The New Flock 2021: Back to Basics

[speckledhen]

All my roosters are bantams except one who is half Bantam. They are so much easier on the hens and take their jobs seriously. Hens are always accompanied when out foraging. They are good boys. I find the crowing more pleasant too.

I do love these boys. I am sure that the craziness in that group comes from the Easter Egger influence. They freak out over nothing all the time, make tons of noise. The EEs I created myself from my Ameraucana hens with the Delawares and Barred Rocks were very calm ladies. These Cackle EEs will not be repeated here, yikes.

 

[getaclue]

speckledhen, do you have a lead on a good line of BR's yet? I'm strongly considering getting some, but don't really want hatchery stock. A lead you had posted before about a contact, they didn't reply when I inquired about them.

 

[getaclue]

Would anyone that had purchased stock from you previously, have kept up the line a bit, and be willing to sell chicks, or eggs?

 

[speckledhen]

speckledhen, do you have a lead on a good line of BR's yet? I'm strongly considering getting some, but don't really want hatchery stock. A lead you had posted before about a contact, they didn't reply when I inquired about them.

Would anyone that had purchased stock from you previously, have kept up the line a bit, and be willing to sell chicks, or eggs?

I don't have them yet, still waiting on my numbers to dwindle before adding more. I can't recall who bought birds, eggs from me other than one guy and I believe he no longer has them-that was back in 2011.
sgribble has some, but he's hard to get hold of from this platform. Steven Gribble is the name and I think you can Google him. Chris Madalena is a poultry judge and has great stock-I will PM you the number I have for him.

 

[getaclue]

Thank you. I see the barring, size, shape, etc. on yours, and see what the hatchery stock looks like, and there is NO comparison. In addition, as has been discussed, I don't think the hatchery stock lives as long, or is as hardy.

Another thing that I don't see mentioned very often, but I firmly believe, the better stock seems to create a better overall flock dynamic. That's important too.

 

[speckledhen]

My hatchery BRs, including their progeny, died much earlier than my heritage/breeder quality ones, for sure. The barring is completely different as well, like you said. The Marvin Stukel ones are just stunning, even Atlas's daughters with the hens and as you know, Atlas was the son of single barred Rex. The size is also really different. Though Hector's line was very nice, the hens were not as large as the Stukel hens. I still have his hen, Jill, who is rather small compared to Zara and Athena; her own daughter, Maddie, with Hector is nicer looking than her mother, takes after her sire in size. Jill and Maddie look a lot alike, but Maddie is a larger hen than Mama Jill. They're all nicely barred, but the Stukels all had such crisp, test-pattern barring and were big girls. Zara and Athena both have Atlas's tendency to stiff joints now at going on 9 years old, unfortunately, but they're still beautiful.
I was weedwhacking around the graves yesterday, cleaned up Hector's resting place, was remembering him fondly, how he was such a feisty little guy as a youngster and how he mellowed out so much as he aged. Ladyhawk was always right about him, how the soft expression in his eyes told us he was intelligent and would be a good boy. I've been blessed with the most awesome Barred Rock roosters in the world (and others, of course).

 

[getaclue]

I'm so glad Ladyhawn encouraged you too. We both knew that IF, and that was a BIG IF, he could ever grow into those premature hormones, and get them under control, he would be a great rooster. It was touch-and-go for awhile, but slowly, he finally got those hormones under control. He turned into such a wonderful rooster, with a strong personality. We were all rooting for him, and he came through.

 

[speckledhen]

He sure did, made some nice memories for us.

 

[speckledhen]

Looks like I will be losing Luna. She has been going downhill, though no idea why. She looks gorgeous, but sleeps all the time.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

So sorry Cynthia.