The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[dreamofglory]

this is my most promising pullet of the year

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

this is my most promising pullet of the year

I really like her back and the lift to her tail. Needs more front end. I'd like to see a pix of her from the front and from above to see her width.

 

[dreamofglory]

here is one of her back I agree she needs more front to her but she is young yet. she has a lot going for her

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Yes, very good width to her back all the way thru!! Nice job

Also love the skull width

 

[dreamofglory]

Yes, very good width to her back all the way thru!! Nice job

Also love the skull width

Thanks

 

[Fred's Hens]

These are the Rock breeders for spring. Right now, only two are laying, which is fine, but as the calendar will soon be turning to February, they've got to get it going soon. I truly prefer to have a pullet lay for a month, at least, before setting any eggs.

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

Please help if you can. I have an 8 month old Barred Rock cockerel from Freds Hens--he is large and beautiful but has been pretty snippy with the hens. I have another 7 month old Barred Rock cockerel from Jeremy W--XW. I also have a Light Sussex 7 month old Cockerel. All these birds have been together in a huge coop and run since hatch with 8 hens. Well Fred's bird has attacked the Light Sussex pretty bad yesterday--blood everywhere. He got his comb and wattles. I am probably being naive but have had up to 5 males together with no problems ever (raised together).

Is it best to move the Sussex to another pen or could this have been a one time deal? Will he start attacking the other male barred rock if I move the Sussex. Maybe I should put the offender in quarantine. I really don't know what to do as it has never happened before. Please help.

 

[NeilsHamburgs]

Chickens will be chickens. If your worried about fighting and you have three males, you better have three pens

 

[Fred's Hens]

Husbandry is an essential part of breeding. Having males together, with hens to compete over, is often a recipe for such issues.
This is all a normal part of chicken dynamics. The one barred Rock is the oldest and biggest, by the sounds of it. He also appears to be the Alpha or male that believes himself to be in charge. As the largest and oldest? Why wouldn't he?

These huge, true bred Plymouth Rocks are cockerels and they will grow to be enormous cockbirds, with heads almost to my 29" inseam waist height and they'll weigh upwards of 11 pounds with ease.

Having all your males and females in a single confined, coop/run "flock" is simply not going to work. You can run females in larger groups, but too many males in a group will eventually result in a fights for domination. If you ate this oldest male for dinner tomorrow, you'd still be postponing the inevitable with the other two males as they too reach "the age".

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

Fred, thank you. Makes a lot of sense. I have two other coops and runs so I can separate them out now before more damage is done. Your bird is most definitely the alpha and is the only one that crows.

I had hoped to keep them together until mid February due to our temps, frozen water, etc. I have one large electric water fount that stays unfrozen--I'll go get some more. I have to tell you Fred--your bird is huge and he is magnificent. I'll try to get a good picture of him someday. Thanks for the bird and thanks for responding.

I'll move each cockerel tonight (2) I will leave your bird in with 2 xw BR females I have in the main run. The 2nd BR I'll put with a Marans and a SP Rock. Don't want these babies! Lastly I'll put the Sussex with his two hens in the 3rd one.