B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[summerb123]

 

[pipnchirp]

I have the chance of getting a small flock of dorkings.  There are 3 red hens and one red rooster.  There is also one silver grey rooster.  All of his hens were killed by dogs.  My only option for now is to house them all together.  What kind of chicks could I expect to get if the silver male breed one of the red hens?   I would love to get some silver grey hens in the future.  

I would think you would end up with some of each color. Probably red with white feathers or blotches of silver or silver with blotches of red depending on whose genetics dominate the chick. If the red roo is dominant you will mostly have red chicks.

 

[bellmare]

My SGD rooster is 10 months old now! He's coming along nicely - how much he's changed in just a few months!

 

[DesertChic]

My SGD rooster is 10 months old now! He's coming along nicely - how much he's changed in just a few months!

He's beautiful!!!!

My SGDs will be 14 weeks this weekend, and I'm starting to feel a little bit concerned about my cockerels. The one showing the best body form also has crooked toes on one foot (Squiggy). The one with straight toes is showing other traits I'm not loving (Wesley). I'm really hoping to see improvement in Wesley over time.

 

[bellmare]

Thank you! Are you able to keep both and test mate them? I would breed Squiggy to a female with straight toes - it's probably just a deformity that was created through the hatching process. I'm thinking it's probably not an inherited trait he can pass down to his offspring. Hatch 10 eggs or so and see if any of them come out with deformed feet. I would definitely chose body over toes any day. My cockerels are all a little too light and upright in the chest. I need deeper bodies for sure.

 

[DesertChic]

Thank you! Are you able to keep both and test mate them? I would breed Squiggy to a female with straight toes - it's probably just a deformity that was created through the hatching process. I'm thinking it's probably not an inherited trait he can pass down to his offspring. Hatch 10 eggs or so and see if any of them come out with deformed feet. I would definitely chose body over toes any day. My cockerels are all a little too light and upright in the chest. I need deeper bodies for sure.

Your response is a huge relief, because that's what I was thinking I would try. It's nice to know I'm not completely crazy for still wanting to breed Squiggy at least once. I noticed that one of my pullets has "odd" fifth toes that are strangely jointed so I'll probably breed Squiggy to everyone except her. I also have a mature hen from a different 'breeder' that was supposed to be pure SGD, but most definitely isn't. She's got a few of the more favorable attributes but is missing the fifth toe and is a little too tall. I want to breed her to Squiggy too, if for no other reason than to help my understanding of poultry genetics. I've been working on mapping as many of her obvious genetic characteristics as possible so I can make predictions of what to expect from the chicks.

Yes...I'm that much of a nerd.

Squiggy does have a nice, deep chest already. He's actually matured much faster than Wesley has and was the first one in the pen to crow, even ahead of the NN Turken I have in there and a White Rock mixed cockerel who are both bigger and heavier. He's actually the dominant cockerel in the pen, which I never expected.

Since I only have the two cockerels and six hens I was hoping to breed everyone to each other at least once and work from there before deciding whether or not to bring in foreign blood.

 

[campheadgirl]

Thanks for the response. I think I have found a place to get some silver grey dorking eggs/chicks. I thinks this is definite the best way to go.

 

[kittydoc]

I think my SGDs need more protein. DH picked up turkey poultry 28% to mix with 16% layer 50-50, so 22% net. Other suggestions? Might that be why cockerel is not breeding? Girls are laying. Have calcium out.

 

[Talithahorse]

I think my SGDs need more protein. DH picked up turkey poultry 28% to mix with 16% layer 50-50, so 22% net. Other suggestions? Might that be why cockerel is not breeding? Girls are laying. Have calcium out.

I have heard that as well.

 

[kittydoc]

Well, my non-breeding cockerel was moved in with an Orp hen in my garage. This morning I find two eggs, one white, one brown. Now I'm not an idiot, but this newly discovered SGD hen does not have any salmon tint to her breast feathers. Bright white. Do not buy from Sand Hill is all I can say.

So now I urgently need a breeding SGD roo. I am in Indiana. I recall someone in Ohio raises them. Hope I can find her. Any leads appreciated. I really like the breed but had hoped to make more this season.