The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[Fred's Hens]

Here's a pic from today. Comb is redder than before.

Nice, deep pullet. I think you'll be really happy with off her offspring next spring. Do you have photo of her perspective beau?

 

[PEI chicken]

PEI

My CRs (pullets/hens) have smaller combs than that and I am in the DEEP south....supposedly the comb size increases as a way to dissipate heat.  Thus far mine are very small and seem to be staying that way

I don't think its anything to be concerned with

I really like that one girl I singled out......I'd put her back over her daddy and see what kind of chicks you get next Spring.  She is FINE!!

Thank you Yard full o'Rocks. (If anyone is checking the Plymouth Rock Thread, you'll see the other pics that I posted today, and the pullet that is referred to)

And thank you for the reassurance about small combs - I've often wondered if there was something odd about the size of my chickens' combs.

PEI Chicken

 

[Dahlisgrams]

Quote:
Pretty pullet! Is this the one who is laying so early? One of mine is laying too and I'm not sure which. There aren't any others laying this color egg in that pen. Very exciting.

 

[uphilljill]

Same 3 perspective beaus... Waiting, waiting, waiting to see which one will make the cut... lol

I am leaning towards one of the 2 heritage boys to balance out her barring and quick development, but they're all legs without wings/tails yet.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Jill, that is a good plan. When we shipped out eggs last spring, we sometimes gave out a couple of bonus eggs of the F1 project birds in each box. Since the hatch rates on those few eggs was so stinkin' high, even for shipped eggs, it seems almost everyone got an F1 bird or two. LOL Wouldn't begin to tell anyone what to do with them, but the project was designed to take the pullets back under the pure XW/GSBR males at the next generation.

The purpose of this project was to stimulate some vigor and by goodness, by golly, that sure seems to be the case. The F1's grow fast, feather faster and obviously the pullets lay sooner than either of their parent strains. We consider this a good thing, and while the strain cross did produce less than crisp barring and this was expected, but the type has been fantastic. Now it's time to paint the barn and hopefully, fingers crossed, keep a strong grip on that vigor that these chicks have. That's the goal.

We'll be eating all the F1 cockerels. Some are getting closer and closer to freezer camp. They should be delicious.

I intend to select my sharpest barred, highest quality XW/GSBR spare cockerel and use him over my selected F1 pullets. I'll be making that selection next week. In February, we'll starting hatching out the F2s of this project and it would be great to compare notes if you take a similar tact.

 

[aoxa]

Jill, that is a good plan. When we shipped out eggs last spring, we sometimes gave out a couple of bonus eggs of the F1 project birds in each box. Since the hatch rates on those few eggs was so stinkin' high, even for shipped eggs, it seems almost everyone got an F1 bird or two. LOL Wouldn't begin to tell anyone what to do with them, but the project was designed to take the pullets back under the pure XW/GSBR males at the next generation.

The purpose of this project was to stimulate some vigor and by goodness, by golly, that sure seems to be the case. The F1's grow fast, feather faster and obviously the pullets lay sooner than either of their parent strains. We consider this a good thing, and while the strain cross did produce less than crisp barring and this was expected, but the type has been fantastic. Now it's time to paint the barn and hopefully, fingers crossed, keep a strong grip on that vigor that these chicks have. That's the goal.

We'll be eating all the F1 cockerels. Some are getting closer and closer to freezer camp. They should be delicious.

I intend to select my sharpest barred, highest quality XW/GSBR spare cockerel and use him over my selected F1 pullets. I'll be making that selection next week. In February, we'll starting hatching out the F2s of this project and it would be great to compare notes if you take a similar tact.

Can you take pictures of your choices so we can get in your mind on how you made your selections?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Can you take pictures of your choices so we can get in your mind on how you made your selections?

Yup. Good idea. I'll take photos of the finalists. Just gotta remember to take the camera along. Please, just know it is a cheapo camera and I stink at photography. I'll do the very best I can. I think we've got to sort through some 23 or 24 cockerels, so it will take awhile.

 

[aoxa]

Yup. Good idea. I'll take photos of the finalists. Just gotta remember to take the camera along. Please, just know it is a cheapo camera and I stink at photography. I'll do the very best I can. I think we've got to sort through some 23 or 24 cockerels, so it will take awhile.

Wow that's a lot of boys!

If you could narrow it down to 5 and then show us the contenders. That would be awesome. Doesn't need to be great photography. I won't judge you lol

 

[uphilljill]

X2

 

[Dahlisgrams]

I'm looking forward to seeing those photos and critiques also Fred. Great idea!

Finally, finally got a semi decent photo of the cockerel who has yet to be seen here. Does he have any obvious flaws or is he a possible contender?

First photo is a 23 week old cockerel and the second photo is the previously unseen 17 week old, just as a comparison. Neither are great photos due to a tired camera. Sorry.