Which hatchery has the best laying strain of Barred Rocks?

[KyBlue]

I have some 2 year old Barred Rocks from Mt. Healthy and they have been great layers. I consistently get large to XL (with occasional Jumbo) light brown eggs from my BR, even at 2 years old. They are typical hatchery looking BR, but they do lay well. They come close to rivaling my Golden Comets from Mt. Healthy- which are egg-laying machines the first couple of years. But I have not had any internal laying problems with my BR like I occasionally get with the Comets. I plan on ordering a few more this spring along with more White Rocks. I ordered White Rocks from three different hatcheries this year to compare them. The Mt. Healthy whites were the hands-down winners. They are much larger than any of the other hatchery whites I raised and are nice, meaty birds.

 

[Cowgirl71]

Thanks so much for the info everyone!

KyBlue: About how many eggs/week/hen are you getting from your two year old Barred Rocks? Are Mt. Healthy's BRs big and plump or small and scrawny? Were Mt. Healthy's WRs great layers too? Have you by chance tried any of Mt. Healthy's New Hampshires or Silver Laced Wyandottes? Sorry for all the questions...

That's really good to hear that their BRs are such good layers and their White Rocks are truly such great meat birds!

 

[KyBlue]

My BR are just coming out of a heavy molt but they are back to laying. Most of the fall they were laying 5-6 eggs per week. Right now, coming out of molt, I'm getting about 3 or 4 eggs a week. Which I think is pretty good considering the short days and the cold weather we've been having. The BRs are not as big as the WRs but I wouldn't really call them scrawny either.

I'm not sure about the laying ability of the WRs yet because my pullets just started laying a couple of weeks ago. They were a little slower to start laying than the other hatchery birds since it took longer to grow into their larger frame. They are laying nice dark brown pullet eggs though.

I've not tried their New Hampshires yet (maybe this spring). I did get 3 of the SLWs with my assortment. They don't have great wyandotte type but I've seen a lot worse from hatcheries. I have actually been impressed with their Partridge Rocks. They are a little bigger than all the birds, except for the WRs.

Here's pics of some of the Mt. Healthy pullets. The pictures were taken back in October when the birds were about 5-6 months old.
White Rocks

WR with EE and Speckled Sussex

SS

Partridge Rock with BSL

SLW

Amberlink

EE

 

[Cowgirl71]

Thanks so much for all the pics!!!

They're all very beautiful, but especially the Amber-Link...

She is so unique, I've never seen anything like her!

I noticed that both of the SLWs have rose combs, does the third SLW have a rose comb as well?

So none of the pullets started laying until December? Or did the others start laying sooner but the WRs waited until December?

 

[KyBlue]

Quote:
Thanks Cowgirl.
Yes, all three of the SLWs have rose combs. Most of the pullets started laying in November. They were around 6 months old. The black sex links started a little earlier, maybe late October. The white rocks started in December -around 7 1/2 months old.

 

[Celtic Hill]

Most hatcheries get their stock from the same breeding farms, atleast that is what i have heard.

any ways, i have had good experience with Mcmurray's BRs

 

[KyBlue]

I was told by one of the owners of Mt. Healthy that when the larger hatcheries switched to feather sexing several years ago, they decided to retain their original lines and continue vent sexing most of their chicks. So, they have several breed lines that they have been breeding for years and years.

 

[Cowgirl71]

Quote:
Very interesting.

That is quite admirable that all three of your SLWs had rose combs. That's rare for hatchery Wyandottes. I got five GLWs from Cackle and three had single combs and two had rose combs.

 

[RAREROO]

Quote:
Very interesting.

That is quite admirable that all three of your SLWs had rose combs. That's rare for hatchery Wyandottes. I got five GLWs from Cackle and three had single combs and two had rose combs.

I wouldnt say its rare really, all of the ones I ordered from Privett were Rose Combed, ( I think I ordered about 30) but they were still the worst layers I'd ever met as they still werent laying at around 9 months old. Do you still have those Single Combed ones from Cackle ? Any pics ?

 

[Cowgirl71]

Quote:
Sorry, I somehow missed your post!

I still have three of the GLWs, two with single combs and one with a rose comb. I know I have one picture...

Her comb was really floppy and kinda laid in folds on her head. It has really shrunk and paled in this picture because she'd been broody for five weeks. She sure loved those chicks...

Her two sisters have normal single combs. I may have another picture or two, I'll have to see if I can find them.