The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[cowboyhunt]

Looking for exhibition quality barred rocks good solid heritage line. Looking for breeders close or that ship. I live in Bryson city nc

 

[Fred's Hens]

Looking for exhibition quality barred rocks good solid heritage line. Looking for breeders close or that ship. I live in Bryson city nc

If you join the APA, for example, you are given an annual Year Book which is filled with names and address of top breeders and judges in this fancy.

Jamie Duckworth is a breeder of Barred Rocks worth making contact about a start in that variety.

 

[uphilljill]

Very excited to be visiting Guy Roy on Sunday. Can't wait to see his set up and birds and pick his brain. Any burning questions anyone needs answers to?

 

[Pooman]

Very excited to be visiting Guy Roy on Sunday. Can't wait to see his set up and birds and pick his brain. Any burning questions anyone needs answers to?

Yeah, my post a few pages back, ill link to it. Mmm, not sure how to link back to it, its page 347 about half way down.

Essentially, Do barred Rocks breed true. That is will all the offspring be barred? What does it mean when you have green and purple luminescent hens as well as the barred ones.

For reference. Im in australia, and the chooks are supposedly dark barred plymouth rocks.
Fred mentioned that we still have 2 variety whereas in the US they have been packed into one breed (the light/dark varieties)

Muchly appreciated

 

[Fred's Hens]

Barred Plymouth Rocks do "breed true", for breeding true is essential to be declared a breed. The concept of "true" needs to be examined, however. True to what? What should it be "true" to?

To the Standard written for the breed. In the US, from whence this particular breed originated, that Standard has not been substantially changed in over a century. It took a bit of time to settle on the angle of the tails and a bit of time to settle into agreement as to the width percentage of black to white, but those are minor, really. Also, very early on, the determination was made not to continue with two varieties, rose combed and single combed, with the single comb winning out.

The strain you have is essential understand and get to know. A particular strain may have flaws and faults that are not the best representation of the breed's written Standard. It simply means the breeder has work cut out for them in subsequent generations.

Breeds are NOT species, and thus, they are man-made composites of various birds used originally to create them, Cochins, Java, Dominique, etc. This composite will not stay together all be itself. To maintain a breed means a breeder must work hard, at every generation, to maintain the birds to the written Standard, or the genetics will drift and the birds will soon wander off into whatever their genetics wish, and soon, they are no longer good examples of the breed. Sometimes, skilled breeders will introduce some genetics or "blood" from another breed, not to carelessly pollute the strain, but in hopes of returning it to a better example of a Plymouth Rock. Not all these tweaks are successful and subsequent generations end up farther from the Standard rather than closer to the Standard. Such experimental birds should be noted and in most cases should be culled for eating and not sold to unsuspecting buyers who think they are buying true bred Rocks and breed them indiscriminately.

A bird is said to be "pure" not because of it's blood line or pedigree, such as in horses or dogs, but because it LOOKS like the written description of the breed's Standard. That is what makes a "pure" Barred Plymouth Rock, it's shape, it's form, it's coloration, etc. When these things present correctly, the bird is "pure".

BTW, every nation decides for itself what Standard their poultry breeders will subscribe to in this fancy. The Standard in OZ is slightly different from that of the APA. Hope this helps.

 

[Pooman]

Of course Fred, always appreciate your insight. I think i may have purchased during a fixing up stage. Disappointed with the breeder now, she hasnt been responding to my calls and deleting my questions on her FB page. Which seems really odd as she breeds and sell a great deal of other poultry too. Not a part timer thats for sure. Maybe thats the problem. She does too many and isnt keeping her lines in order.

Regardless, he is serving his purpose, and we do quite like the purple ones. Would have been nice to be able keep a straight line going, but like you say, it requires work to keep it tracking correctly.

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
Funny you should mention your location...after seeing the pics of your birds I thought they looked just like mine that were derived from crossing a WR male over a BA hen...results in a dark barred bird with real murky barring. Could be how your breeder is calling these a Rock bird....

 

[Fred's Hens]

Knoxville Bound






They've updated the 7 day weather forecast and it is to temps much colder than previously predicted. Sigh.

The only day forecast to be above freezing will be Sunday. Looks like I'll be washing birds after church on Sunday.

 

[NeilsHamburgs]

Marking

 

[LindaB220]

Got my Plymouth Rock Fancier's Club of America Fall newsletter in the mail a couple days ago and want to give the editor Brian Lewis a big thanks on the great job of putting it all together. I also want to thank all the Officers & Directors for keeping this great Plymouth Rock Poultry Club moving forward.

I also look forward to attending the APA National in Knoxville & meeting many Plymouth Rock breeders there. With work going full speed I plan to be there a few hours that Saturday but will not be able show any birds this time.

Great to have you.