The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[Fentress]

another On my way! Harvested this morning biggest so far almost five lb twenty week old

I see what appears to be a pronounced inward curve on the pelvic bone. I think I have that as well and will be checking for it when I examine the young ones in a few weeks. Is this characteristic of rocks in general? This characteristic, supposedly, works against egg production. How does it come about and can you get rid of it and still maintain good meat qualities. My guess is that it comes with the territory and you can't breed it out without accepting a lighter bodied bird?

 

[Beekissed]

From what I understand, a rooster will have that where a hen might not necessarily have the same degree of curvature, for the obvious reasons. I don't know that such a thing is subjective to just the Rock breed.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Thanks. I wanted to make sure I was seeing the correct issue.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Breed, line and strain familiarity.

So important. You see these faults, year after year. Your eye sees them quickly. Whenever birds in this line hold their wings high and in something of "split" look fashion? They're gone. Gone as in not a breeder candidate.

If you can see their wings from that camera angle, it isn't a good thing. We used to get males and some females that showed up, years ago, with horrible wings. It has taken such hard cullng to rid this line of this tendancy that I'm admittedly gunshy.

Most of the Barred Rocks breeders on this thread know exactly what I'm talking about. Each strain of each breed has it's own challenges, as I'm sure you've found with your chosen breeds, Kelly.
You tend to get gun shy about seeing it and look for it hard.

 

[chicken pickin]

Since we are on the topic of wings. I have a pullet that I recently notice has an odd wing feather. It sticks out to the side. I was thinking it was nothing but an odd out of place feather or as suggested otherwise maybe from injury from another chick? Or is it possible it is something more?







edited to add - Im now thinking "injury" is the cause. I have a few others I noticed this morning with "out of place" feathers, same as the pullet above. All of my BRs have recently been been jumping their 4ft fence right before dark and flying up into the trees to roost then I have to climb up and pluck them down one by one. I have a few older chickens that do the same thing and I think these young ones are copying the behavior. Maybe that is the cause.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Each strain of each breed has it's own challenges, as I'm sure you've found with your chosen breeds, Kelly.
You tend to get gun shy about seeing it and look for it hard.

Yes, there are certain issues in my breeds. But my eye does not see them as quickly as yours. I'm still in training.

The cockerel I took to the show in January matured and now his tail is too low, so I'm likely culling him.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Since we are on the topic of wings. I have a pullet that I recently notice has an odd wing feather. It sticks out to the side. I was thinking it was nothing but an odd out of place feather or as suggested otherwise maybe from injury from another chick? Or is it possible it is something more?







edited to add - Im now thinking "injury" is the cause. I have a few others I noticed this morning with "out of place" feathers, same as the pullet above. All of my BRs have recently been been jumping their 4ft fence right before dark and flying up into the trees to roost then I have to climb up and pluck them down one by one. I have a few older chickens that do the same thing and I think these young ones are copying the behavior. Maybe that is the cause.

Too young to be concerned. Wait until their final, adult feathering in at about 18 weeks. These juvenile feathers get messed up and often, it is no concern. Pretty birds, though.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Yes, there are certain issues in my breeds. But my eye does not see them as quickly as yours. I'm still in training.

The cockerel I took to the show in January matured and now his tail is too low, so I'm likely culling him.

Would he have value to you as a compensatory breeder? Sometimes, if things are "too low" they are useful to mate against things that are "too high".

 

[Poolboy]

That is an amazing looking rooster!! Do you have any pictures of comparable hens?

 

[chicken pickin]

That is an amazing looking rooster!! Do you have any pictures of comparable hens?

It would help us know which male you are looking at if you quote the post you are referring to