The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[tigercreek]

I don't see how that's possible. Have had it happen at least twice with a splash hen and a Delaware male. Once with a splash Ameraucana and once with the same splash Rock and a Delaware male.

Ok, wasn't expecting that with my BR hens, only with my solid hens.

I was aware of that with my male, so if these are truly my Rex over the Stukel BR hens, not the splash, then that means that the two solid blacks are definitely pullets? That would be good, certainly.

Another question for you then, if you guys don't mind. I know for 100% sure that this chick came from my Splash Rock hen because I saw her lay the egg and was only collecting from my blue and splash hens for the D'Anver broodies that were coming out of my ears. The sire of this chick was my Delaware X cockerel who was recently rehomed since couldn't be Rex, obviously, nor my EE cockerel. The Dellie X's own mother was the red hen previously mentioned, but he appeared pure Delaware other than stray red feathers. So, if my splash only produces blues, why is this chick the way she is? At least, I'm fairly sure it's a pullet at 8 weeks in spite of some pink in the comb. Pullet body, average size legs, etc. She almost looks mottled.

Had another incidence of a splash hen (Ameraucana, this time) with a Delaware male producing a black barred EE male. No question about that egg, either. We puzzled over that one with the genetics calculators forever.







This male came from a small hatch of my BBS Ameraucanas, the only one ever fertile out of my Splash Ameraucana hen, Snow. His sire was my Delaware rooster, Isaac. There is ZERO question about the egg-it was Snow's light blue egg. My Ameraucanas are 6 years old and rarely lay and my friend incubated these, not expecting Snow's to be fertile, but one was and hatched this male, definitely NOT blue. And before you ask, Snow is not light blue. She's most definitely Splash.

I think the EE looks blue with some Cuckoo or messed up barring, Just doesn't look to be very black. Same for the chick. It's hard to know what all is hiding in the gene pool especially when dealing with crossbred bird and a incomplete dominate gene like blue.....

 

[speckledhen]

Quote: Nope, the Ameraucana is splash and her legs are slate, which is proper for all Ameraucanas. She is definitely not blue. A splash Rock would have yellow legs as would all Rocks, even with dusky fronts like you see on many Rock hens. I've never had any Rock with white legs, splash or otherwise. The only splash I ever owned with white legs was a splash Orpington, but that is normal for a bird with white skin.

The EE rooster was black barred, not blue. Now, my friend who hatched the eggs that rooster came from and has seen my birds many times can verify my Ameraucana is splash as well as that it was definitely her egg and that the rooster was not blue, but was just loaded with silver so the black was not prominent in his coloring. Photos are hard to show that.

I know you guys can't buy that the textbook isn't always right, but genes are little leprechauns playing tricks on you. I've seen many unexplainable things in chickens that just do not follow the rules of genetics. Genes pop up when you least expect it as anyone who has bred birds for years knows, like how my Blue Orpington rooster over my RIR x Buff Orp hen (both from breeder lines) once produced a completely black barred male chick.

 

[racertomtom]

I know you guys can't buy that the textbook isn't always right, but genes are little leprechauns playing tricks on you. I've seen many unexplainable things in chickens that just do not follow the rules of genetics. Genes pop up when you least expect it as anyone who has bred birds for years knows,

+1
Sex links are made by crossing females to a dominant color, not necessarily a solid color. In those cases, the above theories are correct. When barred breeders cross out to white, they use recessive white and all birds will be barred in all generations regardless of the gene count, as long as one bird is a full blooded barred. (i suppose it's possible that most large fowl white rocks have barring underneath.) I can even use a punnett square to determine the number of birds that will have good color even though it is theoretically impossible to do so.
I haven't actually read the textbook, but I have bred thousands of barred rocks and have never hatched a black.

 

[desertmarcy]

I talked with Mr. Frank Reese of Good Shepherd Poultry tonight. He said he does not ship hatching eggs any more. If you want birds or eggs you must go to his farm. Who on here ships eggs or even chicks from his line? I am looking for those bred to APA standards.

I have the Good Shepherd line and have quite a few hatching out on 4/20. I was going to raise up a bunch of these, but now that I have 2 other males from different lines, I'm going to put my time and energy into doing some crosses into the Good Shepherd this year. I also have some started chicks. PM me if interested.

 

[speckledhen]

+1
Sex links are made by crossing females to a dominant color, not necessarily a solid color. In those cases, the above theories are correct. When barred breeders cross out to white, they use recessive white and all birds will be barred in all generations regardless of the gene count, as long as one bird is a full blooded barred. (i suppose it's possible that most large fowl white rocks have barring underneath.) I can even use a punnett square to determine the number of birds that will have good color even though it is theoretically impossible to do so.
I haven't actually read the textbook, but I have bred thousands of barred rocks and have never hatched a black.

Sounds like you have quite a lot of breeding experience. Thank you for your input. Well, no matter how they happened, I have two black Rocks and three barreds in this batch of chicks and I'll see if the sexing rules hold true for them, if it isn't thrown off by the tiny bit of Delaware in there from the sire. If I truly did put all BR eggs under there and none of the splash Rock hen's, then I should have two black pullets and going by the head spots on the others, at least two of the three barred chicks ought to be pullets.

 

[racertomtom]

Glad you got them Fred. They are not easy to locate maybe you will have a few more a year from now.

I have a friend who I am sending to this thread. I have a picture or two of some Barred Rocks I am trying to get for him.

Jamie Duckworth line. Also does anyone have his address or email or phone number you could send to me pe








personnel Message?

My computer that died had his information for him in North Carolina. bob

OK, I'm playing catch up, sorry about the old post. Why does Bob's signature say RIP? What happened?
I was wondering why I haven't gotten the annual "got any extra stock this year" from Bob. Bob Blosl has probably done more behind the scenes for Plymouth Rocks that all the current breeders/exhibitors combined. I was shocked and saddened to see this. A year didn't go by that someone would call and say "Bob Blosl gave me your number".......If I were to describe Bob in a word, it would be persistent! My thoughts and prayers are with Zora, family and friends..
I guess I should check in more often.
Tom

 

[Fred's Hens]

Sadly, Bob did pass away last year. We all miss his enthusiasm and infectious love for these birds. Most of all we miss his genuine kindness toward those who asked for his help.

 

[Beekissed]

Those birds!!!

Just....beautiful.

 

[kwMississippi]

This is how I keep my eggs seperated by pen. I built this to use in the bottom of my GQF cabinet incubator.

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

This is how I keep my eggs seperated by pen. I built this to use in the bottom of my GQF cabinet incubator.

Very cool!