The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[aoxa]

Oh and our main cock does not always hold his tail that low. I caught him mid preen.



Here he is with his tail held higher. but this image is way over exposed.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Fred's Hens

Thanks for the invite

Folks - I raise Standard (some call them large fowl) Columbian Plymouth Rocks. This is quite a project in the works as I started in the Fall of 2010 with a trio of birds from Dick Nieuwland (from Canada) and 1 pullet from Powell lines in Ohio. My females are coming along quite nicely, but I am still fighting low tails (or high tails) in mt males and an issue with brassiness in their hackles, back and saddle area

Here are a few pictures

 

[Fred's Hens]

Scott, didn't you feel it necessary to do an outcross to try and fix the brassiness? Maybe it is just my imagination. If you did, that is the kind of long term commitment we really need to discuss here.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Scott, didn't you feel it necessary to do an outcross to try and fix the brassiness? Maybe it is just my imagination. If you did, that is the kind of long term commitment we really need to discuss here.

ABSOLUTELY YES....Brian Reeder (poultry genetics expert) has been kind enough to help guide me with this process. Apparently, my birds are lacking a gene to suppress autosomnal red (its a genetic thing I cannot get my head around).....at any rate, here is what we have done to attempt to clean this up.

According to Brian, a barred rock (staying within my breed, although there are others) carries a copy of the suppressive gene. So, I bred a very nice, type Wheeler line BR female to one of my pure Canadian CR males. I keep the best typed "solid black" female from that cross (F1). The males were incompletely barred and were sold off. This female (solid black) was bred to another pure Canadian CR male with the intention of keeping the "Columbian looking" males from this outcross (F2)....I will also be keeping a few of the Columbian looking females just to introduce another family line since these females will be 3/4 Columbian Rock anyway and the grand dame has EXCELLENT type.

In the F2 males (currently growing out) I am looking for those that exhibit "cleaner" hackles, backs and saddles. If I get any then these males will carry 1 copy of the suppressive gene. This male would then be mated back to him mother (F3) and again, focus would be on keeping males from this cross....and there should be a male that carries 2 copies of the gene at this point and he would then be mated to females in my current breeding flock of Columbians and the brassiness "should" be removed

Hope that makes "some sense"....I have a degree in Engineering but the genetics stuff and natural sciences were never something I got my head completely around

Scott

 

[Fred's Hens]

Having a mentor is really important, I feel. I have sought help from some really knowledgeable people. I so much appreciate the help they've given me.

 

[cbnovick]

Fred's Hens

Thanks for the invite

Folks - I raise Standard (some call them large fowl) Columbian Plymouth Rocks. This is quite a project in the works as I started in the Fall of 2010 with a trio of birds from Dick Nieuwland (from Canada) and 1 pullet from Powell lines in Ohio. My females are coming along quite nicely, but I am still fighting low tails (or high tails) in mt males and an issue with brassiness in their hackles, back and saddle area

Here are a few pictures

Scott, you've about built that proverbial barn and are now getting ready to paint it....nice size, depth and overall type...look like Rocks from a far even...that's the ticket

 

[Fred's Hens]

This was a pullet from last summer who really caught my eye. Gosh, I wish I'd have posed her, like a beauty show, before I took down to the farm in KY. KathyinMO bred her and she and near twin sister were our choice hens last winter and spring. Between the two of them, we hatched virtually every egg they laid. I think we got 39 chicks out of them. We also shared 6 or 7 dozen eggs with folks, mostly here on BYC.

To my eye, this is what a young Rock pullet needs to flash. That she is also a very good layer for being from GSBR via JWhip's WX Poultry touch? Priceless.



Here she is at a year old in the breeding pen. That is not a ridge back. It's just the optical illusion of dirt behind her.


Here she is as a 9 week old chick. You bet she caught my eye early on. LOL



Here she is at 6 months. Sorry I didn't pose her out on the grass for a beauty shot.

 

[Fred's Hens]

OK, there may have been "wind aided" effect here, but dang!!! Scott, look at the tent on the rear of that girl. That's what a Rock should have. You won't get tents like that from hatchery stock Rocks

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

OK, there may have been "wind aided" effect here, but dang!!! Scott, look at the tent on the rear of that girl. That's what a Rock should have. You won't get tents like that from hatchery stock Rocks

Thanks Fred.....no "wind effect" that day.....tail spread on the females is greatly improved, just need some "lift"

 

[cbnovick]

This was a pullet from last summer who really caught my eye. Gosh, I wish I'd have posed her, like a beauty show, before I took down to the farm in KY. KathyinMO bred her and she and near twin sister were our choice hens last winter and spring. Between the two of them, we hatched virtually every egg they laid. I think we got 39 chicks out of them. We also shared 6 or 7 dozen eggs with folks, mostly here on BYC.

To my eye, this is what a young Rock pullet needs to flash. That she is also a very good layer for being from GSBR via JWhip's WX Poultry touch? Priceless.



Here she is at a year old in the breeding pen. That is not a ridge back. It's just the optical illusion of dirt behind her.


Here she is as a 9 week old chick. You bet she caught my eye early on. LOL



Here she is at 6 months. Sorry I didn't pose her out on the grass for a beauty shot.

Fred, she's a dandy

...
and showed herself early...which I like...
My pair of GSBR hens are directly from XW/Jwhip...they are very decent layers too...are very calm and have a delightful low volume chatter/whistle amongst themselves---bonus for chicken t.v. as Scott coined the phrase I believe. lol

Here they are at about 5-6 months






Here they are at around 9 months