The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[desertmarcy]

Sitting on a 5-gal bucket out in a pen studying my Barred Rock cockerels today, trying to decide which and how many to take to the Nov. show. I sure wish I had your eye, Fred. They all look so similar to me except their combs and I know there are details I am missing.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Do any of them have an actual tail?

 

[plyhrdbll3]

Yeah I like my rocks too. My too is just starting to crow. I have to laugh cause he sounds sick in the morning, won't be laughing when he gets the hang of it though

 

[desertmarcy]

Do any of them have an actual tail?

I think so, more or less! An APA judge who lives near me saw them and liked them. He said "they actually have tails"---of course not like a white rock. I will take some photos after I wind down from figuring out what to take to the show. I have to send my entry form in tomorrow for it to get there in time and I've been stressing over which birds to bring. Hey, this is supposed to be fun, not stress

Some of the birds I wanted to take have not finished growing their feathers back in after the molt. An others---well dang, they keep breaking tips off their wing feathers. It is drier than all get out here, has been for months. I think their feathers are brittle. Just like my fingers--cracks in the skin along the nail, ouch, from the dryness.

 

[Fred's Hens]

An APA judge who lives near me saw them and liked them. He said "they actually have tails"---

Hahaha. There's an echo in here.

Funny my first question and the good judge's first comment was tails. The reason, of course, is that so many don't. If you have some with overall good form and tails, I'd say you ought to pick out your best two and condition them for the show. Go for it.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Do you top dress their feed with oils and fats?

 

[maryhysong]

To me, one thing that is marvelous, is that so many of the Buff Rocks folks are near enough, out there in AZ that you all can work together, if you wish. That would be an exciting prospect to me.

I loosed the juvies today to get some air and their legs are not as yellow as I would like, but the weather has been horrid for weeks and promises no improvement this week. Getting them onto grass and in sunshine does indeed bring out that yellow in their legs that just "indoor" feed cannot.

Glad you mentioned that, Maryhsyong. This is an issue with fall raised chicks for us.

We have to thank Cindy for bringing us together! If she hadn't ordered eggs and hatched chicks they wouldn't even be out here. Cindy can't have males where she lives right now so she will have to send her pullets out to be bred, but that is pretty doable; I'm a little over an hour from her and I am a little farther than that from Marcy. So hopefully over the next couple years the three of us can work together, improving what we have and trading birds back and forth.

I have the same leg color issue in my Welsummers. Next year I am planning to plant a lot of marigolds and dry the flowers to add to the feed. Actually winter is usually the best time here for greens but it has been very dry since early Sep.

 

[desertmarcy]

Hahaha. There's an echo in here.

Funny my first question and the good judge's first comment was tails. The reason, of course, is that so many don't. If you have some with overall good form and tails, I'd say you ought to pick out your best two and condition them for the show. Go for it.

I think it is past time for show conditioning. Not enough time, really, and I have run out of single pens to put males in. Only one of the BR cockerels is by himself, the other 10 are in a big grow out pen with 5 Rhode Island Red cockerels and a Blue Copper Marans cockerel. Also, being still new at showing, what exactly do you do differently to "condition" for show? Is it just a different feed?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Well, if I was gonna show, I'd be chatting up the Dragonlady or Wynette or someone who could mentor you through all that. There are so many trick of the trade I wouldn't even have a clue. Diet, penning for feather protection, handling, the bath, shining them up with vasoline, etc.

 

[desertmarcy]

I have participated in a few shows, so not all new. For me right now, it is more a matter of having the time and pen space to get them ready. And Matt 1616 has given me a lot of advice. I will just do the best I can.