The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[SilverRockFarm]

Great to have you.    

Thank you Linda for the welcome.

 

[uphilljill]

Got my Plymouth Rock Fancier's Club of America Fall newsletter in the mail a couple days ago and want to give the editor Brian Lewis a big thanks on the great job of putting it all together. I also want to thank all the Officers & Directors for keeping this great Plymouth Rock Poultry Club moving forward.

I also look forward to attending the APA National in Knoxville & meeting many Plymouth Rock breeders there. With work going full speed I plan to be there a few hours that Saturday but will not be able show any birds this time.

Welcome back to BYC!

I would like to second your shout out to the PRFCA. I've been in touch with my district director and have plans to meet up with him at the Congress in January. He very generously offered to make some introductions to other Rock breeders there. Looking forward to a great show!

 

[uphilljill]

Knoxville Bound They've updated the 7 day weather forecast and it is to temps much colder than previously predicted. Sigh. The only day forecast to be above freezing will be Sunday. Looks like I'll be washing birds after church on Sunday.

Fred, do you do anything different for winter washing? Our big show is in January and washing birds that time of year always seems to an issue in these northern climates. Also, how did you make those "skirts" around your dog kennel transport boxes? Does it have a floor as well? I use them for my birds as well, but the plastic tray floor that come with them is very slippery. And the "skirt" you made seems like a great solution to keep bedding in. Your girls look wonderful. Good luck at the show!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Fred, do you do anything different for winter washing? Our big show is in January and washing birds that time of year always seems to an issue in these northern climates.

Also, how did you make those "skirts" around your dog kennel transport boxes? Does it have a floor as well? I use them for my birds as well, but the plastic tray floor that come with them is very slippery. And the "skirt" you made seems like a great solution to keep bedding in.

Your girls look wonderful. Good luck at the show!

The "skirts" around the cages are either pieces of luan plywood I happened to have in scrap or stiff cardboard I cut with a box cutter. I attached them to the cage using tiny zip ties. They keep the litter in, of course.

As for washing in the winter, I'll let you know. I've no special insights. It's got to be done, so we'll do it. My shop is insulated and I've been keeping it around 40F with a small space heater. I'll fire up a propane heater, similar to what one would use in a deer blind or fishing shanty on Sunday before we head to church. My hope is to raise the temp in the shop to around 55F and wash them Sunday afternoon.

Ambient temps outside are predicted to be 41F so it shouldn't be too difficult to raise the interior temps a bit. That's the best I can do. If I had to do this in January? With possible ambient temps of Zero? I'd just "dry clean" the birds with baby wipes and call it good.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I should also say this.

The other day, we had a "thaw" day and it was warm, well, warm for us lately. The temperatures were no more than 40-42 and it was raining. I left the barn door open and out came the birds. They spent the entire afternoon and evening outside, scratching and pecking and just being chickens.

My birds are farm birds and they'd rather be outside scratching around in the pine straw or picking the garden remains than anything in the world.

They were soaked to the skin. Did that stop them or cause them to run back into the barn? Not a chance.

 

[SilverRockFarm]

Welcome back to BYC!

I would like to second your shout out to the PRFCA. I've been in touch with my district director and have plans to meet up with him at the Congress in January. He very generously offered to make some introductions to other Rock breeders there. Looking forward to a great show!

Thank you Jill, the Plymouth Rock Fancier's Club of America is a awesome group of people. Terry Disney is my District Director and has been great in helping me get started into showing my Silver Penciled Plymouth Rocks.

 

[SilverRockFarm]

My two favorites of the 50+ Silver Penciled Plymouth Rock chicks I hatched out this year.

 

[maryhysong]

Fred, do you do anything different for winter washing? Our big show is in January and washing birds that time of year always seems to an issue in these northern climates.

Also, how did you make those "skirts" around your dog kennel transport boxes? Does it have a floor as well? I use them for my birds as well, but the plastic tray floor that come with them is very slippery. And the "skirt" you made seems like a great solution to keep bedding in.

Your girls look wonderful. Good luck at the show!

Maybe you could wash them now and keep them cooped on deep clean shavings so you only have to do some touchups closer to show time when it's colder?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Maybe you could wash them now and keep them cooped on deep clean shavings so you only have to do some touchups closer to show time when it's colder?

It was only 22F today, Mary. LOL
Going down to 11 tonight.

The warmest day is going to be Sunday. That will have to be the day. Then, yes, I'll do my best to dry clean for the week until the following Saturday in TN.

 

[Fred's Hens]

My two favorites of the 50+ Silver Penciled Plymouth Rock chicks I hatched out this year.

Hey Clayton, how old are these youngsters? Got a hatch date, close enough for hand grenades?