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

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They're a nice looking group. They are really calm too. Gorgeous.

 

[speckledhen]

UPDATE: Snapped the few pics I could today. Asked Jamie if he would cull for a couple of crooked toes and if one of the combs qualified as 'floppy" or is it okay. Waiting for his answer.
Pen #1 (purple band) I don't think any have a thumbprint comb, but of the three males from Pen #1, one has a comb that flops over to one side from midway back. Jamie mentioned floppy combs but what degree of flop is a disqualification for that male is what I asked. The other one has one split point, I know not a big deal, but all other traits being equal, I generally default to a comb for the tie-breaker. The third one has a great, straight 5 pt comb, all have great size on them. So, that's Pen #1. Unless the comb flopping over in back is a sticking point, they are all decent choices.

As for the two males from Pen #7 (black band) where all four pullets come from, they are just gorgeous and huge. Both are curious and interested in whatever I'm doing, not prone to panic. Of course, they are at least half siblings to all four pullets. One of them has decided that Little Man from Pen #3 must be disciplined regularly so he's always on his case about something, bullying the pullets or some other transgression. This pen #7 produced some really nice youngsters. The pullets are pretty and have good size as well. All have excellent barring. The only things I need to check as they fill out more are that they have straight backs, deep chests, good tail carriage, etc. I will choose two and may keep three of them. I have the four EE hens I can add to the group to take the pressure off the four pullets if I need to do it.

Pen #3 is the problem; those are the two with the skittish personalities; these were white bands, but had to change to yellow when I ran out of white and the better male has two bands on the same leg. The smallest male is shorter and less wide than the other one as well as all other males from the other two pens. He has the worst personality of all of them, avoids me, screams like he's going into a crock pot when I do catch him. Others don't seem to like him much either. He is hard to catch and hard to handle. The larger one looks really good to me, nice straight 5 pt comb, good size, personality is slightly less bad (he will calm down after holding him for a couple of minutes, but it's a struggle until then), and I was considering him as a keeper, but I noticed recently that he has three crooked toes, two on the right and one on the left. Two of them, he walks on their sides and one of them, the inner toe on the right crooks to the left. If I recall, most crooked toes are genetic, though they can be from incubation. Since incubation went so darn well, I wonder if he would be a disqualification for that reason? Those two are the only real problem members of that entire group
(Adding that I have two favorites from Pen #1(purple) and two from Pen #7 (black), but I can't keep four, only three max)
Any of these look especially good (or bad) to you?

 

[speckledhen]

I did get an email reply from Jamie. I think he really wants me to call him because he keeps mentioning that. And I will, just didn't want to bother him. Here is what he said:
Feel free to call me when you like. I think you have already picked the ones that are the best, I can walk you through some other things to look at... wing carriage, the crooked toes, combs, leg color etc

Then, he sent me pictures to reference in picking males with a wide stance:

Look at these photos. Try to start locating the guys that have good width between their legs.

I don't know if the real photo is an example of proper leg width or not, wasn't sure.
Here are the pics he sent together. I haven't checked too much
about that since they are so young, but I did look at two or three of my favorites again today and I see they have good width between their legs. I think that in a couple of weeks, it will become more obvious and maybe they'll be less inclined to run from the camera.

 

[1muttsfan]

 

[speckledhen]

Here are two pics that I managed, miraculously, to get with the two males from Pen #7 in a stance to judge their leg width. How do these two look? No droopy wings (I think my Stukel male had some droop to his wing carriage that these definitely do not have). I'll have to attempt to get pics of the others on my short list when I can. I have to chase them all over the pen and they rarely just stand and pose, imagine that, LOL.
The brightest yellow legs of the entire bunch are, unfortunately, from the two skittish Pen #3 males, though they all have decent yellow legs, IMO. I recall when I raised breeder quality Delawares, those cockerels had bright yellow legs at just 4 weeks old-some Delawares, especially hatchery ones, have issues with dull greenish look to their legs so I'm familiar with the leg color issues.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I like the look of male 2, maybe it's just the poofy butt angle. He looks to have too many comb points? Or is not a limit on barred rocks?

 

[speckledhen]

I like the look of male 2, maybe it's just the poofy butt angle. He looks to have too many comb points? Or is not a limit on barred rocks?

That #2 male is your Tank. He is showing a lot of intelligence and he's the most calm of them all when I want to pick him up or just rub his chest. He does have 6 points, one extra. It's not a huge thing because a mother is also in the mix and the sons are likely to follow the mother's traits more than the sire's in most instances. Even in shows, it's only a slight deduction to have an extra point or one less the standard. I may keep both those males and the two best purple bands from Pen #1. The third from that latter pen has a flop to the back of his comb. He'll have to find a new home as well as the two from Pen #3. I may keep four for awhile and see how it goes with that many males in a small group of pullets and hens. Of the two purple banded keepers, same issue, one has five points and one has six.
The other male has five as he should. Five points are the standard. Hector had six, Atlas had five, my Isaac had six. The only bad things are really floppy combs, side sprigs, thumb marks on the side, etc. Jamie said even a split point, like on on one of the purple banded males (Pen #1) is not a huge thing, but the standard is five distinct points and a blade that sort of hugs the head.
I don't own an SOP book, but I really want to find a used one that is not expensive if I can, and not too old because they do tweak some requirements as time passes.

 

[1muttsfan]

That is a stout bunch for sure.