The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

[Fred's Hens]

Split Wing- One in which there is a distinct gap between the primary and secondary feathers, resulting in a permanent loss of a feather, a disqualification. Note- Permanent absence of a feather is determined by the absence of a feather follicle.
In the 2010 SOP, see figure 33.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Here's a quote from Matt Ulrich, aka Matt1616:

Matt Ulrich "We do not raise poultry commercially. It is a hobby although it feels like a full time job sometimes. We raised about 500 chickens this spring and summer just to get about 15-20 to show."

Bear in mind that Matt and his kids raise and show a half dozen breeds, so you can do the math, but if you're gonna be as successful as Matt, with the various breeds and varieties he breeds? This is what it takes.

So, everyone feel a little better now?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Here was my original encounter with split wing several years ago. (white in the primaries too) This male was culled. He was hatched from another breeder, not from my birds. It's a good picture to visually see what it looks like.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Wowzers, I love his tail!

Nice and beefy too!

 

[uphilljill]

He is a fine looking fellow. Did the breeding with him work as you intended? Did he pass on that great tail?

Thanks for posting the wing pics and diagrams. Great references!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Jill that male's back line had no proper swoop, so I didn't use him thinking he had the world's best back line, but he has size and he has a tail, which, as we all know, is rare on these Barred Rocks.

Nothing is ever magic. Incremental steps forward, but yes. I do believe he threw pretty good chicks.
These were two of the better chicks he threw. I did indeed like his offspring.




Still sorta wish I'd kept that K.

 

[Chicken Ducks]

Thank you for the kind reply

Chicken Ducks

He looks quite healthy and well cared for.  As a 6 month old cockerel, he still has a lot of growing yet to do.  Great color to the legs, nice head and comb.  A couple of things I see that you might watch for; wing carriage is too low, he appears shallow breasted (which can fill out over time), appears to have a rainy day back.  A front view and a shot from directly over him would help in order to see overall size and width.  Quite a nice swoop to the tail at this early age as well, a great thing in Rocks

Thank you for the

Chicken Ducks

He looks quite healthy and well cared for.  As a 6 month old cockerel, he still has a lot of growing yet to do.  Great color to the legs, nice head and comb.  A couple of things I see that you might watch for; wing carriage is too low, he appears shallow breasted (which can fill out over time), appears to have a rainy day back.  A front view and a shot from directly over him would help in order to see overall size and width.  Quite a nice swoop to the tail at this early age as well, a great thing in Rocks

 

[Fred's Hens]

Posted this over on another breed thread, but I thought I'd post it here too. I know the regulars and those who follow and read along with this thread know this, but it was worth posting again.

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Our birds, all of them top, standard bred, excellent exhibition examples of their breeds, Rocks and Reds, are all FARM BIRDS. Every last one of them.

Please make no mistake. Yes, once or twice a year, they're dipped and dried, put up in a conditioning pen and taken to a show, well, a few of them anyhow, as I am not gonna wash 3 dozen birds, LOL. They get judged and exhibited openly against the finest birds and toughest competition around. I do not wish to be just some imagined, internet virtual breeder, but a real breeder without "barn blindness". i want the birds judged for how well they meet the Standard. It is encouraging to spend time with good poultry folks and judges, some of the best folks you'll ever meet.

Then, those birds get taken home and they go right back to work. They roll in the dirt and scratch and forage and within an hour or two one would ask, "What show birds?". I don't really keep or breed "show birds". I breed birds to the Standard and take them to a show or two, but they are unequivocally just farm birds.

And when folks come by our place to maybe purchase some produce from our farm, they may know nothing about poultry, but these birds often stop them dead in their tracks. They turn and stare, and finally say, "I know nothing about chickens but those are most gorgeous birds I've ever seen".

That.

 

[Beekissed]

That's one of my goals, right there. I'd like to have a flock that stops folks in their tracks and causes that comment, because even the untrained eye can often recognize quality out on the grass and I'd like to have that quality.

Fred, I'm curious...what do you folks use to wash your white birds(any mild bleach in some areas, for instance) and do you use anything special to restore the oil content to the feathers so that they lay smoothly as they would on the natural bird?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Well, Bee, washing White birds and keeping them clean is it's own special purgatory, let me tell you.

The "secret sauce" of what to dip a bird in is as long as the product list at a huge Big Box store and it's cleanng/laundry detergents section. I can refer you to a well written, well thought out website where the lady does as good a job with prepping a bird for a show and what to expect at a show as anyone I've ever read.

Tide with bleach substitute is widely heralded. Folks seem to really like that in the first tub. Oh yes, folks!!! Multiple tubs!! LOL Most just use those WalMart tote tubs that everyone has a half dozen around anyway. First, get a helper!!!! This isn't a one person job.

In the second tub, folks like to "cut" any detergents or agents off the birds. White Vinegar being popular. Again, as many ideas on this subject as Carter's got liver pills, but you get the idea.

The third tub is often just water for a clean rinse and if there is a fourth tub, it may have glycerin to put back the feather oils.

Washing the bird must be very, very very gentle. It's more a swishing, a gentle soak and stroke in the direction of the feather. Do NOT damage those feathers!!!! Cleaning poopy stains off the fluff is important.

I found the birds loved the warm water, actually, and calmed right down. They rather relaxed somewhat. Of course, you never dunk them whole immersion style, just have the water level above their backs. When done, hold them and cuddle them for awhile is a big terry car wash or beach towel and then put them in a "conditioning" pen or cage with fresh chips and let them dry. If the air is cool, I'd suggest a heat lamp for a few hours. They'll preen themselves.