The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[mithious]

Got sent a king among birds from Ken Weaver, via the facilitating of Fred, and wanted to post his pics here. I have officially entered the big time and have these golden-hearted guys to thank for it. There really are no words to explain the gratitude and overwhelming humbleness I feel in the face of such kindness...and when I'M speechless, you know it's something big.

He had a bit of a scuffle when he got to the green~hence the bloody wattles~ but his superior quality of size, weight and just plain ol' attitude of taking care of business left him the victor and to the victor goes the spoils...he won the flock. After being shipped overnight in the mail, riding all over town and 20 miles home in the back of a truck, no water or food...he steps out in WV like he's the governor, didn't act a bit scared or frazzled, kicked some tail, spit out the blood, drank some water, ate some feed, foraged and then bred with the best hen in the flock in his first breeding.

I was able to handle him without him struggling or showing any fear or fight whatsoever. He wasn't scared or shy of the dog or cat or us humans while he was on the ground...acted like he owned the place! He went to the roost tonight and started cooing to the girls as soon as he got there...what a bird! I've never seen one like him in my life and I'm glad I did before I die, because he's royalty, pure and simple.

Throughout it all he was calm, cool and collected and went through this day like a boss. I present to you, Weaver...aka The Rock....11 mo. cockerel out of Weaver's line.

Huge congrats on that gorgeous cock. What a blessing! So happy for you

Thanks for sharing the pic's with us all!!! Love my rocks!!!

 

[philyaw539]

I just picked up two packs of the chicken nipple waterers yesterday and I wanna use them in two liter soda bottles. I've read on it and know how to do it. Anyone use them/have pictures? Thanks guys!

 

[Beekissed]

I just picked up two packs of the chicken nipple waterers yesterday and I wanna use them in two liter soda bottles. I've read on it and know how to do it. Anyone use them/have pictures? Thanks guys!

Yep, I use them for chicks and meat birds and I love them to pieces! Wish I had known about them years ago because they simply my life, save me work and are very cheap, easy to use. I use mine in buckets and am currently using such a bucket in my brooder for chicks and ducklings....dry bedding, clean water and they learn to use them in just a few minutes, sometimes less.

 

[Silver Rock]

I have a question, if a breeder is breeding "non hatchery birds" that consist of 1 male bird over more than 1 female bird in a breeding pen is this breeder considered a hatchery breeder and should only expect offspring of hatchery quality?
One more question, I used the word flock a couple days ago and I'm not sure if that was the right word I should have used as I only have 3 pullets per breeding pen. My question is at what number of birds would that group of birds be considered a "flock"?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I have a question, if a breeder is breeding "non hatchery birds" that consist of 1 male bird over more than 1 female bird in a breeding pen is this breeder considered a hatchery breeder and should only expect offspring of hatchery quality?
One more question, I used the word flock a couple days ago and I'm not sure if that was the right word I should have used as I only have 3 pullets per breeding pen. My question is at what number of birds would that group of birds be considered a "flock"?

The quality of the birds determines whether or not they give hatchery quality offspring, not the specific breeding practice (pairs, trios, quads, etc.) A flock is not a specific number, it can be as few as 1, or as many as you own or that you keep together.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Only with Single Mating can sufficient records be kept as to the precise mating that produces offspring that can be tracked and recorded. There are times when other mating arrangements may have some purpose, but only single mating will tell you the sire and dam of each chick you put on the ground.

If you mate in trios or quads or more, and unless you trap nest, you'd have little idea who the dam is of those eggs you collect and the subsequent knowledge of who the dam is of the chicks that hatch from those eggs.

If an improvement in a certain feature should appear, you need to know which male and which female produced that improvement, otherwise, there is no way to replicate the results.

If a fault(s) appears, without single mating, you would have no idea which precise mating produced them. From where did it come?

 

[Wynette]

We are obviously not as cool here as N Michigan...

Scott, you're plenty cool.

Fred, I do have a question on your tractors; you stated your birds are in then overnight, not just during the day - do you worry about predators, or do you move them some place that's more secure overnight? Also, LOVE your trailer brooder - I have a friend that uses an old horse trailer in the same sort of way and just loves it.

 

[Fentress]

Only with Single Mating can sufficient records be kept as to the precise mating that produces offspring that can be tracked and recorded. There are times when other mating arrangements may have some purpose, but only single mating will tell you the sire and dam of each chick you put on the ground.

If you mate in trios or quads or more, and unless you trap nest, you'd have little idea who the dam is of those eggs you collect and the subsequent knowledge of who the dam is of the chicks that hatch from those eggs.

If an improvement in a certain feature should appear, you need to know which male and which female produced that improvement, otherwise, there is no way to replicate the results.

If a fault(s) appears, without single mating, you would have no idea which precise mating produced them. From where did it come?

How many eggs do you usually set from a sigle mating? She will either be with the cock or by herself. Please don't take this the wrong way, it just seems a little mean that she would stay by herself for a long periof of time, even if it is just a couple of months. If the cock is not to rought I guess he could stay with her. I don't plan to keep many cocks and have been thinking about matrilenial breeding lines, but the lack of egg production from a breeding pen would be a problem, especially if I was trying to respond to a hen that just went broody.

Thanks

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

How many eggs do you usually set from a sigle mating? She will either be with the cock or by herself. Please don't take this the wrong way, it just seems a little mean that she would stay by herself for a long periof of time, even if it is just a couple of months. If the cock is not to rought I guess he could stay with her. I don't plan to keep many cocks and have been thinking about matrilenial breeding lines, but the lack of egg production from a breeding pen would be a problem, especially if I was trying to respond to a hen that just went broody.

Thanks

In my case I try to get as close to 18 eggs as possible from each breeding pen. In my case this yr I ran 3 separate pens with 1 female in each. The cockbird was rotated thru each pen every 3 days. The days a cockbird was not in the pen, the female WAS alone. Typically get 18 eggs in about 3 weeks. So being alone 3 weeks out of an entire yr isn't so bad. Running multiple pens would help if you were collecting for a broody as well, although marking them at hatch becomes almost impossible

 

[Fred's Hens]

Scott, you're plenty cool.

Fred, I do have a question on your tractors; you stated your birds are in then overnight, not just during the day - do you worry about predators, or do you move them some place that's more secure overnight? Also, LOVE your trailer brooder - I have a friend that uses an old horse trailer in the same sort of way and just loves it.

We have not had any issues with predators getting into the tractors. We have had a rogue dog getting into runs issue, but that's been taken care of. We also have had skunks visiting last year, which was new. We'll keep a sharp eye out for them and take care of them as well. We have scouted and observed their travel patterns.

The number one issue in Kentucky has been the Red-tailed hawks. We use these tractors there as well and have never had a loss from a bird of prey. The tops are very secure.