The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[Fred's Hens]

The Barred Rocks aren't often known for having tails on the males. My first male over my F1 select pullets needed to be tightly feathered and have good barring as this was my primary focus. That this young male shows a better than average tail isn't a disappointment to me.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

The Barred Rocks aren't often known for having tails on the males. My first male over my F1 select pullets needed to be tightly feathered and have good barring as this was my primary focus. That this young male shows a better than average tail isn't a disappointment to me.

Fred

If you ever get "disappointed" with him, send him to me!!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Perhaps we could take this moment to say again that to push forward, if often takes a lot of chicks to sort through. If we had merely put 20 chicks on the ground last year, he might not have popped out, just saying. We must have collectively hatched over 50-55 cockerels.

There were only three or four with really great tails. Now, hopefully, we press that tail onto subsequent generations?? Time will tell, no assurances in breeding, but you can see, perhaps, why I had to try.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Fred

If you ever get "disappointed" with him, send him to me!!

Are you thinking he and that Big Bertha female you have might make quite the pair?

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Perhaps we could take this moment to say again that to push forward, if often takes a lot of chicks to sort through. If we had merely put 20 chicks on the ground last year, he might not have popped out, just saying. We must have collectively hatched over 50-55 cockerels.

There were only three or four with really great tails. Now, hopefully, we press that tail onto subsequent generations?? Time will tell, no assurances in breeding, but you can see, perhaps, why I had to try.

Fred

You are quite right

Even this far along, I'll likely hatch close to 100. My project male surprisingly developed a nice tail as you have seen. My breeding pens changed somewhat when I saw it...he was an unexpected "accident" that I hope to push forward into my next generation

 

[Fred's Hens]

My plan is to come back with a different cockerel in the second half of the season. I won't show my choice, as I don't have a good demonstration photo of him. This second male is quite different in "style", with a super long, level back line and some break at the base of his tail.


At a partner's farm, here in KY, he has a pen of three F1 pullets with their sire over them. For phase two, yet a different cockerel will go over them. This will give us 4 distinct male matings. We'll keep careful notes and see what, if anything, turns up.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

My plan is to come back with a different cockerel in the second half of the season. I won't show my choice, as I don't have a good demonstration photo of him. This second male is quite different in "style", with a super long, level back line and some break at the base of his tail.


At a partner's farm, here in KY, he has a pen of three F1 pullets with their sire over them. For phase two, yet a different cockerel will go over them. This will give us 4 distinct male matings. We'll keep careful notes and see what, if anything, turns up.

Can't wait to see the offspring of your barreds this next season....if they are anything like that late hatched pullet, you are going to have a "home run" on your hands

 

[Fred's Hens]

Thanks Scott. There is no turning back. We've got a few years into this strain and we'll keep pushing forward. We love the line, as it becoming. I had and still have certain ideals in my mind's eye of how a good Rock should look and I absolutely have personal standards and expectations of how a Rock should perform in terms of growth rate, feathering, muscle formation in males, and egg laying in the females.

I grew a bit frustrated and just couldn't find precisely what I wanted "out there". At this point, this line is our own and nobody else needs to take the blame for what they are. They're mine.

So, the joy of this is building on foundations of what others have done well and then? Rolling your own.

Do I like these birds? I do. Very, very much.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

I grew a bit frustrated and just couldn't find precisely what I wanted "out there". At this point, this line is our own and nobody else needs to take the blame for what they are. They're mine.

Fred

You said a mouthful there...."they're mine".....absolutely. You've made all the breeding decisions, combined lines to develop what YOU wanted and the line is truly yours!! I think many folks want to hang on to the old line names of the originators (Thompson, Halback, etc, etc)

After you own and breed the birds yourself...the are no longer the birds of the originator....they belong to you, good or bad, as you make the breeding decisions from that point forward. It's always nice to acknowledge the line or lines from which you started, but YOU own the line and for that you can be exceptionally proud

 

[tigercreek]

Anyone trying to accelerate the growth curve on your chicks? Build a larger frame?

I've experimented this year with feed I provide my chicks (all at the recommendation of a superior buff orp breeder who regularly produces some spectacular birds). I have some 3 1/2 week old chicks that are incredibly HUGE and growing like weeds. These chicks are nearly 1/2 feathered and are spending time in the outdoor area of the brooder as opposed to near the heat (and today was cold and blustery here, high around 45F). In addition to the 25% protein chick starter (animal based) I am top dressing their feed with 1/4 cup of manna pro calf manna and rolled oats each day. WOW what a difference. There are 6 chicks in this one brooder and they CLEAN UP 2 qts of feed every day!!

I am guessing these chicks will hit the "ground" no later than 5-6 weeks old, and be in their grow out pens

It will be interesting to see how fast this yrs offspring fills out

Where are you getting the animal based protein feed?? I have searched for it most all of the brands that I can find and have not been able to locate any.... stan