The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[Silver Rock]

I am very much looking forward to seeing the 4 Silver Penciled Plymouth Rock chicks that hatched a couple weeks ago plus the chicks that should be hatching this weekend. I will see if the birds I chose to use in the breeding pens were the right choices or not. With these chicks I hope to see a few that have at least a little improvement in type to move forward with in Single Mating breeding pens next Spring.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Ok, who begins culling for TYPE early. Was sitting with the birds tonight and in my first two hatches noticed a male with "pinkish legs" AND what we might call a cushion in the pullets. He is 14 weeks old and is headed for the stew pot. Saddles developing way undercolored and he is a tad knock kneed. Don't see the need to feed this one any longer Time to get WAY serious

Scott, since we're sooooooo much further behind you this year, thanks to the horrid winter, I'd sure like to see some photos of juveniles at 12 −15 weeks you're talking about. If you get a quiet moment with them this weekend, maybe take a few photos.

This is a latest batch. Hatched 10 out of 11. Pretty good hatch rates this year, which has helped in playing catch up.

 

[aoxa]

I can only say that on the Barred Rocks, the males take a full year to know what you've really got. The females are bit quicker, but those cockerels simply take time.

Of course, if I note a defect of some kind, I won't feed it for long either. Noted a bad wing on a cockerel early on last year and culled him.

Fred, now I am. I have a source that culls them for me to feed to her lizzards. She has a lizzard bigger than my dogs. Well except Henry, who is the size of an average 16 year old girl.

I've sent her off with so many males last night. Not all Barreds. People want sexed Easter Eggers, and those males are no use to anyone it seems.. Yeah, she is really happy with taking the extras off my hands. lol

I won't keep a messy barred boy no matter what. I know, I know.. type before colour.. but I can't deal with messy barring. I do not find it improves with age in mine.

My line of Barreds takes 13 months almost to the day to be in top condition. That’s the target date for shows. Last month I set up my pens, I picked the best of seven cockerels that were 12 months old for the hen pen. I used cocks in the other pens. Today I was looking at the cockerel run and saw 3 that I swear weren’t there last month. I may have to shuffle the deck and pick again. I’ll wait until after their molt before deciding which 2 or 3 get to stay. That should be the final line up.

Finished up his molt? How old is this guy?

He was hatched late fall 2012. He molted late this year. Started in December, and fertility started improving in late March. He is about 16 months now.

 

[aoxa]

Here is one of the females I have growing out. You can see she has nice barring at this young age. This is not the only feeder they have BTW. This is just for the itty bitties that can't reach the bigger one..

I only have about 30 different chicks growing out now.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

On a little less than serious note.....this friends, is a "yard full o' rocks"



Excuse the one wyandotte cock in there and a few wyandotte chicks

 

[racertomtom]

I won't keep a messy barred boy no matter what. I know, I know.. type before colour.. but I can't deal with messy barring. I do not find it improves with age in mine.

If you hatch very many birds like your pictures, I wouldn't either.


He was hatched late fall 2012. He molted late this year. Started in December, and fertility started improving in late March. He is about 16 months now.

This cock is good enough that I thought he was a cockerel. The old timers always told me to breed from cocks and hens, not cockerels and pullets. I’ve found this to be especially true with Barred Rocks. Barred cocks have a tendency to get a little smutty in color, not well defined between the black and white bars, especially in the wing bow and coverts and sometimes in the saddle and hackle feathers. They also sometimes loose a little tail. This guy has hung on to his type and color very well. Also notice that his saddle and hackle feathers are fairly modest. Cocks have a tendency to get flashy in this area. That means this bird won’t likely put a cushion on the pullets, which many folks seem to be fighting somewhat. Of course, you wouldn’t see any of this if you’re breeding from cockerels. I would put this guy in the breeding pen even if I had cockerels that seemed better.

Most every line use to be double mated and have since been combined and single mated. If anybody is considering double mating, you probably already have all the kinds of birds in your line.You just have to sort it out. It's also why it is so hard to get rid of some traits, they were put there on purpose. You might find it a little easier than trying to get both from single mating. It just depends on your goals. The above cock was probably from a pullet line. He would have a little longer back to make the pullets a little longer and he would be much lighter in color, to the point that you would cull him for color when single mating. That would bring the Black/white ratio closer to the 60/40 stated in the standard.


This cock was 4 years old in this picture, he is from a cockerel line. That’s what I meant by flashy saddle and hackle feathers. He will put cushions on pullets, but made “wow” cockerels. He needs to be a bit darker and mated with a dark female with black ticking in her plumage and a solid black wing and/or tail feather, also birds you might cull when single mating. I got rid of a lot of the super long tail feathers, which is common in cocks, by breeding him to females with as wide of tail feathers as possible. Of course, you wouldn’t see any of this either, if you’re breeding from cockerels and you'd be wondering why you couldn't get rid of cushions no matter what pullet you used. Its probably coming from the male.

aoxa,
I hope you don't mind me using your bird as an example. I'm not addressing the above post directly to you or bashing your bird. As a matter of fact, I think he's awesome! Just thinking out loud.

 

[racertomtom]

On a little less than serious note.....this friends, is a "yard full o' rocks"



Excuse the one wyandotte cock in there and a few wyandotte chicks

As a matter of fact, that is a nice yard full o' rocks!

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Here is the one I was describing that I don't care for...notice that "hump" along his back. Does anything think that will go away? I'm thinking not

 

[racertomtom]

Here is the one I was describing that I don't care for...notice that "hump" along his back. Does anything think that will go away? I'm thinking not

Since I don't recall seeing a hump like that I'm going to say dumplins.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Scott, what do you have, 34 other males hatched?