B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[rtroxel]

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I hope your husband isn't one of them....

 

[rtroxel]

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What strain/variety do you have? My SG are much more flighty than the Reds. I haven't any late hatch pullets start laying at all this year up here in "far north" so I wouldn't be too surprised that yours stopped laying. Some of my early hatch birds laid a month and quit. Just about everything is calling it quits unless there is light on them.

I echo Kim. They'll probably be fine in the Spring. If you want eggs, you'll have to put extra light on them. Use a timer and give them 14-16 hours total a day.

 

[capayvalleychick]

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I hope your husband isn't one of them....

Kim

 

[lceh]

Just chiming in re: MMCM birds - we ordered 2 SG cockerels and 7 pullets this spring, and have had zero losses. One cockerel was very poor type and was sold as a market bird by my DD for 4-H. The other was quite handsome (though somewhat duckfooted), and showed no aggressiveness toward me but was aggressive toward my 3-year-old and was rehomed (with 2 pullets) with ki4got on this thread. My remaining 5 girls are quite friendly and curious, and two are of pretty decent type (see my post on p. 116 for pics when they were younger). I'm planning another MMCM order for the spring of 6-7 cockerels so I can choose one with decent type AND decent temperament, and I'll probably get a few more females too in case we lose any of our good ones over the winter. All in all I'm impressed with their hardiness and personality, and yes, mine are laying just fine considering the short day length.

Hope that helps anyone considering MMCM birds.

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

rtroxel--you wrote me about my white Cochins this morning. I went to your website, it is very nice, I absolutely love your red dorkings. I'm very new to all of this and had never seen or heard of this bird before--I am in love! I think they are great! Until this year all I ever had were hatchery ops, wyandottes, red star, etc. This is a real new and exciting world to me. Thanks for your kind input on my Cochins, I clearly see now the roo has a flat butt!

 

[ki4got]

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ok i'll chime in here and continue the story. 8)

'big guy' is still a bit duckfooted, not much is likely to change there I think, and all 3 have filled out nicely and are large calm mellow birds. can't say how close to the standard they are, but I have an image in my head of where i want to go so we'll get there someday... as for eggs, i've gotten 2 eggs only 2 days, most days i get 1, some days none...

they now free range with my bantams. had some scuffles at the start but now everyone's settled in fine. (tho the sultan still pushes big guy's buttons)

to see day 1 out with everyone, watch the video i put it up for someone who wasn't convinced that high prey drive dogs could live with chickens... my white pup is VERY high prey drive, but the chickens are 'pack'. well obedience training helped too ...

forgot to mention, because of my sultan (who is 'pugnatious' at best) I keep an eye on all roos when they're behind me... started wondering when big guy started following me quite closely earlier this week... come to figure out, he's just staying close because he knows i drop snacks of all sorts quite often LOL. he just wants to be 'first pig at the trough' I think.

 

[rtroxel]

Well, I watched your video and I thought they were pretty nice. Couldn't see the feet, but I liked, generally what I saw. At least it is a good place to start!

 

[Ginny]

I got the Silver grey.

 

[ki4got]

the sneaky little &^%$#... here i thought only one of the dorkings was laying, i just found a stash of 7 eggs!!! so they're in the incubator now, we'll see just how cold they got.

 

[greenhorn]

Just got back home from the Ohio National. One owner had some white and red dorkings. I have a video but need to upload it yet. Not an expert but they didn't look very big or square but there were dorkings there. I asked where she got her lines from and she told me the lady's name but I don't remember. Said the lady gave them to her because she is in her 90's and can't do it anymore.

I'm going to call her next week and ask some more questions and will post the video once I get it uploaded.