The Plymouth Rock Breeders Thread- Part Deux

[Egghead_Jr]

It's hard to cover the brass if it creeps into the line. Why I'm holding onto and breeding the Murphy Silver dams the later part of this season. They are three years now and I need to retain that pure Silver they have. Of course they also carry side sprig... Another Silver line I had carries Autosomal red. They would look good until after 25 weeks then most of the K's started to get brassy.

It would be impossible to determine if the deep Gold carry autosomal red. True Partridge color calls for mahogany in hackle and saddle.

You are completely on track that Silver has accompanied inhibitors. This is how those other breeds did make Golden variety that are G/G. The resultant Gold from introduction of Silver will be lighter in color. It must be corrected by mating to a dark bird and cull the offspring hard for color.

There is always a little wiggle room in the standard for preference. Some prefer a slightly lighter gold. But you can't go too light or you no longer meet the standard for this variety in Plymouth Rock. Partridge are dark gold with mahogany.

 

[Mosey2003]

Not to step on any toes, but considering this is a Rock thread including all varieties, I think layman's terms are good. Can also include the proper ones, but not all of us will cotton onto everything, I bet.

 

[nicalandia]

It's hard to cover the brass if it creeps into the line. Why I'm holding onto and breeding the Murphy Silver dams the later part of this season. They are three years now and I need to retain that pure Silver they have. Of course they also carry side sprig... Another Silver line I had carries Autosomal red. They would look good until after 25 weeks then most of the K's started to get brassy.

It would be impossible to determine if the deep Gold carry autosomal red. True Partridge color calls for mahogany in hackle and saddle.

You are completely on track that Silver has accompanied inhibitors. This is how those other breeds did make Golden variety that are G/G. The resultant Gold from introduction of Silver will be lighter in color. It must be corrected by mating to a dark bird and cull the offspring hard for color.

There is always a little wiggle room in the standard for preference. Some prefer a slightly lighter gold. But you can't go too light or you no longer meet the standard for this variety in Plymouth Rock. Partridge are dark gold with mahogany.

After doing some research on Partridge Rocks(was thinking their gold shade was like partridge wyandottes) from their look, they surely are red enhanced. I would also say that due to this the chance of the cleanest Silver lines carrying gold diluters is exceedingly high!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Murphy's Silver Pencilled line certainly does carry dilutors and inhibitors. For instance I crossed them with a large cock from another line (the one with Autosomal red) few years ago. F1's are fine but once you go to F2 half the K's will show brass when over 25 weeks. Which is fine, just cull. Problem is last year all the big boys I wanted were brassy and I kept the best which also expressed the side sprigs from Murphy line after 20 weeks of age. He was everything I wanted and couldn't be happier until he hit puberty. This was one fast maturing K. Hit 4 lbs at 12-13 weeks of age and had width with added length.

I can just keep at it with numbers until I get what I want but am taking short hiatus to focus on the Partridge. I don't have a mate for the two hens I have. I could try and pick up a K this fall from Mass but am certain I'll get improvement on them with the outcross.

Even if the brassy comes in on this Silver outcross I know I can correct it in backcross or two to Murphy line. They need size and width. If it takes two backcross to rid the brass I'll loose most of any gain of width and size. Not to mention I'll have to contend with side sprigs for a long time...gotta try. Both varieties need improvement. Both have pros and cons. The trick is hatching so many this year I beat the odds into submission to yield birds with mostly Pros.

 

[Mosey2003]

I'm really chomping at the bit this year. I've never been so impatient with incubating, I want to candle all the time But I will sit on my hands and wait for the 29th.

I'm really hoping that I can hatch enough to get as many keepers as possible, as I'd really like to also be able to work on not hatching porous eggs. I know it's rather ambitious to keep adding goals in at such an early stage, but a girl's gotta dream, right?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

My girls are just starting to lay again. It's going to be awhile. I feel your pain about wanting to get on with the breeding season. Look on the bright side, you've already got eggs in the incubator. Weeks ahead of me. I'm getting two and three eggs a day from nine girls...obviously that has to step up and still waiting for the cockerels genes, that left last week, to clear out of the flock.

 

[Mosey2003]

How we doin?

My eggs were a bust, gonna try again in July. *sigh*

 

[Egghead_Jr]

My girls started to pick up laying. Checked three eggs at random two weeks ago and only one fertile. Setting up the pen with two Partridge girls this Sunday. Will set May 18th and every three weeks after all summer.

Of course it's that time of year they will try to brood too. Likely be a hiccup for week or so after busting them of it.

 

[Mosey2003]

One of my two breeders went broody two weeks ago; I broke her. Yesterday, the OTHER breeder girl went violently broody Neither one have an actual clutch to sit on. It's just not my year.

 

[CannedMonster]

One of my two breeders went broody two weeks ago; I broke her. Yesterday, the OTHER breeder girl went violently broody Neither one have an actual clutch to sit on. It's just not my year.

Lol! I love that...”violently broody”