B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[Yellow House Farm]

Hmmm... Sand Hill is doing a great job at promoting Dorkings, but I'd avoid their selections on non-Standard varieties. They aren't historically relevant, and this is going to lead to a high level of genetic variability that will be difficult to govern.One would spend generations trying to conform them to the Standard, at which point one still would have an unrecognized bird without a valid history as a Dorking. Sand Hill would do a far greater service to the Dorking by ieliminating their non-Standard offerings and using those breeding pens for expanded programs in Standard varieties, thus increasing their general availability.

 

[ki4got]

Hmmm... Sand Hill is doing a great job at promoting Dorkings, but I'd avoid their selections on non-Standard varieties. They aren't historically relevant, and this is going to lead to a high level of genetic variability that will be difficult to govern.One would spend generations trying to conform them to the Standard, at which point one still would have an unrecognized bird without a valid history as a Dorking. Sand Hill would do a far greater service to the Dorking by ieliminating their non-Standard offerings and using those breeding pens for expanded programs in Standard varieties, thus increasing their general availability.

I agree. The recognized varieties need a lot of work to get back to the standard, let alone trying to bring non-standard varieties up to par.

 

[countrygoddess]

I can't believe I've been on BYC all this time and didn't know about the Dorking Club until tonight! I got my SG Dorkings from Murray McMurray in April: 5 straight run, 5 pullets, 5 cockerels (I didn't realize that if I'd just called them on the phone, I could have ordered more of any one of those; online, 5 was the max for each). Two babies died within the first couple of days and the rest turned out to be 6 pullets and 7 cockerels.

My goal for breeding was to set up 3 trios for spiral breeding, so I've got two girls per family and I picked out what I thought were the three best boys (I weighed them at 14 weeks and chose the 3 heaviest, plus I looked at body shape). Just to be sure, I also picked a 4th boy should one of the others die or get taken by a predator or whatever. The remainder went into the fattening pen with my 15 Barred Rock cockerels.

One day we went out to find that one of the breeding cockerels was dying, but I had the "extra" so I was still good (it was what Harvey Ussery calls JCOS: Just Crapped Out Syndrome--we never figured out why he died and everyone else remains healthy). Then one day my kids and I were out with the flock and realized that a boy was missing (they day-ranged during the summer). He never turned up, so I pulled a boy from the fattening pen.

That left one Dorking left in the fattening pen with the Rocks, and he was processed at 19 weeks or so. His weight was about 3 lbs dressed and he was delicious! Having read quite a bit of this thread tonight, I understand now that the best processing age is several weeks older. Oh, well, next year. We really did have to get rid of all that testosterone, though. LOL

The girls all began laying at about 25 weeks and all seem to be laying pretty consistently now; I'm getting 4-6 eggs/day. The eggs are still small to medium at 31 weeks but I've never had one egg that was thin-shelled, extra-huge and containing 3 yolks (one of my Cuckoo Marans laid a 4.25oz triple-yolker at age 27 weeks!! I'm not breeding them, btw...), or anything like that. They're perfect. =)

The pullets themselves are lovely girls, though 2 are a bit narrow through the hind end. Oh, and all 10 of my Dorkings have perfect toes. I think. I've heard descriptions about the fifth toe having to be completely separate, but I have no idea what that means, having seen no pictures comparing good toes and bad. I have no duck feet--that I've seen pictures of. My cockerels' body shapes are pretty good, although my "spare" is a bit narrow in the hind end. I've got some funky combs--one boy has a side sprig, and two have a comb in which there is a--how do I describe it?--separate chunk of comb from the main comb? The girls' combs seem to be pretty good--a couple seem to be starting to flop over nicely.

I read all the ALBC information and all the Yellow House information about breeding rare heritage breeds. In one of those, I think, it said if you're starting from a small number of stock, you use what you have for breeding, to get started. What do you established breeders out there think of that? I feel that my girls are pretty darned good. If I made sure to pair a nice, stout boy with the snipey-reared girls, that would help to breed that trait out, right? What about the cockerels' combs? Do I even need to worry about those right now? I'm not worrying about color at the moment, but I think what I have to start with is pretty good, considering they're right from a hatchery. That's something else that has been difficult. I've read the standard, but I need to SEE what the standard of perfection is. I need to SEE the wings stretched out so I can understand how they're supposed to look, for instance. Anyway...

