The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[Fred's Hens]

Scott was going to show us his 3 finalists. We're still looking forward to seeing those. Hard to believe, perhaps, that Scott would only take three pullets forward?

Actually, with each passing year I am more convinced that less is more. I'd rather breed the two or three best birds and take that 40 chick hatch out rather than put 7 or 8 so so birds in the pens hoping that shear numbers will get the job done. We're going to go very "small" and narrow this coming year.

 

[cbnovick]

You are so right, Cindy. We're not going to invest in a big sportsman model or anything like that. We've got 3 Brinsea to incubate in and will have a roomy, clear top Hovabator or similar to hatch in this year. No more hatching in the Brinsea.

I love my hovabator genesis (clear top) for hatching too. I call 'er "Stable Mabel".lol

 

[cbnovick]

Scott was going to show us his 3 finalists. We're still looking forward to seeing those. Hard to believe, perhaps, that Scott would only take three pullets forward?

Actually, with each passing year I am more convinced that less is more. I'd rather breed the two or three best birds and take that 40 chick hatch out rather than put 7 or 8 so so birds in the pens hoping that shear numbers will get the job done. We're going to go very "small" and narrow this coming year.

Even to a 'newbie' such as myself, I think that makes alot of sense on many levels...especially when starting with good quality stock. Due to my limited situation, I am virtually 'forced' to go this simple, almost single-mating route anyway.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Good morning all.

Don't want beat the "go small", "go narrow" theme too much, but last night it finally cooled up enough to spend some time looking over the birds. It'd been so stinkin' hot that neither they nor I wanted to do much yesterday. As I looked over my adult female group, I noticed yet again that I really don't have more than one that I can take forward. There is 6 females, picked from 40 hatched last season, in that pen that I had thought, "Yes, I'll be able to use all 6 of these ladies." That would be going Big and going Wide.

But with each passing week, I can see more and more often that No, I should not. They just aren't good enough. Just one singular female in that group is good enough, and she needs a much better tail. I've got a juvenile I like a whole lot and she's from a super good lineage, so I expect her to make the grade. Two females. That's it.

But that's enough. I've decided that I'd rather hatch out whatever I can from just those two good females. I'll be better off in the longer run.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Scott was going to show us his 3 finalists. We're still looking forward to seeing those. Hard to believe, perhaps, that Scott would only take three pullets forward?

Actually, with each passing year I am more convinced that less is more. I'd rather breed the two or three best birds and take that 40 chick hatch out rather than put 7 or 8 so so birds in the pens hoping that shear numbers will get the job done. We're going to go very "small" and narrow this coming year.

Morning all

Fred, its hard for me to think about "just three pullets" too, but unless I go that route, I won't have the focus that I feel I need. I might make a few mistakes and for that reason I am holding back 2 hens from this past breeding season so I can "remake" some of this years birds if need be. The better ones that don't make

Sorry about not getting pix yet....its been hotter here this week that the whole summer and I'm not feeling up to being hot and sweaty after a day battling "corp America".

The weekend is suppose to be better so I'll try to be done by then

Also - y'all please keep the Morrison family down my way in your prayers. Sandy (45 yrs old) lost her battle with bladder cancer and leaves behind a husband and 2 sons (14 and 10). My wife went to high school with Sandy and their family went to church with us....such a tragedy and so young

 

[Fred's Hens]

Thought I would die in yesterday's heat, Scott. Today's a transition day with much cooler weather due in by Friday. I'm ready frankly. Don't care if it goes a touch below "normal" even.

We will remember Morrison family in our prayers. May the Lord be merciful. Our hearts go out to all who've been touched by this struggle and now, this loss of a loved one.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Thought I would die in yesterday's heat, Scott. Today's a transition day with much cooler weather due in by Friday. I'm ready frankly. Don't care if it goes a touch below "normal" even.

We will remember Morrison family in our prayers. May the Lord be merciful. Our hearts go out to all who've been touched by this struggle and now, this loss of a loved one.

Thanks Fred....

It was 92 yesterday at 5pm here....I was soaked by the time I cleaned/filled waterers, fed and collected eggs. We need cooler temps and some RAIN. Should be cooling off this time of yr here, at least at night. So far its still 65+ for lows, pushing 90 for highs.

Looks like the weekend is supposed to be a little better

Got some friends coming over today sometime to get some of the "mutts" raised by late season broodies. They are going to use them as layers and I need to free up some space....time to start thinking about next season!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Beat you, Scott. We were still 94 at 5:30 yesterday. Gosh. brutal. Thanks be to God, we're now likely past all that nonsense for the year. There's supposed to be a reason I chose to live Up North.

Anyhow, here's just something I'll throw out into the "small and narrow" thought process. Some generations don't "get you anywhere". In other words, you did your matings and hatched out chicks, culled down to the finalists but the reality is that no progress was made. None. What is in front of you is no better than the parent generation and maybe even you backed up a bit. It's an awful feeling.

I find that if I go "wide and big", selecting a bunch of females and hatch out 100 chicks, I don't like the results any better than if I just select the chosen few, the best of the best philosophy. All I did was hatch out 98 out of 100 culls. That's a lot of work, time, electricity, chores and feed, but there wasn't much to show for it, once honest culling takes place.

This is all said to encourage those who are breeding in somewhat smaller numbers. If you push hard for quality and hatch out 30-40 chicks, you can often make the same progress on improving the breed as a those who do large numbers. I want to encourage the smaller breeders to think quality, type and going slow. Don't be discouraged. This is supposed to be enjoyable.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Beat you, Scott. We were still 94 at 5:30 yesterday. Gosh. brutal. Thanks be to God, we're now likely past all that nonsense for the year. There's supposed to be a reason I chose to live Up North.

Anyhow, here's just something I'll throw out into the "small and narrow" thought process. Some generations don't "get you anywhere". In other words, you did your matings and hatched out chicks, culled down to the finalists but the reality is that no progress was made. None. What is in front of you is no better than the parent generation and maybe even you backed up a bit. It's an awful feeling.

I find that if I go "wide and big", selecting a bunch of females and hatch out 100 chicks, I don't like the results any better than if I just select the chosen few, the best of the best philosophy. All I did was hatch out 98 out of 100 culls. That's a lot of work, time, electricity, chores and feed, but there wasn't much to show for it, once honest culling takes place.

This is all said to encourage those who are breeding in somewhat smaller numbers. If you push hard for quality and hatch out 30-40 chicks, you can often make the same progress on improving the breed as a those who do large numbers. I want to encourage the smaller breeders to think quality, type and going slow. Don't be discouraged. This is supposed to be enjoyable.

Holy Smokes....94 in upstate NY??? That's brutal. I think your summer up there has been worse that what we had down here. Until Sept, we had only 12 total days at 90 degs or more. Last yr we were counting the # of days over 100!!! Guess that's global warming for ya

 

[Fred's Hens]

Northern Michigan, but yeah. We've been hotter on several occasions. People here just melt. We're more used to blue jeans and flannel shirts, if you know what I mean.