The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[aoxa]

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.

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!!

I have something similar and find them incredibly hard to open and close. I have the ones Fred mentioned, and do like them. It does require two hands to get them on for me.

 

[colburg]

 
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.

Fred, is your method of keeping 3-5 females and 2-3 males going to let you keep breeding your line without bringing in new blood every few years? Does your method follow the rules of KISS?
Colburg

 

[Fred's Hens]

I don't need new blood. I could probably go 10 years or more.

Besides, I have 3 or 4 partners with this line anyhow. Further, I could reconstruct the line. It's just that at my age, that's not an appealing thought.

We're talking Rocks now.

 

[Fred's Hens]

KISS

Yeah, the essence of what Bob was teaching the beginners holds. Keeping huge numbers of birds, ending up frustrated and unable to focus, unable to afford the feed bill, disinterest, etc. These are the things that make for what Bob used to call "Here today, gone tomorrow" hobbyists. Bob also taught that beginners need to know where they can get birds from a partner, should something catastrophic happen.

If I put 80-100 chicks on the ground and I only keep, in the end, 2 great males and 4 or 5 great females, I can turn around the next year and easily put 80-100 chicks on the ground again.

1 female, laying 20 eggs per month. 5 females laying 100 eggs per month. That's alot of eggs in just one month.

I am very biased to quality. It takes quantity only in so far as it leads to quality, if that makes sense.

 

[kwMississippi]

I have silver, blue, and yellow ones. You can't see them once they feather out.

 

[uphilljill]

I've also had trouble keeping the spiral bands on legs (these birds are just to active!) and will be trying wing bands this year. Any drawbacks to wing bands? What age do you put them on? When taken out of the incubator? Or do you wait a few days?

 

[kwMississippi]

I've also had trouble keeping the spiral bands on legs (these birds are just to active!) and will be trying wing bands this year. Any drawbacks to wing bands? What age do you put them on? When taken out of the incubator? Or do you wait a few days?

I usually wait a week or 2. They're so small at a day old.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Co-op. A cooperative breeding program.

Sensing it is important to cover this idea again. Small holders often conclude that they'd have very little to contribute in a successful program of keeping, raising and breeding of true bred, bred to Standard Plymouth Rock. Maybe they can only keep 10-20 birds on their property. Alright. Let's go from there. What if you were partnered with a friendly person who shares your passion for high quality, Standard bred Plymouth Rocks? What could the two of you accomplish?

Even if your partner was only similar in operation size, you could double your chicks on the ground and double the number of juveniles to select from for higher quality breeders each year, making incremental improvements in the line.

What if you partnered with two other folks? Now, you'd have the potential of putting well over one hundred chicks on the ground, collectively. You'd be able to compare notes and photos and eye's on viewing of each others results. You could compare and make compensatory matchups and set some strategies for improvements. You could support each other, encourage each other and divide up the work load and financial burden. Each partner would have a share in what amounts to a very large flock of top quality birds. If something catastrophic happened, your line would be safely spread about three homesteads and the loss wouldn't hurt nearly as badly.

Cooperative breeding. Something to consider. Even if your part in the coop was merely hatching, or hatching and brooding, or growing out juveniles. Even those who live in an more urban setting could potentially be great help. Don't settle for sub Standard birds just because you may be a smaller operation. Get connected. It will bring a whole new dimension and a lot of good fellowship along the way. The sun is back out and it's a beautiful day here in So KY. A good day to tend to some things that need doing. Have a great day everyone.

 

[Amy Foster]

hi im amy and i love barred rocks beautiful friendly and great layers i was given two youngsters male and female three days ago and am having trouble guessing age they were raised in terrible conditions and most of their siblings had twisted toes and a friend of mine pulled two out of a bag and now they are much happier and seem to be ok health wise i have two nice not perfect barred rock hens that i want to breed to this little fellow assuming he turns out to be decent how old would you say these birds are? and what do you think about them? i have the ability to grow off many and can sell all undesirables as utility fowl since thats all people around here seem to care about dont understand it! does anyone have any input? i love peoples critiques on my birds and will not be angry no matter what you say so fire away!

 

[Amy Foster]

Heres the pullet