The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[Yard full o' rocks]

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.

Great articles by Brian Reeder in Exhibition Poultry Magazine in the Fall 2013 (I think), regarding autosomnal red. Might be worth googling and reading. Pretty sure it was a three part series (like in Aug/Sept/Oct issues so something like that)

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Reeder's name kept popping up in my research. He's definitely a forerunner in autosomal red research. Thanks for the heads up on article.

Cool, their back issues are free. Backyard Poultry Mag takes a subscription.

September 2012 Exhibition Poultry Magazine by Brian Reeder is an excellent article. Thanks Yard Full!

Fred, it's not too dizzying of a read and interesting not only for Silver birds but touches on the shades of Mahogany in your Rhode Island Reds.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Well, there's 17 of those little buggers in there. Sexing is already easy, of course, and the score is pretty even in the male/female thing. The vigor in hatching out this generation is so night and day from around 2 years ago that it doesn't even compare. Really looking forward to growing out these chicks this fall. Also looking forward to sharing some of them with friends of this variety.

 

[uphilljill]

You're making me want to set more eggs...lol.

 

[chicken pickin]

You're making me want to set more eggs...lol.

Those chicks are looking good. The vigor like Fred describes is just amazing. How many did you hatch this year?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Those chicks are looking good. The vigor like Fred describes is just amazing. How many did you hatch this year?

You're looking at what I hatched here. Hatched 5 of the pure GS based chicks down in KY, plus another 20+ chicks from 75 birds.


This is a little trio of GS birds. We'll grow them out and see if there's anything we want to use.

To be very, very straightforward, these 17 chicks are the future of the line, there's no doubt about it. If we can use something from the other forks of the line, here or there? We'll certainly do so. The pure Good Shepherd bird simply became far too difficult to breed and hatch and that's all there was to it. How much we want to reach back and use the GS birds is unknown at this time.


The birds we outcrossed 4-5 years ago and brought forward are now greatly improved by this outcross with Jill's cockbird from Guy Roy. Really looking forward to 2016 and some very nice Barred Rocks being produced. I'll probably set up two or three distinct match ups and carefully track the outcome.

Fun stuff, actually.

 

[chicken pickin]

You're looking at what I hatched here. Hatched 5 of the pure GS based chicks down in KY, plus another 20+ chicks from 75 birds.

To be very, very straightforward, these 17 chicks are the future of the line, there's no doubt about it. If we can use something from the other forks of the line, here or there? We'll certainly do so. The pure Good Shepherd bird simply became far too difficult to breed and hatch and that's all there was to it. How much we want to reach back and use the GS birds is unknown at this time.

The birds we outcrossed 4-5 years ago and brought forward are now greatly improved by this outcross with Jill's cockbird from Guy Roy. Really looking forward to 2016 and some very nice Barred Rocks being produced. I'll probably set up two or three distinct match ups and carefully track the outcome.

Fun stuff, actually.

This is great to hear. You sound over joyed to have brought in these chicks from Jill. I know that I am many many years behind you all, only just starting out but I couldn't be happier with the start I got with Jills chicks. I hope to learn so much more from all of you here and hopefully Ill get to go to a few shows where I can talk to other people that raise PRs and see them in person.

I will also add in that my Barred Rocks get the biggest WOWs from every person that stops over, customers that buy eggs from me cant seem to stop starring at them and saying how beautiful they are. Many people don't even realize that they are Barred Rocks because they look so different than the hatchery Rocks, as soon as they see the difference they just say WOW.

 

[Fred's Hens]

This is great to hear. You sound over joyed to have brought in these chicks from Jill. I know that I am many many years behind you all, only just starting out but I couldn't be happier with the start I got with Jills chicks. I hope to learn so much more from all of you here and hopefully Ill get to go to a few shows where I can talk to other people that raise PRs and see them in person.

I will also add in that my Barred Rocks get the biggest WOWs from every person that stops over, customers that buy eggs from me cant seem to stop starring at them and saying how beautiful they are. Many people don't even realize that they are Barred Rocks because they look so different than the hatchery Rocks, as soon as they see the difference they just say WOW.

You got as good a start in Barred Rocks as you could have ever dreamed, in my view, of course, I'm biased. LOL Enjoy growing out your bunch and learning. Go to a top show this fall, if you can, and see the birds for yourself. You'll never regret it.

 

[uphilljill]

I hatched 54, but lost 7 to a fox attack in the grow out pen earlier this summer. From the remaining chicks, I am expecting to get at least a trio+ to grow out as potential breeders. They're at 11 & 14 weeks old now and it's looking good. I'm also aiming for 2-3 distinct breeding pens in 2016 in the hopes of establishing some family lines.

My chick's barring is not as sharp as those GS birds Fred showed, but the vigor and growth rate has been amazing. (Paint the barn later.) My 14-week-old pullets seem to be getting close to POL. I wouldn't be surprised to see some little eggs in the next few weeks. Will let you know.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Jill, I know you bred a few pure Guy Roy chicks and I suspect the barring will quite tight and crisp on those, no? Didn't you also share a few of the pure Roy chicks with CP?