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I just began collecting data for the first time yesterday on my Silver Gray Dorkings from the P. Allen Smith line. I was amazed at the differences once you actually start measuring chicks. My first group was only 5 chicks but at 4 weeks they ranged from 9 ounces to 12 ounces. I checked all...

Joseph is right. Never, ever breed a chick with that kind of deformity. I can understand that you love it, and it might survive and make a good pet, but there is a high probability it will pass on this condition and similar problems. That is particularly important with rare breeds like...

Hey there. I'm new to Dorkings as well and have a dozen Silver Gray eggs in a friend's incubator. They came from P. Allen Smith's line. I'm also waiting on White Dorking chicks from a breeder up North. I'll repeat what everyone with more experience has said to me... have patience and be...

It seems to me that Dorkings are on the verge of a renaissance. They have the multi purpose utility many new chicken fanciers want and a romantic history to boot. The SOP sources seem limited at best, and when I spoke with Murray McMurray last week about their Silver Gray cockerels they said...

Could you pick me up a gallon of milk in Canada and drop it off here in Georgia on your way home... and maybe a loaf of bread.

Sandhill Preservation Center was sold out for the entire season for individual colors when their 2016 catalogue came out last month, but you could still buy mixed assortments of Dorkings. The Livestock Conservancy has a list of small, private breeders around the country, but you'd need to...

Beautiful birds and beautiful photography. It's tough getting good pics of chickens, but you've got the knack.

I really like your ideas. I found Colored Dorkings on Duane Urch's website... well really more a web page with minimal info, but have read very good things about them...and him. At this point I'm willing to explore many options and see what pans out. I've really just begun building my...

That sounds workable. I could make capons out of those. I know many people don't like large hatcheries like Murray McMurray, but I've bought birds from them for over 30 years and will probably buy some Silver Gray cockerels from them for caponizing. Granted MM chickens are just yardbirds...

Wow. Thanks for that feedback Angela. I knew Dorkings were undersized but I wasn't ready for half to 1/3 standard size. I can tell it's going to be an uphill battle getting the size birds I want for my capon project. I'm not familiar with Urch but will check them out. I just finished...

I'm sorry. I must have gotten confused about who had what. Do you mind if I ask why you gave up on the Silver Grays? Any insight you can offer could contribute to my upcoming Dorking Project.

So Angela, how go your Red Dorkings? Do you have many?

Thanks for the the tip on the Breeding for Production thread, Angela. I skimmed a few recent posting which were very informative and fascinating. There are over 6000 posts, so it may take me a while to get up to speed, but I'll definitely be lurking on that thread for a while. Anthony

I'd actually count on a slow growth rate. I raise my pigs slowly to give my pork a very distinctive flavor. That appeals to my customers and allows me to get a premium price. Combine that with my extremely low feed costs, and I think I can make it happen. It's been at least 25 years since...

I'd also like to know more about your Reds. I know how limited the gene pool is for Dorkings in general and Whites in particular, but I've got the idea that I could create additional families of them by outcrossing to Reds (or other colors) and then selecting for White over the next few...

Yellow House Farm certainly has an extensive web presence and some extremely impressive birds. I'd love to help maintain that line of Dorkings, but I've not had any luck contacting them. Guess I should just pick up the phone. I just hate to bother people that way.

Thanks Dirt Farmer. I confess I've been a lurker for quite a while. I feel ready to get my feet wet.

Thanks for that. I've got an e-mail into him but communication is going very slowly. His Barred Rock pics are stunning. Hope you are enjoying those birds.

Hi Everyone, I'm an experienced farmer in Georgia but all my work has been with pork and beef. As I get older (51 now) I'm thinking about ways to keep farming that isn't quite as physically daunting... I'm nursing a big, pig bite on my leg at the moment to add to my collection of livestock...