The Omega Rocks: The Last & Ultimate Barred Plymouth Rock Flock

[1muttsfan]

I like to keep the roosters all together until I have decided who I'm going to keep. If you separate them that may increase the risk that they are not going to get along well when put back together. You don't have that problem when mixing them with the girls, who usually boss them around until everybody's pretty much grown up.

I was very lucky with my bantam Sussex boys, I had five of them, from three generations, all together in my main pen last summer without one single argument. And the two that I kept are buds and hang out together all the time.

 

[speckledhen]

I like to keep the roosters all together until I have decided who I'm going to keep. If you separate them that may increase the risk that they are not going to get along well when put back together. You don't have that problem when mixing them with the girls, who usually boss them around until everybody's pretty much grown up.

I was very lucky with my bantam Sussex boys, I had five of them, from three generations, all together in my main pen last summer without one single argument. And the two that I kept are buds and hang out together all the time.

That is the plan, I think, to keep all the males together until I have made my final choices. if I have to remove them from the girls, it won't be for long. You're right, those girls can be really bossy until the boys gain some confidence (and even then some).
Today, I moved them into the 8x8 pen and put Mace and his three hens in the smaller pen. They are a little freaked out by all the space in the pen, especially at roost time when they were all huddled on the floor. It's not cold; I think they're just nervous for their first night in a big space. There is a reptile bulb pointing at the top roost shelf and they were all up there today, but tonight, they were huddled against the front wall of the pen on the floor, so my husband put a second heat spot pointing at where they all were hunkered down. It's damp outside today and a little cool, but I think they were just nervous. They sure can fly, too! One of the pullets flew from the floor to the top of the file cabinet nest box. I didn't think they could fly that high, but she sure showed me. There are three night lights in the barn, both ends and the middle, so they are not in total darkness.

 

[speckledhen]

Forgot to say that today, we have to do another leg band check because one of the "purple boys" bands was actually fitting his leg when I left the barn last night. Some have tree trunk legs, both boys and girls. And they're so round now, there is no way they can squeeze through the 2"x4" fencing holes. But, dang they can really fly! I'm hoping that soon, they'll just be too heavy to get much lift. They love attention, too, all except the white banded boys. I did notice that White Band Boy #2 has surpassed his small brother in size and is approaching the size of the others (except the biggest black band cockerel), but they're both the "don't touch me" type. The others are trip hazards, can't even lift my foot without removing one of the cockerels from my shoe.
I can see now that we will likely have to hatch from them in about a year to add more hens, or either get more chickens to just be egg layers. By that time, it's possible that one of the pens will be vacated, considering the ages of my other birds. We eat a ton of eggs in this house and I want to also be able to maybe sell hatching eggs locally to help spread the genetics so we need a good supply of eggs.

The other Rocks in the barn plus Mace
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And stuff growing around here now:

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Wow look at all those flowers. They are gorgeous. You can really tell the one chick is a boy. Mace is gorgeous.

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

WOW! What great pix! I envy you! Mine don't hatch until the 5th. Sigh. I get my "fixes" watching yours!


Rusty

 

[speckledhen]

Wow look at all those flowers. They are gorgeous. You can really tell the one chick is a boy. Mace is gorgeous.

I am so happy that my irises did loads better this year. I see I need to get more bulbs to balance out the colors. Most of these were just a variety pack except for the dusky purple ones (my fav). I want more gold/yellow as well as burgundy, that dusky purple and maybe a blue variety.
That Mace is such a good boy! He's Bodie's son as you may tell from his larger comb. One of his points is missing from the fight with Gunnar that got him exiled to the BR hens after Hector's passing. I think Cackle has nice bantam Cochins; they have really nice foot feathering and all the boys are very sweet.

WOW! What great pix! I envy you! Mine don't hatch until the 5th. Sigh. I get my "fixes" watching yours!


Rusty

I hope you have a great hatch!