The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[Fred's Hens]

Bee, you've got a couple of Jwhips White Rocks, second hand from KathyinMo, but I am sure Kathy had XW birds.
So, what is your take on their size, density, feathering, laying, etc??

 

[Fred's Hens]

This is my first experience with BRs may I join?
Also, can anyone suggest a good resource for learning about chicken genetics?
Thanks

Joshua, you're always welcome here. You should know this thread is specific in it's orientation. This is a breeder's thread, not a generic Plymouth Rock thread. There's a couple of those already running.

This thread is focused on breeding to the Standard. I know that sometimes causes some people to squirm a bit, but it's really simple and clear in my mind. If we don't breed to the Standard of the Plymouth Rock then we're breeding to something else, fate, our own imagination and the result will eventually not be a Plymouth Rock.

Welcome aboard.

As for genetics, that is a huge subject and folks take Master's and PhDs in these subjects. It is far beyond the scope of this thread. I can, however, point you toward a couple of super, duper genetics folks here on BYC. People who speak a language I don't even pretend to understand. Really, really smart people.

 

[Beekissed]

Bee, you've got a couple of Jwhips White Rocks, second hand from KathyinMo, but I am sure Kathy had XW birds.
So, what is your take on their size, density, feathering, laying, etc??

The only thing I could find fault in was the late maturing, though with this winter being so harsh I can't really gauge them on that. Their size is perfect and nigh uniform, so is their shape, though the one has a tad more cushion and a wider tail than the other and she is just a tiny bit bigger. The feathering is wide and tight, though not quite as tight as these hatchery birds. I'll be able to better judge feathering after that first full molt, as well as judge molting type and recovery.

The laying is better now...at first I was concerned that the WRs were not going to be consistent, daily layers but they have proven me wrong and now they have very large, perfectly shaped eggs every day. They are also laying in the nest and not in the bush, which pleased me....they were so wild and bush bound while growing up last year that I thought they had gone native on me, but true to WR form, they have matured into elegant ladies, calm, steady and hard working with good instincts for coop living while also retaining their wariness on range. I can't say enough about how pleased I am with their hardiness and worth ethic already.

They are not as heavy boned or as dense as these hatchery rocks but I put that down to their youth and I think they will grow into their size and stature as they go along. They will be one year old near the end of this month.

I'll try to get some better pics of their form and try to place other birds or something so you can get an idea of their size compared to. They are camera shy, so it's hard to keep them still for the right angles of shots.

I currently have a clutch of 20 viable,developing eggs in my nest incubator and the majority of those are from these two WR pullets~I've got 11 days to go on that hatch and will be excited at what they turn out. This tells me that of all three breeds contributing eggs to this project, theirs have beat out the others for viable, fertilized, large eggs with the shell quality to make the grade into the incubator.

The last clutch had two chicks that didn't make it out of the shell due to my error but one was a WR chick and it was simply HUGE. The other was a Del and, though it was large, the WR had it beat hands down. I expect these WR/mutt Cochin cross chicks will be some big birds.

All I really need for these two excellent pullets is one or two good roosters of the same breed and lines. I'm expanding the coop this next month and hope to also build some breeding situations as well. I know it's a small start...but it's a start in the right direction. I see big potential in these two girls. They are ready for real breeding to a quality bird.

 

[Fentress]

Drove to Raleigh and visited with Jamie Duckworth to get some hatching eggs. His Barred Rock are so W I D E and massive. Does not resemble anything that I have ever gotten from a hatchery. The broody's have them (eggs) now. It will be a long 3 weeks! I hope it works out, ti would be nice to close my flock next year.

 

[mithious]

The Barred Plymouth Rock (thus the initials would be BPR, I guess, LOL) PBR is an old Milwaukee Beer, I think. hahahaha. Never liked it either, but I guess it's making a big come back in some places.


Anyhow, I digress. The Barred Rocks don't need an infusion from another breed. They've got everything necessary to remain faithful to the original birds accepted in to the APA over a century ago. If one's particular line has an issue due to breeding staleness, there are lots of good breeders from which to get blood to work into the line you have. Lots of names to insert here, but I will not. The Barred Rocks don't need size. They hard to hold to the Standard now. Our males are ginormous. Honestly, there's nothing "out there" that we need, to be honest.

The White Rocks, also true Rocks, have it going on. As a variety, they are in terrific shape. What some breeders of Barred Rocks do is bring in a bit of White Rock blood. But this fuzzes the barring, of course, and it take more than a few generations to bring the barring back to where one wants it. This variety outcross is not a breed outcross. The hope when reaching back to the Whites is for size, type, tail or something similar.

I'd personally never go outside the Rock family for anything for my line. What one needs to do, in my view, is work harder on what's in front of us. That's exactly why I started this thread so many months ago.

