The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[catdaddyfro]

Hi, Aoxa/PEI/Scott - I am not convinced this "smuttiness" is caused by autosomal red, but I am not that educated on the auto red. I've been reading up on it at length due to some issues in my Black Copper Marans.

Many folks (I know that Dick Horstman, who most lines in the U.S. can be traced back to [though mine do not, and I am fairly certain PEI chickens do not either]) have used the Partridge Rock to breed into the silver penciled to improve type & size. This is one of the issues that causes the smuttiness, in my opinion. It's not a bad idea to use the partridge rock, as their pattern is typically "cleaner" than the silver penciled is. I have seen many more Partridge Rocks with better leg color than the silver penciled generally has as well.

I would cull those birds showing the smutty feathering. I do get them in my line as well, so perhaps the auto red is at fault for more than I think it is.

Here's an interesting item: I have noted that the birds showing this smuttiness - both in my line and in the chicks I've hatched from PEI Chickens - are all larger than their hatch mates that do not show it. Hmmm...

Oh - Jeff, yes - it's present in adult plumage, both male and female.

Well the only way to fix this is to out-cross back(however many times it takes) to birds pure for silver then is all I know. If one keeps breeding the birds that have had the gold gene(autosomal red) added it will always be there(two recessives always equals a positive trait to keep showing up).

Jeff

Ps this is exactly what happened to the Delawares and the Columbians mostly by the hatcheries to increase their volume of producing these (color/patterns) they crossed them up so much and introduced the gold(mahogany) in them to where they were influxed with so much brassiness the best way to fix them was tho start anew as Kathy did with her Del project. Scotts case is different his Columbians were recreated by crossing Lt. Brahma and White Rock but evidently there was already some recessive red in the original parent stock somewhere up the creek I figure

 

[Fred's Hens]

Here is an article from Brian on his blog, regarding autsomnal pheomelamin....this guy is SUPER smart with genetics and perhaps all of use looking at this can take it apart and make some sense of it....its a bit beyond my "engineers" brain

http://brianreederbreeder.blogspot.com/

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Amen bruther

 

[catdaddyfro]

Here is an article from Brian on his blog, regarding autsomnal pheomelamin....this guy is SUPER smart with genetics and perhaps all of use looking at this can take it apart and make some sense of it....its a bit beyond my "engineers" brain

http://brianreederbreeder.blogspot.com/

Boy when I start into reading this kinda stuff It really puts me in my place as to the itty bitty spot on a spot on a spot of dust that I might be able to cover in the real BIG PICTURE(the universe) LOL So most of my blabbing, is just that, blab/blurts LOL I have to remind myself constantly not to think out-loud to often or too much LOL

In other words I don't know nutthin' (diddley squat) LOL

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Boy when I start into reading this kinda stuff It really puts me in my place as to the itty bitty spot on a spot on a spot of dust that I might be able to cover in the real BIG PICTURE(the universe) LOL So most of my blabbing, is just that, blab/blurts LOL I have to remind myself constantly not to think out-loud to often or too much LOL

In other words I don't know nutthin' (diddley squat) LOL

Welcome to MY WORLD...as Brian is the one guiding me thru the brassiness issue in my Columbians!! It's a tough read, but the articles in Exhibition Poultry are a bit easier to understand and have more examples

I linked in my post a few back the first of the 3 articles

 

[uphilljill]

Love this new Rock thread. Thanks for starting it, Fred. And thanks to all who are contributing.

I am new to Rocks, just starting out with 14 BR hatching eggs shipped from Fred. I was lucky enough to get 6 to hatch -- 4 cockerels and one pullet (and one chick that didn't make it.) They're about 13 weeks old now.

I am really impressed by how industrious they are. They have been free-ranging all over our yard since they were 8 weeks old, whereas our 18-week old GNH chicks still hang out close to the barn. And they are BIG, solid-looking birds. I will definitely be continuing with them.

The pullet and the biggest cockerel were fast feathering in. The other 3 cockerels took forever and a day, but have better barring as a result. One of the slower feathering cockerels was a bit runty at first, but seems to have caught up to the others now. Moving forward: Other than choosing for type, how important would it be to pair the fast feathering (only) pullet with one of the slower feathering males? Also, should the cockerel who was runty as a chick be considered as well, or is that grounds for culling?

I'll try to get updated photos this week, but here's a few of them growing out:


at 4 weeks old



at 10 weeks old (pullet is second from left; fast feathering cockerel is far right)


pullet at 10 weeks old

 

[Fred's Hens]

Jill

I am so glad to see you post pix of the "kids". I am soooo glad you got a start from those eggs. I cannot tell you how goofy proud I feel to see some "off spring" on this site. Buttons popping on my shirt. LOL I'm embarrassed.

Your pullet is fantastic. Guard her with a loaded shotgun!!! Wait, wait, wait to see which cockerel will be her mate. Even with a mating pair, you are well able to hatch out 30+ chicks next winter/spring. As when we started, have a couple of incubators working and set eggs every 11 days. You'll be able to hatch virtually every egg she lays during the mating season.

Thank you, thank you for showing off "the kids".

 

[PEI chicken]

Further to the earlier discussion about brown smut on silver pencilled PRs: See this excerpt from the 1915 Plymouth Rock standard. They recognised the brown as an issue then stemming from the origins of the breed.

Unfortunately, it looks like it has been an ongoing problem in breeding circles for more than 100 years!

My 12 lb breeding cock doesn't have the brown smut; and I've never seen red/brown in any of the pullets/hens, but it certainly shows up in the cockerels! I will keep culling the cockerels with smut in the hopes that this diminishes the defect in coming years.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Here are a few pictures of the cockerel I am looking at keeping for 2014 hatching/breeding season. Any comments, critiques, strengths/weaknesses, advise, thoughts, etc would be greatly appreciated. Sire is my current brood cock and his name is Jack. My boys named this one JJ as in "Jack Jr". Click on the pix for a larger view












Now, you pick him out of the group shots

 

[cbnovick]

Love this new Rock thread. Thanks for starting it, Fred. And thanks to all who are contributing.

I am new to Rocks, just starting out with 14 BR hatching eggs shipped from Fred. I was lucky enough to get 6 to hatch -- 4 cockerels and one pullet (and one chick that didn't make it.) They're about 13 weeks old now.

I am really impressed by how industrious they are. They have been free-ranging all over our yard since they were 8 weeks old, whereas our 18-week old GNH chicks still hang out close to the barn. And they are BIG, solid-looking birds. I will definitely be continuing with them.

The pullet and the biggest cockerel were fast feathering in. The other 3 cockerels took forever and a day, but have better barring as a result. One of the slower feathering cockerels was a bit runty at first, but seems to have caught up to the others now. Moving forward: Other than choosing for type, how important would it be to pair the fast feathering (only) pullet with one of the slower feathering males? Also, should the cockerel who was runty as a chick be considered as well, or is that grounds for culling?

I'll try to get updated photos this week, but here's a few of them growing out:


at 4 weeks old



at 10 weeks old (pullet is second from left; fast feathering cockerel is far right)


pullet at 10 weeks old

Very nice start indeed!!

6 out of 14 is a good hatch rate on shipped eggs. good job!
Real dandy of a pullet and 4 cockerels to choose from when time comes...Congrats to you and "Grandpa" Fred