The Omega Rocks: The Last & Ultimate Barred Plymouth Rock Flock

[speckledhen]

We had to change a few leg bands today and I snapped some pics. Dang, they are hard to photograph!
All four pullets are from Jamie's #7 pen, plus two cockerels from the same pen. The two white-banded males from Pen #3 are the least desirable, or rather, the smallest one is still at the bottom of the pile in my mind, plus he's a screamer. Both those white banded males from Pen #3 are "touch-me-nots", though the larger of the two has grown to a size comparable to the others from the other two pens. If I can calm his behind down some, he is looking nice at just under 6 weeks old. Funny how those two from the same breeding pen act just alike.
This pullet on Tom's knee is super friendly, always front and center. The two largest males are from Pen #7 (black band) and from Pen #1 (purple band). The two black banded males look really good, but they have the same sire as all four pullets. The most desirable ones for genetic diversity would be Pens 1 & 3. Still way early to make any decisions, just adding information.

 

[speckledhen]

You had to see them today! These boys are getting so darn tall. Watch them stand up to Maddie with the screen between them. Maddie does not like children, LOL.

 

[1muttsfan]

Hefty little devils

 

[speckledhen]

Hefty little devils

They sure are!

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

Are you sure those aren't BR Giants?

They sure are gorgeous, tho!



Rusty

 

[speckledhen]

They're big kids! You heard the sound of elephants stampeding, right?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You had to see them today! These boys are getting so darn tall. Watch them stand up to Maddie with the screen between them. Maddie does not like children, LOL.

Wow, look at them. They sure are thriving. I'm predicting they will look like this at 8 weeks. Better reinforce your pens.

 

[speckledhen]

Wow, look at them. They sure are thriving. I'm predicting they will look like this at 8 weeks. Better reinforce your pens.

Of that I have no doubt!

 

[speckledhen]

More leg band changes for the Omegas today. They'll turn 8 weeks on Thursday, amazingly.
I sent Jamie an update on them, telling him, among other things, about the two males from Pen #3 (white bands), that the smallest always made himself scarce when I'm in the pen and his larger brother acted similarly though he is not bad looking at this young age, always screaming and struggling when picked up. I was also asking him about choosing males later, if I should choose only those more distantly related for my breeding cockerels, like Pen #1 and Pen #3 as opposed to the two in Pen #7 who came from the same sire, if I would choose that over a better specimen in the more closely related pen. Here was his reply on those things, for your edification. I asked since I have never had males to choose from three different breeding groups in the past.
I answer more in depth later, but breeding the best to the best doesn't always click. You should compensate mate. Example, one has low tail, mate to high tail, 6 point comb, mate with 4 or 5 point, find most yellow legs.... it is still early to cull, the small male concerns me with his demeanor..

Here are a few of the kids today, it's a madhouse in that pen when they get all stirred up and we're in there with them. I can't wait until those first crows from the seven boys! I didn't get them all on camera by a long shot. It got so confusing that I didn't get the #4 pullet photographed. Should be easier when they're not such babies. Maybe I should choose different colors for each pullet so that I can begin to tell them apart instead of just not banding them at all because they came from the same breeding pen #7.

This one may be the same one as the previous picture, not sure. I thought I got more of them. Hmm, can't find those pictures.

 

[featherhead007]