding and converting/metabolizing) themselves. There just simply is not anything left to make an egg out of at the end of the day. Whereas the more production types will weigh in around 4.5 to 6lbs(big) here they can still eat the same amount of food in the same amount of time each day but their bodies do not have the mass to sustain or move about, therefore they will have some leftover carbs and proteins and these can/will eventually add up enough for them to spit out an egg here an there during this time of the year. The only other way I see getting anymore production from those big ol gals this time or the year is simply by trickery/foolery and artificial stimulation of daylight and a more comfortable ambient temperature, simulated seasons. If you get 200 eggs out of these types their first pullet year that is a good average. I would figure their next year 60+ days of molt starting in late summer/early fall they may not produce 160 to 180 It is simply because of the daylight and lack of mostly. IMHO LOL take it for what its worth.

Jeff

Thanks for your thoughts and the reply Jeff,
I do expect a slow down with the shorter days, just not wanting a complete shut down. I am in central Fla, so cold is not an issue. I have Aussies and Delawares that are keeping me in eggs right now and they are as big or bigger than the BRs. Just wondering why we can't breed a good looking BR that will do some laying through the winter. I suspect someone out there has some good looking, good sized BRs that are also good producers. ....stan

 

[bird sitter]

Anyone know anything?