What makes a Rock, a Rock?

[keatonskeets]

What makes a Black Plymouth Rock, different from an Australorp? I thought that Rocks had to have Yellow Feet? But it seems that in every picutre of a "Black Rock" that I see, It has Slate Feet...... I don't get it??? Could anyone clarify?

 

[Chris09]

The Black variety of Plymouth Rock is a variety that has not yet made it to the American Standard of Perfection.
From what I herd from some of the Plymouth Rock breeders I talked to is that the should (or will have to) have Yellow shacks (legs) and feet just like the Barred variety of Plymouth Rock.
There is a standard or at least a working standard for the Black Plymouth Rock in the UK and Australian and the last link I posted has a picture of a Black Plymouth Rock as of UK standard.
Now there is a Production breed known as a Black Rock here in the U.S. and in the U.K. that is known as a Black Rock and it has the darker shanks but i
s a cross between a Barred Rock and a Rhode Island Red (much like a Black Sex-link)....

The Biggest thing that make a Black Plymouth Rock a Black Plymouth Rock and not any other Black breed is the breeding and the body type.
All "Standard bred" (as in bred to the American Standard of Perfection) chickens have a distinct body type that they are bred too.

The Australian Standard 1998
Male & female plumage:Web,fluff & shafts of feathers in all sections,Black.Surface lustrous greenish black. Undercolour black. Beak bright yellow,shanks & toes yellow.
Serious defects Shanks other than yellow,except mature birds which may shade to a light straw

More information on the Black Plymouth Rock UK
http://www.plymouth-rock-poultry.co.uk/blackplymouthrocks.htm

Chris

 

[keatonskeets]

Cool! Thanks alot! I would have never found that site... I was just looking at the "chicken calculator", and found that a Partridge Male + Barred Female = Barred Male offspring and Black Female offspring. I have a partridge rock cockerel and plenty of barred rock hens, both with yellow feet, and thought I'd try to produce a "Black Rock Hen"

I do not know that this site is at all accurate, but I thought I'd give it a try? Here it is: http://kippenjungle.nl/kruising.html Its German or something?

 

[featherfooted]

I have 2 black rock hens that are a cross of a partridge rock rooster and barred rock hens they are beautiful. They are just starting to lay. I'll try to get pictures.

 

[keatonskeets]

Great! I'm glad to know that it's acually "POSSIBLE" to produce black rocks that way.

Can't WAIT to see the pics!

 

[featherfooted]

Here are a couple of pictures of my black rock hens. These are a cross between a partridge rock rooster and barred rock hens. The rooster from this hatch looked like a barred rock. There is no red on either hen.

 

[Rock N' Faverolles]

While the large fowl black plymouth rock is not in the standard yet, the bantam version is and the standard is yellow legs for the male, and yellow to dusky yellow (yellow preferred) for the female with the bottoms of the feet being yellow.

Here is a pic of my large black male. Notice the leg color. Any other color than yellow to dusky yellow is a disqualification.

 

[keatonskeets]

Cool! Where did you get those Big Black Rocks?

 

[RAREROO]

Quote:
I am suprised you didnt get any red leakage in them. There are really black sexlinked rocks but I guess since both parents were rocks, they technically would be too, its just not the most conventional way to breed for Black Rocks.

 

[draye]

Quote:
Hey there,
Are you still breeding these Black Rocks?
I would think that there were more around ad they have Blue Plymouth Rocks and blue to blue should produce
50% blue 25% black and 25% spalsh.