What hatchery sells Columbian Rocks?

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11 Years
Mar 12, 2008
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Loxahatchee, Florida
I like Plymouth Rocks, especially the Barred & Partridge, and would now like to have some Columbian Rocks. The first year I ordered from McMurray I saw CRs in their catalog, but the next year when I ordered they no longer offered them. I was told that the Delaware was a close enough substitute. But I prefer the coloring of the CRs, they remind me of chickens pictured in old children's storybooks and in the Merrie Melody cartoons.

Is there a hatchery that sells Columbian Rocks as sexed day-old chicks? I plan to get an order of pullet chicks this summer & would love to include some CRs. I don't want them as eggs to hatch or as grown hens.
 
Dunlap Hatchery has them but I thinks they are straight run, I know Yard full o' rocks on here bought some from a hatchery and they turned out to be some kind of cross but not pure CRs so you may want to contact him and see what hatchery he got his from so you don't do the same, but there are bery few people that have them.
 
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I did see where some places are selling Columbian Rocks crossed with RIRs, I wonder why. Thank you for the referral to Dunlap Hatchery, they offer the CRs as straight-run "exotics" http://www.dunlaphatchery.net/Exotics.aspx and it looks as if you have to buy them in batches of at least 25. Hmmm, maybe I'll get 25 SR CRs instead of the meat bird order I had planned. I could eat up the extra cockerels and maybe keep a few of the best with the hens & sell the eggs for hatching. Does that sound like a plan? I also just found another hatchery, http://www.lakenvelderfarm.com/ that offers CRs, has anyone heard of them? They're in Wyoming, I wonder if it would be a good idea to ship chicks from there to South Florida.
 
I didn't see any CRs on the Lakenvelder Farms website. The places that are selling the crossed birds would most likely be from a RIR Roo on CR hens which would make Red Sexlinks.

You should contact Dunlap about the quality of their birds and get them to send you some pics of the breeding stock and if they look good, then your plan sounds good to me.
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I live near Dunlaps and have been in their facilities and bought MANY of their birds. As far as hatcheries go I don't think you would find a cleaner, healthier organization. They really are family run and do their best to get you what you want and answer your questions. Buying several hundred chicks a year from them I have not been disapointed once.
That said they are a Hatchery, they are not selling show stock. The Columbia rocks I have seen from them are their own line and I think very nice, they are a huge favorite with my customers. You could easily butcher the unwanteds as they get big fast. But again, if you are looking for standards of perfection within that breed you would probably do better to find a show breeder. I have a pick of from one of my customers of one full grown I'll look for it for you.
 
You didn't see Scott's CR's he got from Dunlap, did you? They looked nothing like CRs, not just low quality, but crossbreeds. I don't have any idea about Dunlap except their CRs look seriously crossbred. Could have been an accident and I have no idea if that is their usual or not.

Here is the post where he was talking about them but links to pics didn't work for me this time.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3305055#p3305055
 
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I think it is Mt Healthy and one other hatchery that I can't think of that actually sell a cross made the opposite way that makes a hen looking like a CR and the male having the coloring, but with brown (red)splashes. They are said to be a very popular cross for many years. I thought about getting some, since I only want them for eggs really, but decided to go for Columbian Wyandottes for now until someone finds some Columbian Rocks inthe USA! I just love the color pattern.
 
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I think it is Mt Healthy and one other hatchery that I can't think of that actually sell a cross made the opposite way that makes a hen looking like a CR and the male having the coloring, but with brown (red)splashes. They are said to be a very popular cross for many years. I thought about getting some, since I only want them for eggs really, but decided to go for Columbian Wyandottes for now until someone finds some Columbian Rocks inthe USA! I just love the color pattern.

Ok, well that should just make a bird with good hybrid vigor that would lay well and be good for meat. Cackle sells chicks from a similar cross of a Delaware roo on NHR hens.
 
Good morning all....SpeckledHen is right. I ordered CRs from Dunlap and they were NOWHERE close to being Columbian Rocks.

As good fortune would have it however, I found a fellow in Ga who had some real CR chicks (received totally by mistake, long story, but Cyn saw the pix of the parents and agrees that they are true Columbians) and I bought every one he had. They are true CRs. It will probably take a year or two of breeding to get the color "exactly" right, but, its much better than what I had.

Chicks are currently 5-6 weeks old. HOPING to have a few pullets laying by late June.

Hopefully I will be able to sell some eggs by Summer and between the BYC "flock" here we can begin re-creating a decent number of these across the US.

Have a great day!
 
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