The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[Samuel Shirley]

They lay great, I'll try and get some pics on some time within the week. You could also look up weavers rocks he also has whites from bob.

 

[Beekissed]

That's good to know!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Ken and I talk on the phone every week. A "heritage" White Rock from either Blosl's line or XW, JWhip's line will lay 24 or 25 eggs per month. That is simply outstanding for a true to type, bred to Standard bird, but that is what they SHOULD do, in laying season. Why should we be surprised to find SOP Rocks performing well?

While there are those who complain that breeding to the SOP automatically means less utility, the reality simply doesn't support those foolish notions. The SOP was written precisely for the body conformation to support utility. To have Rocks without utility is foolishness. The Plymouth Rock is nothing without possessing utility.

Any Plymouth Rock that is ornamental is spirit needs culling or needs better breeding. Period.

Something got my feathers ruffled on that topic. hahahahahaha!!

There are XW and Blosl White Rocks in my incubator right now.

 

[mithious]

Ken and I talk on the phone every week. A "heritage" White Rock from either Blosl's line or XW, JWhip's line will lay 24 or 25 eggs per month. That is simply outstanding for a true to type, bred to Standard bird, but that is what they SHOULD do, in laying season. Why should we be surprised to find SOP Rocks performing well?

While there are those who complain that breeding to the SOP automatically means less utility, the reality simply doesn't support those foolish notions. The SOP was written precisely for the body conformation to support utility. To have Rocks without utility is foolishness. The Plymouth Rock is nothing without possessing utility.

Any Plymouth Rock that is ornamental is spirit needs culling or needs better breeding. Period.

Something got my feathers ruffled on that topic. hahahahahaha!!

There are XW and Blosl White Rocks in my incubator right now.

I'm getting all excited, hearing that XW eggs are out, hoping that means chicks soon?

Been on the waiting list a year. I REALLY want that line lol.

I agree Fred and I believe those Good Sheperd birds prove that. Oh I can't wait to start working with them!!!! I got some Dom's a couple weeks ago, and according to their breeder, they lay well also and their type is what makes them such good layers. We talked a bit, when I picked them up, the breeder and I, and that is JUST why they breed to the standard, for the utility as well as showing. I totally agree

 

[mithious]

I was looking to purchase a copy of the SOP and found this interesting interview;

http://www.plantertomato.com/2012/02/standard-breed-poultry-an-interview-with-jim-adkins.html

I also found some really good prices online.

My birds have more living space than I do LOL. Have some minor repairs to do one the new building, due to the winter we had, and they early onset, but all will be ready when all the birds are finally here.

Feeling soooo lucky to have gotten 3 sets of breeders of the Dom's. Hope I get close to that on Jwhip's chicks. Wouldn't that be just amazing?

I love my BR's and now the Dom's too. Those are the two breeds I decided on, to work with.

I have a question. I have noticed that a lot of breeders have the Dorkings, but haven't read if they are using them in their breeding programs with their BPR's. Does anyone do that? If so, is it working to clean up the tails and the fertility issues? How long would it take ( how many generations) to bring them back to the SOP? Just wondering for future reference. Thanks!

 

[Fred's Hens]

The Barred Plymouth Rock (thus the initials would be BPR, I guess, LOL) PBR is an old Milwaukee Beer, I think. hahahaha. Never liked it either, but I guess it's making a big come back in some places.


Anyhow, I digress. The Barred Rocks don't need an infusion from another breed. They've got everything necessary to remain faithful to the original birds accepted in to the APA over a century ago. If one's particular line has an issue due to breeding staleness, there are lots of good breeders from which to get blood to work into the line you have. Lots of names to insert here, but I will not. The Barred Rocks don't need size. They hard to hold to the Standard now. Our males are ginormous. Honestly, there's nothing "out there" that we need, to be honest.

The White Rocks, also true Rocks, have it going on. As a variety, they are in terrific shape. What some breeders of Barred Rocks do is bring in a bit of White Rock blood. But this fuzzes the barring, of course, and it take more than a few generations to bring the barring back to where one wants it. This variety outcross is not a breed outcross. The hope when reaching back to the Whites is for size, type, tail or something similar.

I'd personally never go outside the Rock family for anything for my line. What one needs to do, in my view, is work harder on what's in front of us. That's exactly why I started this thread so many months ago.

I see from your sig you have JWhip's birds? How do you like them so far?

 

[speckledhen]

Fred and others, a question. Since I am hatching under a broody BR hen eggs that are 3/4 Stukel BR, should I be able to sex these the normal way? To clarify, the sire is Rex, who is 1/2 Delaware and 1/2 Stukel BR and the mothers are his own mother, Ida, and his BR aunts. I'm thinking I ought to be able to rely on the usual BR chick sexing methods with these, right? I really miss being able to do that when hatching birds who are more mixed.


BTW, I agree with Fred on not mixing in anything other than Rocks with these. There really is no need, IMO.

 

[Fred's Hens]

The chicks 75 birds or better. The Del is 2/5 BR to start with.
It will take you a generation or three to work the New Hampshire blood out of the offspring, but this outcross would have potential to add terrific vigor, while hurting the type, just a bit. I'd take the female offspring back to a top notch BR male, who is likely a player to be name later, eh?

That future breeding could really tighten up the barring if the that yet unnamed male was a Stukel or equivalent in quality.

Yes, I'd think the sexing at 6 weeks should be pretty straight forward and just about what you're used to as the BR lady you are.

 

[Beekissed]

Ken and I talk on the phone every week. A "heritage" White Rock from either Blosl's line or XW, JWhip's line will lay 24 or 25 eggs per month. That is simply outstanding for a true to type, bred to Standard bird, but that is what they SHOULD do, in laying season. Why should we be surprised to find SOP Rocks performing well?

While there are those who complain that breeding to the SOP automatically means less utility, the reality simply doesn't support those foolish notions. The SOP was written precisely for the body conformation to support utility. To have Rocks without utility is foolishness. The Plymouth Rock is nothing without possessing utility.

Any Plymouth Rock that is ornamental is spirit needs culling or needs better breeding. Period.

Something got my feathers ruffled on that topic. hahahahahaha!!

There are XW and Blosl White Rocks in my incubator right now.

That is outstanding and I'm so pleased to hear it! Here awhile back I was getting the idea that some heritage breeders were working on production last and weren't even close to getting there and it had me discouraged. I know you are true to the utility side of the bird so I knew you would be working on that with Bob's line, if it wasn't already good on that.

I'm not surprised that heritage line WRs perform so well when even hatchery mutts do as well as they do. These birds live up to my expectations in all ways.

 

[Joshua G]

This is my first experience with BRs may I join?
Also, can anyone suggest a good resource for learning about chicken genetics?
Thanks