The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[Fred's Hens]

Try to draw an imaginary line from the feet straight up thru the body. There should be as much in front of the line as behind the line. In young Ks, they may have a slight rearward tilt that will improve (or should) as the breast/front end fully develop

This imaginary axis puts the "teacup" or derby shape of the Rock into perspective. The center point of a teeter totter in a kid's play ground is a helpful analogy. A young cockerel will sometimes have a touch of "rainy day" or backward slope, but as Scott said, once his fullness of front end weight comes in around his first birthday, this additional breast muscling can often work to effectually pull the front end of the teeter totter downward and bring the top and bottom lines into a more preferred look.

Knowing your "line" well is key. Do your pullets also fill out later in the front? Do they also then pull the teeter totter downward? This comes from knowing what happened with the dams/sires and with their grand dams/sires. In other words, you have to have patience with a line to learn it's quirks over the years and you have to stick with a line for perhaps 3 years to better understand these quirks. Crossing a line into a known line ups the X factors by untold numbers of new variables.

The SPPR folks, by way of example, cannot get too awe inspired with the top lines of their young females. Why? Because they've learned over the years that a great looking young pullet can simply go all fluffy and cushions can bloom after she's laid a dozen eggs or so. These are quirks that are learned and observed over time. Time. Patience.

Which is why over simplified questions such as "Doesn't my young bird look great!" is nice for enthusiasm, but feedback always comes with a caution. Funny things happen on the way to full maturity with these Rocks, all varieties. What you see in a juvenile, good or bad, is not what you may end up with in maturity when those K's become C's and the P's become H's.

The leaves are turning, autumn is approaching and as the seasons change, so will these birds.

Good Monday morning to you all.

 

[gjensen]

This thread has been a positive and helpful thread. The OP and the contributors have done well.

It seams easy to offend people. I have tried to be more thoughtful, but there is no reason to be too careful. It is going to happen anyways. I make my judgments based on the information. If it is right, it is right. Like it or not. If it wrong, well it is wrong. There still may be something to gain from the perspective and emphasis.

Concerning leg placement, I have come to see it as a structural and aesthetic consideration. Balance is pleasing to the eye, and a bird has a good foundation if it's weight is centered on it's legs.
In addition to the development of the front end, the finish of the tails can help concerning balance. I am raising birds that have a higher station, so the weight is shifted ever so slightly. Still the tails should be well furnished, providing a finish to the overall bird.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Currently I'm completely birdless. In a domestic separation it's always the livestock that suffers...

I've barley a place to hang my hat as of late yet I still read this thread religiously. Constantly learning. It may be years before I get a place to raise birds again but I'll be that much more prepared and ahead of the game when I do thanks to this thread.


Cheers.

 

[weavers rocks]

Ok I went through my white rocks yesterday I picked whag I want to keep . Of anyone is interested in the rest that I have send me a pm. They range from twelve to twenty weeks

 

[Fentress]

Here are some pic's of the K I was talking about that I thought was front end heavy. As it turns out he squared up nicely for the camera last night, at least in my opinion, Comments welcome. His tail is slow to develop,it is lagging behind the other K's, but it appears to be spread properly based on what is there.

 

[aoxa]

Sometimes I get quite jealous seeing everyones birds they bought from my eggs this spring. I should have hatched early and kept more!

This pullet is from mid April.

 

[lefty26]

Is anyone coming to the poultry show in Inverness fl? I am looking for a good trio or quad of breeding quality barred rocks.

 

[desertmarcy]

I haven't posted here in a while. If you remember, I was trying two outcrosses with the Good Shepard line of BR, one with a Duckworth male and one with a Stukel male. Well today was a huge setback. Something, probably bobcat, dug under the pen last night that housed all the cockerels of those crosses plus the Stukel sire. 4-5 month old birds, 31 of them killed including the cock. 6 were gone, hauled off to eat presumably, so I have to dispose of 25 birds. Must be about 100 pounds. Somehow 3 survived, 2 out of the Stukel male and 1 out of the Duckworth male. Now instead of having many to choose from, I have 3. This is just so discouraging.

The bobcat trap will be set and waiting until the culprit is caught.

In the meantime, I am super paranoid. That poultry house has been in operation for over 2 years with no breach. All the rocks and hard soil have now proved to be not enough of a deterrent to digging, so I'm going to have to buy more welded wire and line perimeters horizontally in all the places where that hasn't already been done. Looking around for all the weak spots.

 

[speckledhen]

I'm so very sorry, Marcy. What a blow for your program. I just hope the three left will get you a good start-over.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I also share my condolences and shock. There are no words for losses such as these.

You'll value and really watch over those three remaining K's. Yes, such setbacks are so dang discouraging. I almost gave up on my Reds project a few years back. Between a horrid Coccidiosis virulent outbreak and a stupid pitbull attack.

Through some friends' help and a little time, the heart slowly heals and hope returns. Cats are among the most vicious killers and have the weight and muscle to really bully their way through the defense systems.

Again, I'm so sorry Marcy. I hope this dark night passes soon for you.