What happens if you cross a White Rock with a Silver Penciled Rock

[Turkeytom25]

Do you have access to good columbian rocks? I know there's a couple of folks working on them but not many, and I don't know what sort of quality you'd be looking at.

I hear you on not wanting to cross to anything gold. Autosomal red leakage is aggravating.

My gut says it would take a long freaking time to get your lacing and patterning back crossing to Columbian because of the way the restrictors work on body pattern. If you do any outcrossing, though, definitely do like Egghead said and keep your pure stain going separately.

I do not currently have access to any good Columbians. Which is why I was hoping something more common like a white rock might work.

 

[Turkeytom25]

Wynnette did that Columbian cross using Scott's birds. I don't believe either of them are members here anymore, never did hear if she was able to pull the full pattern back after the cross.

I used Norman's Partridge Rocks for what amounted to a one time cross. Mink took out the last hen just before she went into the breeding pen the second year. No autosomal red was gained from that cross.

I think I will quit hurting my brain with these crosses and see just what potential my current genetics have. I guess priority objectives will be size and as always type followed by good tails and color.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

The Northeast Poultry Conference is in January. Norman shows his Partridge birds there and brings extras for sale. As the time nears if you think you'll go give him a call to see if he has extra. It's a good show and Bob Murphy usually attends with his Silver Penciled. Yes, they are smaller than standard. He doesn't mind.

The size on Silver Penciled is an issue and many have tried to correct it. Dark Brahma, Columbian and Partridge Rocks used.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

How much smaller than standard are we talking here, anyway? The whites I've seen exhibited are monstrously large, from other chatter I hear they're well OVER standard. Most large fowl tend to be, apparently. My leghorns certainly are. Nobody's weighing birds at shows, but certainly I understand a personal preference for bigger birds and they probably do better against smaller varieties for BB in many cases, but superior type and pattern should still win over a bigger but courser bird.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Typical Silver Penciled flock adult weights are closer to the standard cockerel and pullet weight for Plymouth Rock. Basically two pounds shy.

Obviously the body type is king then comes the pattern for the fancier varieties like the Silver. Maintaining body type in a patterned bird is not an easy task. Something has to give and that tends to be weight loss. Solid color birds make standard weights and more because they have less to select for. That said you still want a breed to represent it's utility of old and why many of us have attempted to get some weight on the Silver Penciled.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Typical Silver Penciled flock adult weights are closer to the standard cockerel and pullet weight for Plymouth Rock. Basically two pounds shy.

Obviously the body type is king then comes the pattern for the fancier varieties like the Silver. Maintaining body type in a patterned bird is not an easy task. Something has to give and that tends to be weight loss. Solid color birds make standard weights and more because they have less to select for. That said you still want a breed to represent it's utility of old and why many of us have attempted to get some weight on the Silver Penciled.

Personally I can't afford to feed something as big as the white rocks seem to be running, so I wouldn't mind at all a smaller variety. Kinda nice that there's a little something for everyone in that regard.