The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[Egghead_Jr]

You've got to have dexterous fingers to open up a bandette one handed to get on, or find a football position to use both hands or the easiest way is have a helper so gathering up and banding the flock is done and over quickly.


My birds are still young but constantly looking them over. I've a question about red leakage. My two most promising cockerels have red in wings. If one of these goes over a full silver pullet won't half the offspring be free of mahogany factor? Or is chasing out red going to be a long battle? They're only 16 weeks so a chance another cockerel will be promising but with such a strong difference in breadth of these two from the others I'm doubting any others will ever compare.

 

[normanack]

(Post abridged)

Using zip ties, in different colors is only OK.  I've used them, but the birds out grow them quickly and you can only code a few birds before you run out of colors to ID them.

My problem with zip ties was figuring out a color-coding system that made sense. Fast-feathering birds got a green band for future reference. Other than that, there was no system other than making sure each bird had a unique set. That might be because my daughter and I were banding them in the order we caught them. We ended up with combos like "Green Orange Orange Black" which wasn't very professional.

I switched to numbered clip-on bands. Only one has ever come off. My problem with them is that when the bands get muddy, or if the bird is standing so that the printing is on the side away from me, I can't see the number. Irritating.

 

[unionhillchix]

I've found, even when the zip ties are loose, they seem to rub a place on the chicken's legs where they sit on the flesh. I'm thinking it's the hard, squared off edge of the tie that does that. I'm really loving the leg bands that Fred recommended...they stay on, even with my birds ranging in the woods, and they seem very comfortable with no evidence of rubbed skin.

What leg bands does Fred recommend?

 

[Beekissed]

These and this supplier seems to be the cheapest I've seen also, so I heeded his advice and bought them here:

https://www.twincitypoultrysupplies...h=8_24&zenid=09c540103ea590f007f7dcfcbd73a636



I bought the size 12 and they fit my Rock hens fine and even a little loose for some but I haven't tried them yet on the males. Super easy to get on and take off again, but stays put even though my crew are wading through all kinds of brush at times.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Just to be clear, there are several legband types that work well. Not everyone likes the same thing. Try a couple different types and see what best suits your husbandry style. They are not prohibitively expensive.

 

[Fred's Hens]

You've got to have dexterous fingers to open up a bandette one handed to get on, or find a football position to use both hands or the easiest way is have a helper so gathering up and banding the flock is done and over quickly.


My birds are still young but constantly looking them over. I've a question about red leakage. My two most promising cockerels have red in wings. If one of these goes over a full silver pullet won't half the offspring be free of mahogany factor? Or is chasing out red going to be a long battle? They're only 16 weeks so a chance another cockerel will be promising but with such a strong difference in breadth of these two from the others I'm doubting any others will ever compare.

The male of the Black Sex Link ( an intentional mutt created by RI Red over BR) is often confused for a Barred Rock. I know everyone here knows this, but it only carries a single barring gene while a Barred Rock carries two.

In breeding Barred Rocks to the Standard, the single barred males would have no place, especially if they're also carrying that heavy dose of leaking red or gold from an outcross, even if back 6 generations. Just my $.02 They'd eat very good, though, especially with dumplings.

The Silver Penciled Plymouth Rock breeders fight the good fight against the red/brown tones. The SPPR is a very difficult pattern. I have almost zero experience with it, so I'll have to leave any advice giving to others with more experience, such as Wynette Adamson. Might want to drop Wynette (her screen name here) a message and ask her to post here on the subject.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I knew there was an old moderator that brepd the Silver Penciled but couldn't remeber it was Wynette. Thanks.

Oh I've been reading some thick genetic stuff on autosomal red and diluters and other erudite mumbo jumbo and when getting dizzy put it in simple language in my mind. "Non sex linked red bad!" What I grasp so far the red will always be in the line, red shoulder on the SPSR being the big issue with hens tending to locate brassiness in chest area. Breeding birds without that visual fault would be the ideal.

Currently I'm wondering how much damage would it do in terms of % offspring visually expressing mahogony using a great type cock with red on a very silver pullet for a one time cross. It's these conflicting choices that I now see make the patterned varieties so challenging.

I'll drop Wynette a line and already think I'm trying a single mating with my prime cocerel in spring to see first hand. Definitely wintering and breeding multiple cockerels to test matings.

 

[weavers rocks]

6 month old cockerel bein grown out

 

[weavers rocks]

another cockerel growing out

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I chatted some with Wynette, she doesn't see a problem with using a Silver with autosomal red shoulders for a one time use. It's combing two reds or several generations you'd be getting into trouble maybe.

She also confirmed my suspicions on the chick down color. The darker color chicks should not be used. Most of the females that were born darker cast still have brown cast on them at 17.5 weeks and the cockerels are lacking in crisp black and white on hackles. Wynette used the term smutty. I like that as it describes the effect well.

Here are some poor pics of the cockerel I was convincing myself to use and now definitely am for half next springs hatches. Photos don't do his back justice, it's very flat and wide. Not over amount of fluff on butt like others in flock and his white with black on hackles and coming saddle are crisp and complete. He's fantastic in all regards compared to all other cockerels hatched this year but has mahogony in wing shoulder.









That's not a split tail. Have some tail pecking issues that will be resolved in this weeks cull. Like the cockerel in back of last picture with roach back is a good example of dinner.