The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[Fred's Hens]

This year, with 2 breeds and 4 strains to focus on, with each strain I made a chart. Since I'm working with quite a few partners and youth as well, I decided to use the old two column approach. The first thing I forced just about all my partners, youth students and some new folks to do was to follow Bob's old adage. Go Slow, Go Small and Go down the middle. But what does this mean?

It meant that I've spent a lot time these past few weeks reviewing what the SOP calls for in a breed. Then we look again, and again, again at the birds. Each time you review, it seems we're better able to make more honest evaluations of the birds at hand. You have to work with what is in front of view.

If we can move a better pullet into a breeding area, we do it.
If we need to pull some females out of the breeding area, we must do it.
If we need to send this or that cockerel to death row, we must do it.
If we need to "see" that a cockerel has finished well and may be better than one of the older cockbirds, we must make the swap and send the older bird to death row.

Then, we use that Two Column chart on a clipboard. On one side we write down the predominate faults of the birds at hand. What really isn't good and must be over come. These are the challenges for the strain.

On the other column we begin to write down the good things, the strengths of the line and we have before us that is pretty good and don't want to lose.

We takes lots of and lots of digital photos and we spend an hour or two studying and discussing those photos.

 

[Wynette]

Fred, I like that approach, and I personally also find that once you have it down in black & white, it really helps later on, when you feel like you WANT to keep more of those females that may have been "on the cusp" of not making the grade as breeders. Look back on those band numbers and remind yourself what it was that you saw the last time.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Go Slow, Go Small, and Go down the middle.

I'll just come out with it. Go Small. What does this mean to me?

Go Small means that one rarely has 10 pullets and 8 hens that are so good that they all need to contribute eggs to the hatching program. I'd really rather keep sorting through and find the best 3 or 4 pullets and the best 3 or 4 hens, not 10 pullets and 8 hens. Go small means breed what it is front of you, but go small. Choose a lot fewer birds than you might initially be inclined to put in the breeding pens. Less is often more. Fewer birds, but more results.

Then, take that chart with two columns. Will this cockerel A or that cockerel B compensate? If the females have a fault column issue and I mate her to a cock with that same fault column issue, what are the odds I'm gonna see any improvement on that issue? Think cushions, or lack of tail, size or whatever. Rome wasn't built in one day.

If you took Scott's list of type features he posted above and used those for making your Two Column clipboard sheet, you have an idea that it is very hard to work on all 10 or 12 issues at once. Go Small. Focus. What one or perhaps two major issues are on the agenda for this year? Wynette said her's was Size. Just Size. She's going small in her size focus.

In breeding my select 3 or 4 F1 Barred Rock females, My focus is primarily feathering. Tighten and crisp feathering.

 

[Silver Rock]

Hi Wynette & Scott, thank you both for the information. My breeding pens this year were set up with improving size at the top of the list. There are many things to look at when one is working to improve Type in their birds. When choosing birds to use in a breeding pen I use the list below to help me "higher the point the more attention I give it".

Clayton Grace

 

[Wynette]

Hi Wynette & Scott, thank you both for the information. My breeding pens this year were set up with improving size at the top of the list. There are many things to look at when one is working to improve Type in their birds. When choosing birds to use in a breeding pen I use the list below to help me "higher the point the more attention I give it".

Clayton Grace

Clay, that's great that you use this as a guide! Everyone please note the highest point value is the BACK - what falls into that category? CUSHIONS! How do you fix it? Lengthen the back, WIDEN the back (probably the most important) - these are your bases.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Hi Wynette & Scott, thank you both for the information. My breeding pens this year were set up with improving size at the top of the list. There are many things to look at when one is working to improve Type in their birds. When choosing birds to use in a breeding pen I use the list below to help me "higher the point the more attention I give it".

Clayton Grace

So....then to answer the question you posed

"I know we are working with different lines of the same Plymouth Rock variety and yearly improvements will most likely be different between our Silver Penciled Plymouth Rocks but I would still like your opinion on what I should expect.

"

If you set up pens to improve size, then your expectations should be that you will improve size.....what another breeder has done over time will have little bearing over what you should expect

My old boss at UPS used to say "plan the work, then work the Plan"....only you can establish the plan and the goals

Hope that makes sense

 

[Wynette]

"Plan the work, then work the Plan"....

Wow, I REALLY like this, Scott. Thanks for sharing. I guess to me, this says...there is ALWAYS a way to get where you want to be...I guess for we who are breeding, it's our job to figure out how to get there! Therein lies your statement above. Love it.

 

[Silver Rock]

So....then to answer the question you posed

"[COLOR=333333]I know we are working with different lines of the same Plymouth Rock variety and yearly improvements will most likely be different between our Silver Penciled Plymouth Rocks but I would still like your opinion on what I should expect. [/COLOR][COLOR=333333] [/COLOR]"

If you set up pens to improve size, then your expectations should be that you will improve size.....what another breeder has done over time will have little bearing over what you should expect

My old boss at UPS used to say "plan the work, then work the Plan"....only you can establish the plan and the goals

Hope that makes sense

Hi Scott, I was looking to get a opinion from a fellow Silver Penciled Plymouth Rock breeder but I do thank you for your input.

Clayton Grace

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Hi Scott, I was looking to get a opinion from a fellow Silver Penciled Plymouth Rock breeder but I do thank you for your input.

Clayton Grace

Clayton, you just don't get it, a Rock is a Rock, regardless of color variety....your question was "what can I expect?".....there is no way for another breeder to tell you what to expect as their plans years ago may be different from your plans today and as I see it, you have brought forth NO PLANS, other than to throw 2 flocks together and dare to ask "what can I expect" from another breeder....or was your question a rhetorical one and meant to be a "dig" rather than a true inquiry

I've tried to be helpful and courteous but you simply won't accept advise and are always argumentative. I find your latest response abrasive and disrespectful.Good luck finding someone to help you

To the other Rock breeders here, I apologize for my curtness.

 

[Silver Rock]

Clayton, you just don't get it, a Rock is a Rock, regardless of color variety....your question was "what can I expect?".....there is no way for another breeder to tell you what to expect as their plans years ago may be different from your plans today and as I see it, you have brought forth NO PLANS, other than to throw 2 flocks together and dare to ask "what can I expect" from another breeder....or was your question a rhetorical one and meant to be a "dig" rather than a true inquiry

I've tried to be helpful and courteous but you simply won't accept advise and are always argumentative. I find your latest response abrasive and disrespectful.Good luck finding someone to help you 

To the other Rock breeders here, I apologize for my curtness.  

Scott I was looking for a opinion from someone that has a long breeding record on the same variety of the Plymouth Rock that I do. I think you have a personal agenda that would better be discuss somewhere other than here.

Clayton Grace