The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[lefty26]

fred I sent you a p.m I dont know if you recieved it.

 

[emenheiser]

Although, I know my birds got White Rock through the so-called Maine Line just a few generations back. So, who knows what the real ratios are. A breed is "pure" not because of it's blood, but is "pure" when it well represents the standard. This is a major difference between chickens and dogs, for example. It is something that is hard for many people to wrap their heads around.

When the type is right? It's pure. When the type is wrong? It's not, regardless of the blood that may be in it.

As Jay Lush supposedly said, "a breed is what the breeders want it to be." When that breed has a functional purpose as its guiding compass, its path is usually less serpentine. But even then it evolves (actually coevolves) with changes in human needs and society. Stagnating on the heyday of the Imperial Ringlet is actually counterproductive.

Perhaps a few feathers of E.B. Thompson's foundation birds could be found someplace, DNA extracted, and this whole 100 years of "purity" concept put to rest. Until then, type--and more importantly, type as it relates to purpose--is indeed the only relevant measure of purity.

That and the ability to breed true.

 

[Wynette]

@emenheiser - many thanks for your posts regarding lineage/percentage. Very much appreciated by this BYC-er.

 

[Fred's Hens]

A few year's back, there was a lot of "to do" about pedigree lines, not just whether the Ringlet line was preserved by Sturgeon and ended up out at Frank's, and so forth, but the old Red lines as well. I remember how big a bruhaha broke out in the Heritage Reds thread over "crossing lines" and how to never, ever do that, for that was a sin worse than treason. Lot's of well told stories told in whimsical, romantic fashion and I'd be the first to admit, they were very well told stories.

Sure, who wouldn't want to believe them? We heard of 50, 60 and 70 years of pedigree type faithful, "pure", breeding.
Were they just that? Well told yarns intended to peak folks interest in "heritage" birds? Seems quite likely. Now we can blush a little bit with an embarrassed smile about most those stories.

But, we live. Hopefully we learn. We grow.

 

[gjensen]

As Jay Lush supposedly said, "a breed is what the breeders want it to be." When that breed has a functional purpose as its guiding compass, its path is usually less serpentine. But even then it evolves (actually coevolves) with changes in human needs and society. Stagnating on the heyday of the Imperial Ringlet is actually counterproductive.

Perhaps a few feathers of E.B. Thompson's foundation birds could be found someplace, DNA extracted, and this whole 100 years of "purity" concept put to rest. Until then, type--and more importantly, type as it relates to purpose--is indeed the only relevant measure of purity.

That and the ability to breed true.

I find this view refreshing.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Here are 2 females I am watching closely. central bird in last pix

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Same as first bird above just larger

 

[racertomtom]

Mate two "75" birds together, and the offspring can theoretically contain anywhere from 0 to 100% of their genes from the original line.

So, to be perfectly clear, the labels like 75, 88 etc. may be helpful in describing the matings that were used to produce the birds, but they are essentially meaningless when it comes to describing the genetics they contain.

I agree with the intended point of the post. 75% of a line when out crossing or 75% of a male/female when line breeding does not mean that 75% of the offspring’s genes came from that gene pool. I do think however, that more than a hundred years of selective breeding practices have proven that it greatly improves the odds that the random gene selection will come from those gene pools.

I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the first statement; in my simple mind, it suggests that it is possible to hatch a giraffe, which I find highly unlikely. I suppose you mean 0 to 100% of the line they're 75% of.

I don’t think labels like 75 are essentially meaningless, just an ineffective way of describing the odds. Which can’t actually be described or calculated.

 

[dreamofglory]

I'd like some opinions on this barred cockerels he is the most promising one I have so far he was hatched on Christmas day. Thanks

 

[Silver Rock]

Here is a picture of my 15 Silver Penciled Plymouth Rock chicks that hatched out in May.

Here are few pictures of my 4 Silver Penciled Plymouth Rocks that hatched out in April.