Looking for Partridge Plymouth Rock Breeders

[cpartist]

I have exhibition standard bred Barred Rocks and will be shipping eggs and chicks in the Spring. https://eightacresfarm.weebly.com/barred-rocks.html

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I have exhibition standard bred Barred Rocks and will be shipping eggs and chicks in the Spring. https://eightacresfarm.weebly.com/barred-rocks.html

Barred Rocks are a dime a dozen and easy to find (ok maybe not really GOOD quality) ... do YOU have or know of anyone who has PARTRIDGE Rocks... per the original posters' title?

Your birds and your eggs ARE gorgeous!

 

[BlueBaby]

Partridge Rocks sound nice, too! I was looking for some White Rocks before and never found any. I don't want the Barred one's, and you are right about those @EggSighted4Life as everyone has the Barred one's.

 

[Mosey2003]

The PRFCA is not defunct. They just made a new website and there is action in the FB group.

Is there a reason you don't contact Dick Horstman? Is he out? He's generally very well respected quality wise.

 

[Mosey2003]

And Steve (Precision) is coming down to show in the spring, worth sending an email.

 

[BlueBaby]

@Egghead_Jr Were you ever able to find any of them?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

@Egghead_Jr Were you ever able to find any of them?

Yes, yes I did. What a journey of searching it was too. Horstman no longer carries them. I recieved names without states or states without names and so on. "Heard of a guy in California that has them" type leads. Uh huh, try and locate that flock.

I not only located an old time breeder that in recent years is getting back into "fancy birds" (what he calls them) after 15 years of doing meat birds for Tyson, I also through him found a person closer to me that has a good flock. Well, he had a good flock then a fox took all his hens. Norman Ennis (old time breeder) brought some pullets up to Northeast congress last year for Matty Martin to pick from to continue his flock in Mass. Norman is from Maryland.

After a somewhat odd and obviously testing me conversation with Norman he suggested I go to Northeast Nationals this year and he'd have some to pick from. I was there when doors opened and he'd sold most to the other exhibitioners by then. Was able to pick two pullets with excellent body type. Other issues ensue but what do you expect from a breeder that got back into "fancy birds" three years ago and when searching for his stock he'd sold off 15 years ago he only found one flock left and it's state of disrepair was saddening. It's impressive he got them to the state they are in as to the horror he was telling me about his old stock he located- two points, black legs, squirrel. Not to mention white in ears and twisted wing. He came a long way in few years.

Long story short is I have two pullets I'm going to cover with a very large and wide Silver Pencilled. From there use the yellow male to cover dam, best of two dams. In two years I'll have the start of a very good quality flock of Partridge. I'm happy. Still have Normans contact, he does not sell eggs, and found Matty Martin's contact if I need a k. Norman plans to bring birds each year to Springfield MA to sell at the show. Matty shows his Partridge there too, this was Normans first year showing again. Get there before they say the doors open at 9am Saturday or you wont have much to pick over if any.

 

[Cyprus]

Yes, yes I did. What a journey of searching it was too. Horstman no longer carries them. I recieved names without states or states without names and so on. "Heard of a guy in California that has them" type leads. Uh huh, try and locate that flock.

I not only located an old time breeder that in recent years is getting back into "fancy birds" (what he calls them) after 15 years of doing meat birds for Tyson, I also through him found a person closer to me that has a good flock. Well, he had a good flock then a fox took all his hens. Norman Ennis (old time breeder) brought some pullets up to Northeast congress last year for Matty Martin to pick from to continue his flock in Mass. Norman is from Maryland.

After a somewhat odd and obviously testing me conversation with Norman he suggested I go to Northeast Nationals this year and he'd have some to pick from. I was there when doors opened and he'd sold most to the other exhibitioners by then. Was able to pick two pullets with excellent body type. Other issues ensue but what do you expect from a breeder that got back into "fancy birds" three years ago and when searching for his stock he'd sold off 15 years ago he only found one flock left and it's state of disrepair was saddening. It's impressive he got them to the state they are in as to the horror he was telling me about his old stock he located- two points, black legs, squirrel. Not to mention white in ears and twisted wing. He came a long way in few years.

Long story short is I have two pullets I'm going to cover with a very large and wide Silver Pencilled. From there use the yellow male to cover dam, best of two dams. In two years I'll have the start of a very good quality flock of Partridge. I'm happy. Still have Normans contact, he does not sell eggs, and found Matty Martin's contact if I need a k. Norman plans to bring birds each year to Springfield MA to sell at the show. Matty shows his Partridge there too, this was Normans first year showing again. Get there before they say the doors open at 9am Saturday or you wont have much to pick over if any.

Wow, what a journey!
Do you think you'll be selling eggs in 3ish years?

I find it almost unbelievable that what was once such a popular breed is now almost gone. There are hatcheries, but we all know how that goes.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I have faith I'll have something worthy to sell in that time. If my cross doesn't look like it's panning out well I'm going to go get a k or even trio from Matty in Mass. If I go that route I'll have hatching eggs spring 2020. My plan is to use my bird and cross. He's got some needed attributes and like the idea of making my own line. 2021 spring is my goal.

Of note, Normans pullets were huge! But I was able to see a K, already sold, and without holding it estimated the weight under 8 pounds. Talked to Norman about this phenomenon where one year you get many large females and smaller males then it switches the next year. He agreed, it happens and is going on with his birds too. My Silver K was over 9lbs at 24 weeks of age. He's a monster as far as Silver Pencilled go. He's got some issues and kept on fence if I was to breed him. This is a perfect project to use him on. Did I mention how happy I am? I may have been 20 minutes late to buy the last K for sale last week but after seeing one sold think I may not have purchased it anyway. Also was amazed at some sold females. People were more worried about proper points on comb than body. I'm a body man first everytime. So though I had few to choose from feel others made not so wise decisions. Time will tell.

 

[Cyprus]

I have faith I'll have something worthy to sell in that time. If my cross doesn't look like it's panning out well I'm going to go get a k or even trio from Matty in Mass. If I go that route I'll have hatching eggs spring 2020. My plan is to use my bird and cross. He's got some needed attributes and like the idea of making my own line. 2021 spring is my goal.

Of note, Normans pullets were huge! But I was able to see a K, already sold, and without holding it estimated the weight under 8 pounds. Talked to Norman about this phenomenon where one year you get many large females and smaller males then it switches the next year. He agreed, it happens and is going on with his birds too. My Silver K was over 9lbs at 24 weeks of age. He's a monster as far as Silver Pencilled go. He's got some issues and kept on fence if I was to breed him. This is a perfect project to use him on. Did I mention how happy I am? I may have been 20 minutes late to buy the last K for sale last week but after seeing one sold think I may not have purchased it anyway. Also was amazed at some sold females. People were more worried about proper points on comb than body. I'm a body man first everytime. So though I had few to choose from feel others made not so wise decisions. Time will tell.

I totally understand your priority.

I breed D'Uccles and for 3 years I had trouble getting good stock. I stopped looking for lots of/spread of flecking (I have MF) and went for proper spread on tail, thick/full hackle and full beard instead. I also looked at base color, but that was lower on the list.