The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[uphilljill]

Year One breeding: Other than hatching as many chicks as I can with my BR pair, my other goal for this year is to keep better records. I created two spreadsheets in Google Drive to help with incubation and chick assessment records. I can alter the chick assessment sheet each year to meet specific goals (comb, color, early egg laying, etc.,) but I set it up this first year to be a basic overall. (I used the ALBC chick assessment chart for Buckeyes as a starting point for this form.)

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ag_rfIbPCepZdGp4eUc1d0tzamlINXVWV2E1c2RmMFE&usp=sharing

Anything else PR-specfic I should keep an eye on in the first year as I "build the barn?" Or am I over thinking it? Maybe to much time on my hands while I'm waiting for eggs to be laid? lol

 

[Fentress]

I have also zip tied, but we starting seeing some issues, so were moving toward the soft, vet wrap type. We've also seen an expanding ring we're considering.

We've seen some birds actually get the zip tie and pull on it. Not good. So, while a zip tie works, there seem to be much better products on the market to check out.

The "soft vet wrap type" what is that called? Is that a type of zip tie or something different? Is there a brand name? It is not ringing any bells with me and I have looked through some web sites.

Thanks

 

[Fred's Hens]

Year One breeding: Other than hatching as many chicks as I can with my BR pair, my other goal for this year is to keep better records.

Anything else PR-specfic I should keep an eye on in the first year as I "build the barn?" Or am I over thinking it? Maybe to much time on my hands while I'm waiting for eggs to be laid? lol

Your perspective is a healthy one. Hatch out a ton. Line up local customers for your culls or prepare to fill your freezer. This first year, you can keep as many birds as you feel obliged to feed, but the honest truth is that you'll only need, really need to keep the very top 3 to 5 breeder females and those two, possibly three breeder males. The rest? It's entirely up to you. We find the faster feathering females do indeed turn into solid layers. This is where your thoughts of good records and tagging those early feathering birds comes into play.

 

[CoopDeDoo]

The "soft vet wrap type" what is that called? Is that a type of zip tie or something different? Is there a brand name? It is not ringing any bells with me and I have looked through some web sites.

Thanks

x2

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

The "soft vet wrap type" what is that called? Is that a type of zip tie or something different? Is there a brand name? It is not ringing any bells with me and I have looked through some web sites.

Thanks

Find it here....other places too

http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp...10001_CatalogEntry_en_US&searchTerm=3m+vetrap

 

[Silver Rock]

A couple months ago I was very happy in becoming a member of the Plymouth Rock Fanciers Club of America. Today I can also say I am a very proud member of the American Poultry Association!

Clayton Grace

 

[desertmarcy]

I have also zip tied, but we starting seeing some issues, so were moving toward the soft, vet wrap type. We've also seen an expanding ring we're considering.

We've seen some birds actually get the zip tie and pull on it. Not good. So, while a zip tie works, there seem to be much better products on the market to check out.

Chick and older bird identification methods are a thorn in my side. Maybe I am not putting them on correctly, but many of the chicks were getting the vet wrap off. The colored zip ties worked fine for me as long as I was diligent to cut them off and upsize as the birds grew. I never had one able to tighten it by pulling on it. In the outside pens, after a while the zip ties break off in our hot and dry climate. I have some wing bands but haven't tried using them yet. Does anybody know if they are reusable? They are expensive to use if not, if the birds banded are ultimately going to be culled.

On the older birds, I have gone to a dual method since anything I use, some of the birds get off. So I will use a numbered band on one leg and a colored spiral on the other leg. On my log sheets I keep on the computer for each breed, I note both number (and color of the numbered band) and the spiral band color and what leg it is on. I have started to super glue the numbered bands together, but even that doesn't hold all the time. Especially with turkeys! They will work at a numbered band and a spiral and invariably get them off, even if I have super glued the numbered band. Very frustrating. And sometimes the super glue doesn't set for some reason. There must be some tricks to using super glue that I don't know. Eventually, the plastic bands become brittle and I find them broken. Those of you in more mild and humid climates may not have that problem, but I sure do here in the desert SW.

 

[desertmarcy]

Find it here....other places too

http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp...10001_CatalogEntry_en_US&searchTerm=3m+vetrap

It is just called Vet Wrap, comes in different colors and you can cut strips any size you want. I believe I bought mine at Jeffers Livestock. I tried one color in the Name Brand and the other colors in an off brand but could not see any significant difference.

 

[Fred's Hens]

We're thinking of ordering some more of these as well. They've performed pretty well.

http://www.randallburkey.com/Set-Of-25-12-Bandettes-Blue/productinfo/23004/#.UwaD9ii3YlI

We've had no luck with the spiral type, but these band type are better. Lots of choices. Pick your poison.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Wynette turned me on to these (locking bands)

http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies...._page=product_info&cPath=8_24&products_id=881

So far they have worked GREAT!!