The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[Fred's Hens]

Lines and Names

There's lots of different opinions of this matter, but here's where I stand. Once you've done any breeding matchups, the subsequent birds are your birds and nobody else's. I respect the foundational work that went into my birds and I'm quick and free to give those folks "credit" for the work they did, but once I select the female and I select a male to put over her and hatch out chicks, those chicks are mine. Period. Two and three generations? Even if I keep the line the same? No matter. Mine. I made all the choices for good or bad. The former breeder is completely off the hook and there's not much point in name dropping anymore.

I bred them. I take all the blame of what they are or are not. What are your thoughts?

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Amazing to see all the youngster pictures being posted. My youngest are now 5 weeks, oldest a tad over 4 months. I was out with them a while last night while cooking on the grill. My 4 month olds are at that tall, lanky, gangling teenage stage, ESPECIALLY the males....every yr at look at them at this stage and think "OMGosh how can a full filled in Rock ever come from this mess".....then about 2 months later they begin looking like young adults and the process of maturity begins.

I do have 2 pullets and 1 K in particular that I'm watching....very pleased with their overall growth curve and early development. The K has exceptional wing color, a trait that has been hard for me to obtain in this crazy Columbian pattern, but he seems to have it going on....will try to get a few pix over the long weekend.

Warm weather (pushing 90) has reached the deep south....glad I'm already done with all my hatching (although I do have a Wyandotte that just hatched off 4 Col Rocks on Sunday). The heat down here really seems to stunt the bird's growth if they aren't hatched Jan-Mar

Hope everyone is well....keep up the hard work, it's all worth it

 

[aoxa]

My chickens go right through electric fence (6 strand and goat netting.) Their feathers insulated them well enough that they just don't feel the shock. If they can squeeze through the opening, electric won't stop them. I have had good luck with poultry netting, but that's because the opening are smaller.

Bummer... I may just end up running some plastic green fencing on the outside to keep them in.

Thanks for your experience on it!

 

[Fentress]

Down in KY, the netting is very popular with the boys. They do use it successfully. I use poly deer netting, non electrified.

I've made a big investment in the netting. Next year when I separate breeders from the flock we will find out if the cocks honor the 42 inch tall netting or fly over it. Especially, the cockerels in a grow out area who won't have any females with them. Chickens are kinda funny about flying. If properly motivated they can surprise you with how high they can get up. I've never felt it necessary to clip any wings, at least not yet.

 

[Fentress]

Yesterday one of my broody hens walked away from her 3 BR chicks. They are 27 days old and basically only have wing feathers. Based on your experience with these chicks how cold hardy will they be. Expected low tonight is 60 degrees and then mid 60's for the next few days. I wish it was more than 3 in this brood, they could do a better job of keeping each other warm. Last night they stuck together and were fine this morning, but it was a warm evening.

Thanks.

 

[Silver Rock]

[COLOR=0000CD]Lines and Names[/COLOR]

There's lots of different opinions of this matter, but here's where I stand.  Once you've done any breeding matchups, the subsequent birds are your birds and nobody else's.   I respect the foundational work that went into my birds and I'm quick and free to give those folks "credit" for the work they did, but once I select the female and I select a male to put over her and hatch out chicks, those chicks are mine.  Period.   Two and three generations?  Even if I keep the line the same?  No matter.  Mine.  I made all the choices for good or bad.  The former breeder is completely off the hook and there's not much point in name dropping anymore. 

I bred them.  I take all the blame of what they are or are not.   What are your thoughts?

I agree Fred, now when someone ask me what line of SPR's I have I just let them know were I got my start to give them a little background on my birds but like you said Fred for the Good or the Bad the birds on my property are now mine.

 

[Wynette]

Yesterday one of my broody hens walked away from her 3 BR chicks. They are 27 days old and basically only have wing feathers. Based on your experience with these chicks how cold hardy will they be. Expected low tonight is 60 degrees and then mid 60's for the next few days. I wish it was more than 3 in this brood, they could do a better job of keeping each other warm. Last night they stuck together and were fine this morning, but it was a warm evening.

Thanks.

Sorry to hear this; I put chicks out to the barn grow-out pen (a former horse stall) at 2-3 weeks with a heat lamp and they do just fine. I guess if it was me, since there are just 3 of them, I'd probably give them a heat lamp for a week and then wean them off of it.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Agree.

A simple drop light with a 100 watt bulb under the shield will do the trick. They're pretty hardy, but another week of night time assistance is in order. After that, they'd be good to go.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Yesterday one of my broody hens walked away from her 3 BR chicks. They are 27 days old and basically only have wing feathers. Based on your experience with these chicks how cold hardy will they be. Expected low tonight is 60 degrees and then mid 60's for the next few days. I wish it was more than 3 in this brood, they could do a better job of keeping each other warm. Last night they stuck together and were fine this morning, but it was a warm evening.

Thanks.

Provide an option to a light (40w bulb may be sufficient) until they are fully feathered OR when nights stay in the upper 60s....they should be fine

I WOULD MAKE NOTE however, of the broody that did this and I would not allow her to sit again (IMHO)....most of the broodies I've had will tend to them until they are 6-8 weeks old, and even then, will allow them to roost next to her

 

[Fentress]

Thanks. I was hoping they would continue to hook back up for the evenings, but she went into the hen house and got on the roost. Last year I had some moms quit at 30 days, but it worked out fine, at least their chicks had feathers. Hopefully the BR moms will do a better job.