The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[JLaw]

7.5 mo old HBR cockerel, 6lbs 7oz

sure that aint a young turkey?

 

[Fentress]

Processed weight.

I forgot to weigh him beforehand. Free range & 19% protein feed. Also we had to let them grow a bit longer before deciding who to cull, but worth the final result.

thanks for the picture. It is the meat properties of these birds that make them truly a dual purpose breed, which is why I am interested in them. Did you separate the cockerels from the rest of the flock? How did they behave? Anymore management details that you think would be important to pass on?

Thanks,

Mark

 

[desertmarcy]

shoot. My Buff cockerel is 6 months and is just hitting 8.5 pounds live weight. Can't imagine he'd weigh more than 4.5 dressed.... I see I have a ways to go with these guys! I'm feeding 20% broiler grower even now.

Mary, the SOP weight for the Plymouth Rocks is 8 lbs, so if yours is 8.5 at 6 months, that is fine. Should be 9.5 lbs as a cock. A lot of people are breeding them bigger than the Standard. Just look at those White Rocks at our last Tucson Show as an example. Those have got to be way over SOP weight, yet the judge puts them on Champion Row. Our club president even made a comment about them at our meeting yesterday. We were talking about the use of double coops at the show and how too many people ask for double coops, even if their birds will fit in a single coop, and that causes the show set up problems. He said if those White Rocks were the size they are supposed to be, they'd fit in a single coop

I cull all my Barred Rocks that aren't big enough. All the ones I have kept so far are at least 8.5 lbs. Not sure how old they are since I hatched over a 2 month period, but between 7 and 9 months. I processed one a week ago that weighed 6 lb 12 oz processed weight (including giblets but not liver). I will be taking all 5 of these cockerels to the Safford show, to get judge's opinion, so you can see them there. Bob Blosl used to post that if you breed the birds too big, you start having other problems. As long as the judges are giving awards to the bigger birds, people are going to try to breed them bigger, for better or worse I guess.

 

[JLaw]

Mary, the SOP weight for the Plymouth Rocks is 8 lbs, so if yours is 8.5 at 6 months, that is fine. Should be 9.5 lbs as a cock. A lot of people are breeding them bigger than the Standard. Just look at those White Rocks at our last Tucson Show as an example. Those have got to be way over SOP weight, yet the judge puts them on Champion Row. Our club president even made a comment about them at our meeting yesterday. We were talking about the use of double coops at the show and how too many people ask for double coops, even if their birds will fit in a single coop, and that causes the show set up problems. He said if those White Rocks were the size they are supposed to be, they'd fit in a single coop

I cull all my Barred Rocks that aren't big enough. All the ones I have kept so far are at least 8.5 lbs. Not sure how old they are since I hatched over a 2 month period, but between 7 and 9 months. I processed one a week ago that weighed 6 lb 12 oz processed weight (including giblets but not liver). I will be taking all 5 of these cockerels to the Safford show, to get judge's opinion, so you can see them there. Bob Blosl used to post that if you breed the birds too big, you start having other problems. As long as the judges are giving awards to the bigger birds, people are going to try to breed them bigger, for better or worse I guess.

Makes sense. Look at the meat birds. I know I went to a local fair here and they had meat birds showing and some of them didn't even stand it seemed. I watched on stretch it's neck to eat out of the dish on cage rather than stand and eat. Was a sad site to see bowed legs and just lazy birds. Now these are "fryer/broiler" birds from like murray mc murray but I could see pure breeds getting that problem if they go for too much weight too fast. The funny thing is on breed of bird for the show it said fryer or broiler as it's breed. The only reason I went to fair was to check chickens out and I was highly disappointed.

 

[uphilljill]

Thanks for the info DM. Good to know a 6-7lbs is not unusual for that age.

Management: We're still new to keeping a breeding flock, so I did not separate the cockerels until 3 weeks ago. Next year we plan to separate the growing boys out a bit earlier. In addition to free ranging, they also had access to an organic 19% broiler grower feed and plenty of fruit & veggie scrapes from the garden. They also get BOSS treats from time-to-time.

 

[BRITROCK]

Cracking Male, yes a few issues with some but it looks like you have enough to make a great start. Jealous....

 

[maryhysong]

Mary, the SOP weight for the Plymouth Rocks is 8 lbs, so if yours is 8.5 at 6 months, that is fine. Should be 9.5 lbs as a cock. A lot of people are breeding them bigger than the Standard. Just look at those White Rocks at our last Tucson Show as an example. Those have got to be way over SOP weight, yet the judge puts them on Champion Row. Our club president even made a comment about them at our meeting yesterday. We were talking about the use of double coops at the show and how too many people ask for double coops, even if their birds will fit in a single coop, and that causes the show set up problems. He said if those White Rocks were the size they are supposed to be, they'd fit in a single coop

I cull all my Barred Rocks that aren't big enough. All the ones I have kept so far are at least 8.5 lbs. Not sure how old they are since I hatched over a 2 month period, but between 7 and 9 months. I processed one a week ago that weighed 6 lb 12 oz processed weight (including giblets but not liver). I will be taking all 5 of these cockerels to the Safford show, to get judge's opinion, so you can see them there. Bob Blosl used to post that if you breed the birds too big, you start having other problems. As long as the judges are giving awards to the bigger birds, people are going to try to breed them bigger, for better or worse I guess.

Yes I have felt the two cockerels were pretty much on target, but my pullets have been on the light side. Possibly because I did not get them separated and the cockerels tend to be bossy pigs. I love looking at your barreds will be great to see them at Safford.

 

[Silver Rock]

A message to all the Plymouth Rock breeders and all that are interested in preserving the Plymouth Rock breed I would like to encourage you to join the Plymouth Rock Fanciers Club of America. You can mail membership dues to the information below.

To give a little more background and information on the PLYMOUTH ROCK FANCIER'S CLUB of AMERICA here is a link to their webpage. I want to wish everyone on BYC a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

http://prfca.poultrysites.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7&Itemid=8

 

[uphilljill]

Just got the best early Christmas present: a 3D chicken model! (Next to a Plymouth Rock Fanciers membership that is.)

Comes with a "chicken assembly guide." We only had 2 extra pieces when finished. Lol

 

[JLaw]

Just got the best early Christmas present: a 3D chicken model! (Next to a Plymouth Rock Fanciers membership that is.)

Comes with a "chicken assembly guide." We only had 2 extra pieces when finished. Lol

They are extra real chickens do with out them all the time. Lol