The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[Fred's Hens]

My 9 month old Cockerel from Fred's Hens. Fred--be honest, what do you think? Anyone else? Please critique for a novice.






FYI--his legs are a lot more yellow than this picture is showing.

He's still young and still finishing. But, that said. He looked to just taking a step when the lens snapped on the camera making him look very front end heavy. I'd want to see him in some various other, relaxed poses. He looks to be thick and decent sized, wing carriage is acceptable, tail is typically late in development, if at all. I like his head and comb fine enough. Of course his legs are yellow. That's a trait of this strain.

He's got a ton of good DNA in him. I don't see anything that would say to me, "Don't Breed" this one.

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

He was taking a step. Hes so hard to photograph. When hes still and relaxed his chest does not jut out like this. Ill get a better picture of him relaxed. Thanks Fred.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Teaching moment, perhaps.

Having a Rock with a smooth, full, round and protruding front end is a GREAT thing.

What isn't a good thing is when the "balance" of the bird is front end heavy. This is when the there's "more of the bird in front of the legs than there is behind the legs". This is balance of which we speak. We want the birds to be properly balanced on their legs.

These kinds of basic things are well, well covered, complete with drawings, in the first 40 pages of the Standard. Those 40 pages cover virtually everything and has nothing to do with any specific breed. I highly recommend the SOP for those first 40 pages of instruction alone. It's that good, imho.

 

[LindaB220]

Quote:
Let me take a moment and go out and look at my two white rocks. They have been pushed to the background lately as I have been doing other important things. The younger XW has started crowing this week so I'm hoping that he will have some get up and go. I have him separated with the 2 XW pullets and he seems happy. I may need to add another couple of pullets for him. Different egg colors. The Blosl is in the big pen with the one Blosl pullet along with several other pullets. One Coronation Sussex and two Blue egg layers. Along with the younger 2 black whatever's that were sold to me as White Rocks (oops I must have sent the Barrs instead) ha. They won't be ready to lay for a couple of months. The others are SLACKERS and need to start immediately. ha. "Larry" the Blosl came to me as "all man" but I've yet to see him breed anything. Maybe they were just not interested because they were not laying. High hopes for this year!!!!!

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

Oh thanks Fred--i have the SOP and will read again. I have not spent enough time studying--but I will. Top Breeders such as you have such an eye for the SOP. It takes years to be really keen I would think. Again, much appreciated!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Quote:
You may find this. It is not uncommon. The males may not be all hyper to mate if the females aren't ready. Second, cold, dark weather this time of year is not conducive to high fertility. There are also those rare males who don't seem to mate while you are watching. I'm not prepared to explain it, merely to report it.

If you don't light your birds, males and females, this time of year a lot of breeding simply doesn't take place. If you light them, male and female both requiring the 12-14 hours of light, then mating activity generally increases. As February rolls around, and for anyone in the most southern tier of states, this all becomes mute as daylight naturally has reached a satisfactory state.

Just some thought fodder.

 

[Fred's Hens]

This CLASSIC poster from 1909 is burned into my inner brain. It remains a classic drawing of the breed. Never mind it features the first Plymouth Rock, the Barred, all Rocks must look like this. The color merely makes the variety, but the TYPE makes the breed.

To be certain, the "type" of the Plymouth Rock has evolved slightly over the last century and the standard has been tweaked ever so slightly to accommodate the current interpretation of the standard, but nonetheless. If your birds look like this, they'll win the shows and folks will beat a path to your door in search of your stock.

I post it to show the classic front, curved, full breast that is desired on the Rock. Look at these birds. Yet, the birds remain in balance, that is, they don't look either front end heavy nor rear end heavy. The legs are well centered under the weight of the bird. The top line is a wonderful thing to see, but the bottom line must never be neglected nor must we allow our eyes to go barn blind and not see the proper bottom line on our birds. Notice how you can see defined thighs on the birds above. This is no small thing to keep in our birds. Thighs disappear on many birds shown today. Pitiful.

Note also how the bottom line make "gravy boat" without being the circle of a Wyandotte. Just a wonderful old poster that I love to drag out once year, just before breeding season.

 

[Beekissed]

Looks a lot like that pullet in your avatar, Fred!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Looks a lot like that pullet in your avatar, Fred!

Yeah, she's a good bird, but she's got a bad crow head. Gonna try 'n fix that this year.

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

I love this poster!' I am wondering Fred if you can critique this 7 mo old cockerel from xw. Jeremy Woppel.