I see from your sig you have JWhip's birds? How do you like them so far?

Not yet Fred. I got on his waiting list last spring. (2013 ) Checked with him in January, still waiting to hear when he has them in the bator. From what I have heard, I will love them though. They are the Good Sheperd lines I want so bad. I have to start with chicks. I don't have a bator yet. I want to raise my own with broodies. Will need a bator, at some point, but the buildings where first and done last summer. I still have a few tweaks to do and some electric fencing to put up for free ranging them but wasn't going to get birds, than build housing, so their housing is there waiting for them! The production rocks are my test birds, so will see if free ranging the standard breeds will work or if I have to build HUGE pens for them?

I do have vnsseed's Dominique's now though. 6 pairs of chicks. Love them. Sooo much better and more what I am used to than the production birds. Even from chicks, these standard breeds are so different. Sooo much better.

I am looking forward to working with both these breeds. I love the barring on both breeds, and they are the two breeds I picked to work with. Those Good Sheperd Barred Rocks look just like the ones my Dad and I had when I was young. I wouldn't be surprised if they were the same birds.

Thanks for your answer. I have been lurking and reading all you guys write, the past year. Learning and now felt I should ask some of the questions I had. Thanks soooo much for answering

I thought it was strange thinking someone would go with a Dorking, so am I guessing right that it is one of the lines certain breeders are working with then?

 

[mithious]

Joshua, you're always welcome here. You should know this thread is specific in it's orientation. This is a breeder's thread, not a generic Plymouth Rock thread. There's a couple of those already running.

This thread is focused on breeding to the Standard. I know that sometimes causes some people to squirm a bit, but it's really simple and clear in my mind. If we don't breed to the Standard of the Plymouth Rock then we're breeding to something else, fate, our own imagination and the result will eventually not be a Plymouth Rock.

Welcome aboard.

As for genetics, that is a huge subject and folks take Master's and PhDs in these subjects. It is far beyond the scope of this thread. I can, however, point you toward a couple of super, duper genetics folks here on BYC. People who speak a language I don't even pretend to understand. Really, really smart people.

Fred, If you would be willing to send me their way also, I would greatly appreciate it. As I am getting back into breeding, and there are a lot of new things, besides just reading the SOP. I'd like to have a better grip on the genetics of the Barred Plymouth Rocks (BPR's) for short

Thanks Fred

 

[Fred's Hens]

Well, it isn't a secret. Most folks here on BYC have asked for help in genetics from Tim and Marvin and those guys. They are flat out geeky smart guys who really know their stuff. The subject matter is very broad and to say it is deep is to call Lake Superior a mere pond. LOL

Recently, those guys had a little thread going over here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...romelanosis-in-the-sikie-and-ayam-cemani/0_40


That will give you a taste of their world. You'll find that many excellent breeders down through history never spoke this language. They knew what they knew because they knew it. But when I've had specific, pin point questions about a certain genetic issues, the folks on that thread have been my "go to" guys and they've been helpful.

Ride this roller coaster at your own risk. Management assumes no responsibility for the dangers you risk. hahaha

 

[mithious]

Well, it isn't a secret. Most folks here on BYC have asked for help in genetics from Tim and Marvin and those guys. They are flat out geeky smart guys who really know their stuff. The subject matter is very broad and to say it is deep is to call Lake Superior a mere pond. LOL

Recently, those guys had a little thread going over here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...romelanosis-in-the-sikie-and-ayam-cemani/0_40


That will give you a taste of their world. You'll find that many excellent breeders down through history never spoke this language. They knew what they knew because they knew it. But when I've had specific, pin point questions about a certain genetic issues, the folks on that thread have been my "go to" guys and they've been helpful.

Ride this roller coaster at your own risk. Management assumes no responsibility for the dangers you risk. hahaha

Thanks Fred

Ha ha ha that was a good one

 

[LindaB220]

Well, it isn't a secret. Most folks here on BYC have asked for help in genetics from Tim and Marvin and those guys. They are flat out geeky smart guys who really know their stuff. The subject matter is very broad and to say it is deep is to call Lake Superior a mere pond. LOL

Recently, those guys had a little thread going over here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...romelanosis-in-the-sikie-and-ayam-cemani/0_40


That will give you a taste of their world. You'll find that many excellent breeders down through history never spoke this language. They knew what they knew because they knew it. But when I've had specific, pin point questions about a certain genetic issues, the folks on that thread have been my "go to" guys and they've been helpful.

Ride this roller coaster at your own risk. Management assumes no responsibility for the dangers you risk. hahaha

Well Fred, I've had my laugh for the day. Couldn't understand one word.

 

[uphilljill]

They lost me by post #3.