When do Silver penciled rocks (bantam) get their final coloring?

[Cindy in PA]

I have 7 1/2 week old bantam SPR & the hens look like SPR, but the roos are just going from a sort of barred look to getting their silver wing feathers & black breasts. How long before they get their adult looking plumage, so I can tell what they will look like? Do bantams mature faster or slower than standards? I have 14 roos and will only keep 1-2, so I want to pick one that looks like it should. These are hatchery birds, so I am not expecting the world, but would like as nice a one as possible! When do bantams reach their adult weight? Thanks.

 

[cybercat]

Well you will have to wait for adult color. It does not matter that thye are bantam since they are the pattern heritage breed. What you can do is pick those now showing a pattern for the will have it at full molt and it will improve. On mine I see many pullets with pattern around the neck those are the ones I know will have it when full molt comes when they are a year old. The others I have to wait for as they are still showing a barring effect of young chick feathering. At 12 weeks it is better time to make choises as they will loose some feathers and regrow them. Wait as long as you can for it will work in your favor.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Thanks Cybercat, that helps. I have 10 pullets & 14 roos. Most of the girls are showing the penciling around their necks. The roos have mostly changed from their barring to black with a good number showing silver on top. I do plan to wait until at least 12 weeks, but don't know how much longer than that. If I can get a hold of a kennel for a separate roo pen, I might keep them longer. I have to pare down to 8 total, as the coop is only 4 by 6 & the run 4 by 12. I was sort of bummed with the barring, as I had no idea they were all barred first! It is interesting watching them change! Thanks again.

 

[cybercat]

Yes I can understand the confusion seeing the barring would cause. But that is common in many lines of the rocks and they will change out with time. BTW do you have the SOP for the rocks that is on the Plymouth Roch clubs site? You can download it. It covers all the rock patterens and it mostly acurate except for tail set which has changed in all those years.

You do not have to keep all the roos and you can start culling out those now that have big faults. By 12 weeks you will be able to pick based on good comb and width of body as well as leg color and starting plumage. On mine roos I could have picked on comb alone by 8 or 9 weeks due to comb faults that showed up. Floppy comb being the most obvious or too many points. Leg color did change so those that I was unsure of being yellow did turn yellow. So you can wait on that before culling for that. Eye color you will have to wait till they change which takes time to get adult color in. They go thru many eye color changes also. But final color should be bay red. I have heard of many other colors ahowing up for eyes which tells you the birds are mixed heritage and not pure stock. So might not breed true down the road by 3rd generation. But working with hatchery sock we expect that and that is why we are doing selective breeding. Good luck you your chickens. What hatchery did you get them from?

 

[Cindy in PA]

Cybercat , I have looked at the SOP, but not lately. Will have to go to the site & see what I can find. I got these chicks from McMurray. I was supposed to get Columbian Rock Bantams w/ SPR as a second choice from a breeder, but in the end he could not supply them. I really wanted to try bantams this year, so I ordered from MM. I have already decided to get some Columbian standards next year. I have had chickens for years and always replace every 2-3, but I don't need all the eggs & I'm ready to try to play with some chicken breeding. I have always loved rocks since my first flock of Barred Rock layers. Last two flocks I have had mixed flocks & I am tired of all the weird chickens I get! So the eye should be bay red??? I'm thinking a reddish yellow?? I seem to remember most of my rocks have had a yellowish green over the years. Thanks for all your help. I will take a real look at these chicks as compared to the breed standard. I will have much more time (Last son off to college next week) and I need something to focus on. How long have you raised Partridge rocks?

 

[LaLoomis]

Quote:
Hi Cindy, You mentioned that you were going to try to get SPRs from a breeder. I've been looking for someone breeding Standard SPRs. Does your breeder do standards as well as bantams?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[cybercat]

Quote:
I tend to really study standards when I get into breeding a breed. I have that photo eye thing and can make a real clear picture in my head or keep a picture I have seen like I am still looking at it. BTW you can downloaded the SOP to your comp so you do not have to go to the site every time to read it. It works much faster after you download it.

All color varieties should have a reddish bay color eye with no yellow or green in them. That is what I was refing too when I mentioned they are mixed with something if you see those other colors. For me after doing alot of reading over the past few years I would not touch either Ideal or MM for breed chickens. They do a bit more mixing than the smaller hatcheries. I got mine from Mt Healthy even though I wanted from Meyers. I am so glad I did as these birds are much better than many I have seen from other hatchiers. Mine right now are 13 weeks and this is the first time i have worked with this color. But I have worked with the breed before years ago on a friends farm. We were raising them at the time.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Quote:
Hi Cindy, You mentioned that you were going to try to get SPRs from a breeder. I've been looking for someone breeding Standard SPRs. Does your breeder do standards as well as bantams?

Thanks,
Chris

I know the breeder has Standard Barred, but not sure what else he has. I was only looking for bantams at the time.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Cybercat, so the eye should be the color of a bay horse (reddish brown)? Do they all start out that way? I really didn't get these from MM to breed, but I will see how they turn out. Now for the impossible search of decent Columbian Rock Standards..........Thanks for your help.

 

[cybercat]

The Columbian Rock standard is on the site too. It is the whole book for Plymouth Rock covers history and all 7 colors.

Here is what I have written from the book. Eye- must be reddishbay ideal is medium reddish bay but lighter or darker slightly is OK. Red with brown tinge.

There eyes do change with time so you will have to wait to see adult color. If you do a search here for partridge rocks you will find some pics and a few have the right eye color. i will check to see if I can find a good head pic for you that show corret color.