The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[Fentress]

How much slower is the grow out on Barred Rocks? Based on what I have read, I assume it is slower compared to other heritage breeds. I don't mind feeding them, but if I have a late hatch with a broody then I could be culling way late into the fall or winter. And I ask the question from the context of eating them, not makeing a breeding/selection decision, which I know for cockerels can take a long time to do properly. If they develop more slowly then does that also mean that aggression between the cockerels develops more slowly? There is an established BR breeder within easy driving distance from me, but I am not sure it is the breed for me.

Thanks,

Mark

 

[Fred's Hens]

Mark, I cannot judge the Barred Rocks against many other old time, heritage type breeds because my personal experience with other breeds isn't vast enough to comment.

The Barred Rocks of super high quality, superb barring and flashy good type do take a long time to mature. Someone used the word glacial to describe it. What that means in real terms, I suppose, is that our experience with GSBR is that the females may take until 30 weeks and even up to 35 weeks to begin to lay, based on many factors such as early vs late in year hatch, feed, sunlight, etc.

The males are quite edible at 9 months. They've been running right at 8-9 pounds living weight and 5 pounds dressed. As you said, judging them for possible breeder candidates takes 10 months or more, in many cases, and they'll also pack on another couple pounds during that extended time.

The only thing I have experience in comparing such times would be heritage, standard bred Rhode Island Reds and I would not bet on the Reds beating the Rocks in a race to maturity. Inconsequential. The Reds take a long time as well.

"Word on the street" is that the winner in almost every race to maturity, males and females, is being won by the Orange Birds, the 50-50 crossed with German variety. Lots of rumors to that effect. Maybe others with other varieties of Rocks can chime in with their experience.

 

[uphilljill]

I'm still new to hatching and growing our own birds, but I hatched 9 Orange birds (full GNH) just before the Barred Rocks this year and we processed them at 22 weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if the 50/50 Orange birds are even faster. The HBR cockerels I have now are still filling out in the breast at 28 weeks. Perhaps there are other lines of Barred Rocks that mature more quickly (but maybe not as showy) as the GSBRs? Fred, your F1 BRs that I have were weeks ahead of the HBRs. Did you process any? At what age/weight?

Neither my HBRs or F1s are particularily aggressive, but the F1s were mating & crowing 6-8 weeks ago and my HBRs are just starting now. (Hatched at the same time, May 5th.)

From my hatches this year, I'd say the GNH were fastest, then Wyandottes & F1 BRs, then HBRs. I will definitely be to incubating earlier next year to give them more growing time..

 

[Fred's Hens]

I'm still new to hatching and growing our own birds, but I hatched 9 Orange birds (full GNH) just before the Barred Rocks this year and we processed them at 22 weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if the 50/50 Orange birds are even faster. The HBR cockerels I have now are still filling out in the breast at 28 weeks. Perhaps there are other lines of Barred Rocks that mature more quickly (but maybe not as showy) as the GSBRs? Fred, your F1 BRs that I have were weeks ahead of the HBRs. Did you process any? At what age/weight?

Neither my HBRs or F1s are particularily aggressive, but the F1s were mating & crowing 6-8 weeks ago and my HBRs are just starting now. (Hatched at the same time, May 5th.)

From my hatches this year, I'd say the GNH were fastest, then Wyandottes & F1 BRs, then HBRs. I will definitely be to incubating earlier next year to give them more growing time..

That's good data and input.

That's the thing to watch on the using the F1s back under the GSBR to produce the F2s this year. How much early development are we going to lose? Some is expected. I intend to band all quick feathering chicks.

Our F1 pullets started laying solidly at 23-24 weeks. A huge improvement. Cockerels were processed at 7 months were very, very tasty, if a pound under a GSBR, but it would have taken the GSBR another month to mature and add that extra pound. Hope that makes sense.

 

[Bluetick340]

How were the f1's bred?

 

[Extra Java]

I don't have Barred Rocks but have been reading about them. Anyone here ever get black sports out of them?

 

[Fred's Hens]

How were the f1's bred?

Bluetick,

This thread has been a diary or chronicle, if you will, of the project. This discussion of WHY was a topic during the first 15 pages of this thread. In a nutshell? The desire for increased vigor. Again, the reasons why were discussed on the first dozen pages or so.

Beginning here: post #91 the thread then becomes a kind of diary of the first year of the project. I shared some of these F1a will several others who also post along the way, sharing their experiences of raising out the F1 birds. We're pretty excited about going to F2 which for some will be in early February. I won't start until early March this year, due to our horrid weather and some personal plans.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I don't have Barred Rocks but have been reading about them. Anyone here ever get black sports out of them?

Scott gets blacks using his Colombian Rocks. Not really a sport as much as what one would expect. Gorgeous birds. He posted pix of them elsewhere yesterday.

He'd be proud as punch to post his black pullet. She's a looker.

 

[Extra Java]

Thanks Fred. Have you ever seen one come from barred?

 

[DMRippy]

I don't have Barred Rocks but have been reading about them. Anyone here ever get black sports out of them?

No never from my full barred rocks. I have breed single barred males and hatched some from the same combo. No sports.......