The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[Fred's Hens]

Guy Roy BR cockerel got RV

Hard to photograph them in a natural pose. I'm gonna assume he normally stood up and held his back more level and tail up?

He also looks a bit tired.

 

[uphilljill]

And Karen Owsiany's Silver Pencilled cockerel won BV

 

[uphilljill]

They all look tired. Me too... Lol. There were about 30 large fowl rocks exhibited. Brian Lewis from the PRFCA gave me a tour of the Rock aisle. And I got to train as a clerk with Jeff Halbach in the morning. Great day!

 

[chicken pickin]

They all look tired. Me too... Lol. There were about 30 large fowl rocks exhibited. Brian Lewis from the PRFCA gave me a tour of the Rock aisle. And I got to train as a clerk with Jeff Halbach in the morning. Great day!

So glad you had a great day! I was unable to make it there, I had to work unexpectedly so I had to miss it. I wish I could have gotten out there, I was hoping to meet you and definitely would have loved to view all the Rocks and maybe talk to a few of the Rock breeders it might have given me a little more insight and knowledge before I get into Rocks myself. Definitely next year for sure.

 

[aoxa]

Hey Justine, good to "see" you.

I don't mean to imply a foul spirited male is a good thing, of itself. But, the fertility rates and sexual activity of these Barred Rocks males is widely discussed as being less than impressive. We have had some that simply were not active enough in that department. So, to get a male that actually is busy about acting the part of the cockbird and being a bit feisty? I'd pretty much rejoice in that, to be honest. It is frustrating beyond words to have a high percentage of infertile eggs in March.

I was raising these three White males together all summer and fall. They were fine. Too passive in fact. Finally, as maturity began to kick in around November, these little flared hackles fights and squaring off moments began to happen with some regularity. It was time to move them out.

The best got dropped off to a super nice lady in Cincinnati on my way through her area. He's her crown prince, for sure. The other two were roasted a golden brown and were delicious.

I know this is two weeks old, but just wanted to say that the only breed I see aggressiveness as a sign of fertility is with the Silkies. My Plymouth Rock aren't even a little aggressive and my fertility is fantastic with them. They just don't see us as something to fight against. *knock on wood*

Silkies on the other hand.. My fertility was AWFUL! Unless they were a little assertive..

 

[Beekissed]

Do the birds normally look that droopy and cowed at the shows? They all pretty much look like they have tucked tail and are not feeling at all good. Is that pretty much the norm? The stance makes all the pullets look like they have enormous cushions and the males have saggy wings and tails.

 

[uphilljill]

They all looked a little more alert earlier in the day. I didn't get around to taking photos until after the judging when they were tired and stressed.

LF classes are often small with sometimes only 2 birds of a variety entered (as was the case with the Buff Rocks.) The judge can only pick the best of what's entered.

You always see some birds with less desirable traits. In my walk through the show (LF and bantams) I saw it all. Cushions, wings tips that touched the ground, wrong colored ear lobes, crooked toes, crossed beaks, etc. But I also saw some really fantastic birds. Great learning experience.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I know this is two weeks old, but just wanted to say that the only breed I see aggressiveness as a sign of fertility is with the Silkies. My Plymouth Rock aren't even a little aggressive and my fertility is fantastic with them. They just don't see us as something to fight against. *knock on wood*

Silkies on the other hand.. My fertility was AWFUL! Unless they were a little assertive..

It was never human aggression that was implied, rather a spunky, lively, busy, and athletic male seems to go about his mating business, but we've had a more than a few whose simply stood around or who seemed far less than physically active and fertility was woeful. Hope that clears that up.

Do the birds normally look that droopy and cowed at the shows? They all pretty much look like they have tucked tail and are not feeling at all good. Is that pretty much the norm? The stance makes all the pullets look like they have enormous cushions and the males have saggy wings and tails.

Here's what I saw. BIrds have been transported, often some distance, put into displays, sometimes under bright lights. For 24 hours there is lots of attention. That exhibition halls can sometimes also be rather warm. The birds then get handled and judged. By the end of the day? Many of them have enough and the droop is on.

People generally wait until the scores are in at the end of the show before they photograph them. There couldn't be a worse time to take pictures, quite honestly. The birds often have no interest in posing whatsoever. They're done.

We probably had a dozen White Rocks and 10-12 Columbian Rocks displayed at Knoxville. But the Partridge, Barred, and Silver Penciled were merely two or three birds and no Buffs at all.

 

[uphilljill]

The Congress had 6 Silver Penciled, 16 Barred, 2 Buff, and 5 White. No Partridge or Columbian. The Barred and White turnout surprised me...usually it's the other way around.

 

[Beekissed]

That would do it for me. Big and noisy crowds take the fluff out of my tail feathers too. My birds would be doubly dismayed over it all as they aren't used to being in small, confined spaces OR seeing a lot of humans. It would take a special bird indeed to stand up under all that and still feel proud and loud.