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

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have all four of the extras up for sale/rehoming now. I would love to keep the fourth one I just added to the "go pile", but I just don't have enough pullets for that many males. He's the split point guy and he's really broad, very handsome.
I have noticed, but never mentioned it, that the largest of the yellow banded males has a back that slopes toward the hackles. He always walks that way, never stands truly horizontal. Shame, really, because other than that and two crooked toes, he's really great looking and very wide, nice comb, every broad. I just hope I can find homes for these guys soon. They're listed on several Facebook chicken groups as "up for discussion".

Good luck with homes. They will make nice flock roosters.

 

[speckledhen]

Good luck with homes. They will make nice flock roosters.

I think they'll do fine, maybe improve someone's hatchery stock, as long as no one expects a cuddly rooster. They're so far not at all aggressive, but really do not like being picked up. Nathaniel is better about it than all the others. He's one of the smarter ones. Hector didn't like being picked up, either, but he was a really great rooster otherwise. None of these will ever be like Bash!

 

[speckledhen]

I attempted to separate one male at a time to take assesment photos. Still didn't get exactly what I wanted so I did only the top two, Nathaniel and Duncan, from Jamie's #7 pen and half siblings to the girls. Lisa, you called Nathaniel "Tank" and he was, but his brother has surpassed him in size. He's still my favorite as far as personality goes. It was easier to photograph Nathaniel because he'll actually let you touch him without freaking out, as you can see in a couple of the pics. Anyway, here they are, first six are Nathaniel (Tank). I felt like I was telling my sons to stand up straight, don't slouch, LOL

And Duncan. Wow, this guy....I had my husband hold him to show how really big he is at 15 weeks old-big legs, big head. He calmed down after a moment, didn't struggle much. Look at that broad back in the last picture.

 

[1muttsfan]

My gosh what a good looking young fellow

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They are huge, and so gorgeous.

 

[NanaK]

Big chunky boys.
Handsome too!

 

[speckledhen]

My gosh what a good looking young fellow

They are huge, and so gorgeous.

Big chunky boys.
Handsome too!

Thank you! I have noticed that even the ones with a couple of flaws are still pretty impressive. Not my doing, of course, other than feeding them well and now, letting them get some green forage. It's careful breeding for the proper traits over the years and I just get to be the benefactor of all that.
I really hope someone wants one or more of the extras soon. Though I enjoy them immensely, I really don't want to have to keep a bachelor pen and the girls don't need to be pursued relentlessly by a gang of "motivated" and competing young thugs. It just makes more work on me to have to deal with a separate group when I'm trying to do the opposite.

 

[speckledhen]

Let me tell you what I don't like about this group. I'm used to the youngsters I hatch being personable and ultra friendly. Of these seven males, only one is truly calm and doesn't shy away from a chest rub and guess which one that is? Nathaniel is a keeper, period,barring some dramatic change in behavior. His brother Duncan isn't happy about being handled, but he doesn't fight like his life depends on it like most of the others do and he will quickly settle down. You saw that in the photo where my husband was holding him.
Angus, the only one I plan to keep from the other pen (purple band) is about the same as Duncan. The others pretty much shy way from any actual contact with me unless I have a handful of berries to give them. The girls other than Ethel are coming around slowly, but one is particularly skittish. I guess I'm used to that in a way because Jill, Hector's girl, always has been that way. She'll beg food off you all day long, even hang around you, but if you try to pick her up, you'd think you got hold of wildcat. Hector hated being picked up, but he was not afraid of us and ultra friendly and intelligent.
This trait is important to me because I absolutely hate having to handle a bird to do anything like nail trimming or spur cutting or even wound treating who is constantly fighting me.
Those three choices for keepers are dependent on behavior staying the same or improving. Any aggression won't end well for the perpetrator. I love beautiful, good quality stock, but in the end, this is a backyard flock for pleasure, fertilizer and eggs so temperament is non-negotiable.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It is interesting how friendliness, and trust in humans is an inherited trait.

I always find it interesting how so many weird things with my dogs are breed traits, and inherited. We think genetics is mostly how things look, but they control a lot of behaviors and quirks.

 

[speckledhen]

It is interesting how friendliness, and trust in humans is an inherited trait.

I always find it interesting how so many weird things with my dogs are breed traits, and inherited. We think genetics is mostly how things look, but they control a lot of behaviors and quirks.

I have zero doubt that temperament is heritable, not after multiple breeds in both hatchery and breeder quality. I've lost count of the cockerels that have been hatched here after 20+ years and to an individual, they all had the same attitude as their sire. If someone told me that one of Bash's sons turned mean, I'd be shocked. I've repeatedly heard from those who purchased his sons and hatched eggs that they are the best, sweetest tempered roosters they've ever had. Same with Atlas and Isaac.
Breeders who show should really care about the ease of handling those males. I'm sure they do care, though. No judge will judge a male favorably that does not submit to being handled or bites the hand that comes into his cage during a show. Yeah, the women can get uppity from time to time, too, but it's the roosters most are concered with because a big one can be very dangerous.
Can you guarantee temperament every time? No, not with an animal, but aside from situations that may turn a rooster against you later in life, they should be very similar in attitude to their sire. There are exceptions, naturally, but should be very few overall. JMHO based on being so darn close to so many roosters over two decades. I'm sure, Lisa, you've seen that, though a mean bantam Cochin is not the norm. There have been some, saw one the other day on someone's video, a gorgeous blue boy but he was a flogging fool. Temperament is a trait that has to be selected for, same as conformation and eye color.