The Plymouth Rock Breeders thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
Ok Tumbleweed....take a deep breath and relax

First, a few solid black feathers ARE allowed per the standard. Ideally we don't want any... But it happens.

The only DQ for solid black is 2 or more primaries, secondaries or tail feathers

The hump you refer to is probably a cushion. A nightmare for Rock breeders everywhere....BUT we all get them occasionally. Remember to focus on type before color/pattern. In 2015 offspring be looking for LONGER and WIDER backs on the females. That will help eliminate the cushion

Hang on and enjoy the ride....
 
Ok Tumbleweed....take a deep breath and relax

First, a few solid black feathers ARE allowed per the standard. Ideally we don't want any... But it happens.

The only DQ for solid black is 2 or more primaries, secondaries or tail feathers

The hump you refer to is probably a cushion. A nightmare for Rock breeders everywhere....BUT we all get them occasionally. Remember to focus on type before color/pattern. In 2015 offspring be looking for LONGER and WIDER backs on the females. That will help eliminate the cushion

Hang on and enjoy the ride....
 
It's always tough to just say to new followers of this thread to "Go read this thread" where we have reviewed many of these topics over and over.

Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Hatcheries breed birds for profit. Mass production and distribution. That's what their companies do. Heritage, true bred, heirloom, exhibition birds, birds of this quality cannot be purchased from a feed store or hatchery. They do not have true bred birds. End of story.

You get a "wanna be" bird from hatcheries. Not bred to standard it will be a pound or two less in size, poor feather, poor patterns, poor heads, tails, breasts, etc. They are bland, egg laying wonders. They produce like the commercial birds they are. These serve a purpose for 99% of folks, especially backyard folks who just want egg layers and they want different "colored" birds. They use the breed names, like Rhode Island Red, Orpington, Rock etc, but they really are not the birds we talk about on the Standard bred breed threads.

Good birds to learn how to keep birds alive. Good birds for a novice to learn on. But one day? Folks find they want they real McCoy's and the real birds only come from those who preserve, breed, exhibit, love and promote the real Plymouth Rocks.
Yes, I started out with hatchery White Rocks and a year later, I switched and now have some of the finest around. Blosl and XW. So worth learning the basics.
 
Last edited:
Oops sorry. Thanks Scott. I Will relax and keep churning out chicks. I Really appreciate your reply. The longer I'm into this the more I respect you real breeders. At least only one pullet has the cushion With only 4 birds to work with it's just going to take some time. I Am committed to the BRs and will do whatever is necessary Thanks again.
 
Oops sorry. Thanks Scott. I Will relax and keep churning out chicks. I Really appreciate your reply. The longer I'm into this the more I respect you real breeders. At least only one pullet has the cushion With only 4 birds to work with it's just going to take some time. I Am committed to the BRs and will do whatever is necessary Thanks again.

Scott is right. Take a breath as there are no perfect birds. It takes time to tease the genetics in the direction you want them to go from the small starter group that one typically begins with.

I think it is brilliant that you have two, unrelated, yet not opposed, lines of cockbirds. You have an XW cockbird and my BeaverCreek line cockbird. That's ideal, from my perspective.

You are going to want to SINGLE MATE these cockbirds. Use one at a time over your two XW females. The one cockbird should take March and then allow for a two week cleanout. Then, put the other cockbird on duty for the next month. Then a two week cleanout and rotate in the other cockbird.
You really, really, really, need to see which strain, through the male, produces the superior chicks, on an over all basis.
This is critical. You may find a substantial difference in what these males produce and without single matings and careful record keeping, you'd not know and only be shooting in the dark.

Enjoy this your first BR breeding season. Have fun, for without fun, this is mere drudgery and an expensive one to boot.
 
Last edited:
Thanks so much Fred!! I Have only done single matings. This 1st month I had xw dark pullet with your Cockerel. I have so far a "Red Line " (this one), and a Blue Line the lighter xw pullet with the XW Cockerel. I banded the birds by red and blue and marked every egg as to line (or parentage). I Have 10 eggs in seperate bators and all supplies to mark at hatch. I'm leaving the males in their separate pens and will switch the bird parent scenario in a few weeks. So I will then have a green line and an orange or some other line. So far I have been very careful with my record keeping. Does it sound like a plan?
 
Very good plan. Just beware that when you change breeding pens, allow for two weeks of cleanout, and you'll be just fine.

Each of us develops what works for us. If it works for you? It's the right plan. You need to answer this question next fall, about every young bird. Who was this bird's sire and who was this bird's dam? If you can answer that, then you'll know what you need to know for the 2016 year.
 
Yup I will no all sires and dams. I Wait at least 3 weeks to have a clean female.
1f600.png
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom