The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[Fred's Hens]

This is the pullet from the rear. Shes' as wide at the back as she is the front. She wasn't for sale.

I must have had 7 K's all with this same look. This fellow "won" by default. He was simply the last K standing. LOL It didn't bother me. Same k as shown in the pair photo above. Nothing special, but he'll do as a backup to the older cockbirds.

 

[LindaB220]

One of the cockerels hatched from this years breedings by hatching eggs I sold. She got one cockerel, and all the rest were pullets (something like 6 pullets).ETA: 12 weeks here

My cock Jagger has proven to give some very nice young birds this year. They are feathering out better than last years hatches.

Here is one I am holding back. I have sold pretty much everything else I know, I know... I should be keeping them and only selling them after I choose my own, but it brings me joy to see other people with real Barred Plymouth Rocks

This one below is only 6 weeks.

Your two bottom of her or him are priceless.

 

[aoxa]

Thanks

Fred, your boy is super light! Also - the yellow legs! I must not be feeding high amounts of corn.. My birds hatched by Lynn (pictured) have VERY yellow legs, but mine here have pale yellow until they are mature. Or my camera is wonky (or her's is).

 

[Fred's Hens]

You're not gonna like my reply. LOL

The camera doesn't even begin to show how yellow the legs are on my birds. Think this:



Seriously. Not bragging, really, just the way I breed for them I reckon. Our feed is good, but it isn't just the feed, per se, as much as genetics and finally, our grass. Sigh. We only have 5 months of the year when we have grass, but my oh my, what it does to legs.

Yes, the males in this line are light, but the camera makes them look much lighter than they are in person. But, yes, they are light.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Justine, everything about this male is familiar. Our males are virtual photo-copies, I just gotta tell you.
I'd like to think our line is finally getting a bit more tail, however, but time will tell.


.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

You're not gonna like my reply. LOL The camera doesn't even begin to show how yellow the legs are on my birds. Think this: Seriously. Not bragging, really, just the way I breed for them I reckon. Our feed is good, but it isn't just the feed, per se, as much as genetics and finally, our grass. Sigh. We only have 5 months of the year when we have grass, but my oh my, what it does to legs. Yes, the males in this line are light, but the camera makes them look much lighter than they are in person. But, yes, they are light.

Fred, you are so right about it being genetic. I have birds from the same sire/dam and the legs go from BRIGHT yellow to washed out Gotta select and breed for that trait

 

[aoxa]

You're not gonna like my reply. LOL

The camera doesn't even begin to show how yellow the legs are on my birds. Think this:



Seriously. Not bragging, really, just the way I breed for them I reckon. Our feed is good, but it isn't just the feed, per se, as much as genetics and finally, our grass. Sigh. We only have 5 months of the year when we have grass, but my oh my, what it does to legs.

Yes, the males in this line are light, but the camera makes them look much lighter than they are in person. But, yes, they are light.

I have my juveniles under lock and key right now. A dog killed 37, and a fox is being trouble right now. Electric netting will be here NEXT weekend. I wish I had of bought it months ago. I did put the killed birds through insurance. I have insurance on every animal.. It is a life saver.

As for the yellow, I did find once I put them on grass it improved. I haven't had these guys on actual forage. I do give them grass clippings. My layer flock is only allowed out right now when we are home... Shameful.. I never had this problem until this summer.

37 beautiful breeding keeper juveniles (well at least made it through quite a few cuts!). These were MY keepers! All those beautiful big headed Barred Plymouth Rock girls were killed. My Marans were killed. I drove forever to get the Marans.. I still feel sick.

The electric netting should keep them safe from ground predators. We have lots of cover for hawk protection. Honestly the hawks are so small they only get the weak or really small. I'm not too worried about that.. and it's only during migration they are around.

 

[LindaB220]

I have my juveniles under lock and key right now. A dog killed 37, and a fox is being trouble right now. Electric netting will be here NEXT weekend. I wish I had of bought it months ago. I did put the killed birds through insurance. I have insurance on every animal.. It is a life saver.

As for the yellow, I did find once I put them on grass it improved. I haven't had these guys on actual forage. I do give them grass clippings. My layer flock is only allowed out right now when we are home... Shameful.. I never had this problem until this summer.

37 beautiful breeding keeper juveniles (well at least made it through quite a few cuts!). These were MY keepers! All those beautiful big headed Barred Plymouth Rock girls were killed. My Marans were killed. I drove forever to get the Marans.. I still feel sick.

The electric netting should keep them safe from ground predators. We have lots of cover for hawk protection. Honestly the hawks are so small they only get the weak or really small. I'm not too worried about that.. and it's only during migration they are around.

Oh, honey, I'm so sorry. What a disaster!!! Glad for the insurance.

 

[Fred's Hens]

The various varieties of the Plymouth Rock are all distinct, distinct birds in their composites. I know it is really hard for folks to grasp that chickens are not species, but breeds. Breeds are man-made. Put the various Plymouth Rocks in silhouette and they must all measure up to the exact, same standard. Same.

So, bear with me now, in silhouette, that which we "see", they're all of the same type. But their composites make them very, very different genotype birds. Vastly different in some cases.

Some of the composites that make up one variety support good yellow legs. White Rocks and Barred Rocks in particular. The other varieties are made up of vastly different composite stocks and make the yellow leg (which the standard requires all Rocks must show) much more difficult.

I think the Silver Penciled folks may have it as tough as anyone putting yellow legs under their birds.

Yellow legs simply do not play nice with certain genetic combinations and that's all I know about genetics, which is not much.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I have my juveniles under lock and key right now. A dog killed 37, and a fox is being trouble right now. Electric netting will be here NEXT weekend. I wish I had of bought it months ago. I did put the killed birds through insurance. I have insurance on every animal.. It is a life saver.

As for the yellow, I did find once I put them on grass it improved. I haven't had these guys on actual forage. I do give them grass clippings. My layer flock is only allowed out right now when we are home... Shameful.. I never had this problem until this summer.

37 beautiful breeding keeper juveniles (well at least made it through quite a few cuts!). These were MY keepers! All those beautiful big headed Barred Plymouth Rock girls were killed. My Marans were killed. I drove forever to get the Marans.. I still feel sick.

The electric netting should keep them safe from ground predators. We have lots of cover for hawk protection. Honestly the hawks are so small they only get the weak or really small. I'm not too worried about that.. and it's only during migration they are around.

There's not much worse than dogs. I'm so sorry for your loss.

Many of us have had the same issues and had to overcome. Work this fancy long enough and we all, all of us, bear the scars of predation with the anger and sense of loss. We simply cannot always afford the risk of pasturing to the extent we'd wish. Predation comes with the territory. I hope you find the electric fencing to be of help. Again, so sorry to hear.

If there's anything I can do, drop me a private message and we'll chat off line.