Oh, something else I had never heard before reading this thread, and that is that you should keep the cockerels and pullets separate so they can achieve their full size potential? What is that all about? My boys were in with my girls up until yesterday, but there was just too much male blood-shed (boy, their combs are ugly and scabby now!) and and too much loss of female neck feathers. The boys (which includes my "packing peanut" Partridge Cochin cockerel) are now in The Frat House. The girls seem much more at ease... =)

I'll post a couple of pictures, but these are from the summertime. I think they must have been around 19 weeks when I took these. I'll get some more current pics soon and post those, too. The first picture shows Yellow #31 (sorry, but I'm terrible at naming chickens, particularly if they're going to be hitting my table at some point). He doesn't have the side-sprig. The second picture shows some of the girls with a couple of the boys, and in this picture you can see what I mean about the comb. I would so love to hear from anyone and everyone about what you've read and what you see! Suggestions, comments, answers to my questions... I'm champing at the bit!!

 

[capayvalleychick]

The pullets themselves are lovely girls, though 2 are a bit narrow through the hind end. Oh, and all 10 of my Dorkings have perfect toes. I think. I've heard descriptions about the fifth toe having to be completely separate, but I have no idea what that means, having seen no pictures comparing good toes and bad. I have no duck feet--that I've seen pictures of. My cockerels' body shapes are pretty good, although my "spare" is a bit narrow in the hind end. I've got some funky combs--one boy has a side sprig, and two have a comb in which there is a--how do I describe it?--separate chunk of comb from the main comb? The girls' combs seem to be pretty good--a couple seem to be starting to flop over nicely.

I read all the ALBC information and all the Yellow House information about breeding rare heritage breeds. In one of those, I think, it said if you're starting from a small number of stock, you use what you have for breeding, to get started. What do you established breeders out there think of that? I feel that my girls are pretty darned good. If I made sure to pair a nice, stout boy with the snipey-reared girls, that would help to breed that trait out, right? What about the cockerels' combs? Do I even need to worry about those right now? I'm not worrying about color at the moment, but I think what I have to start with is pretty good, considering they're right from a hatchery. That's something else that has been difficult. I've read the standard, but I need to SEE what the standard of perfection is. I need to SEE the wings stretched out so I can understand how they're supposed to look, for instance. Anyway...

Oh, something else I had never heard before reading this thread, and that is that you should keep the cockerels and pullets separate so they can achieve their full size potential? What is that all about? My boys were in with my girls up until yesterday, but there was just too much male blood-shed (boy, their combs are ugly and scabby now!) and and too much loss of female neck feathers. The boys (which includes my "packing peanut" Partridge Cochin cockerel) are now in The Frat House. The girls seem much more at ease... =)

I'll post a couple of pictures, but these are from the summertime. I think they must have been around 19 weeks when I took these. I'll get some more current pics soon and post those, too. The first picture shows Yellow #31 (sorry, but I'm terrible at naming chickens, particularly if they're going to be hitting my table at some point). He doesn't have the side-sprig. The second picture shows some of the girls with a couple of the boys, and in this picture you can see what I mean about the comb.

Hi, Glad you found this thread. Did you know that there is a Dorking Breeder's Club?
http://www.dorkingbreedersclub.webs.com/

Sounds like you have a good plan. If you have the APA SOP and read the first section of the book, that might help with some of your questions, since it has illustrations. If you are looking for photos of perfect Dorkings, those don't exist, unfortunately.

My only concern about what you have written is the side sprigs. Those will keep popping up if you use the breeders with them. I just had to cull a good quantity of otherwise nice birds because I did not realize how dominant that trait was. I wasn't able to see it in your photos, though. Can you get a close up, so we can see if it's actually side sprigs? The other comb issue may be split comb, but again, I could not tell by the pic.

I like to free range all the youngsters together for as long as possible. When the boys start getting too rough, I separate them. I've found that it really depends on the group, how many you can keep together.

 

[countrygoddess]

Hi, Glad you found this thread. Did you know that there is a Dorking Breeder's Club?
http://www.dorkingbreedersclub.webs.com/

Sounds like you have a good plan. If you have the APA SOP and read the first section of the book, that might help with some of your questions, since it has illustrations. If you are looking for photos of perfect Dorkings, those don't exist, unfortunately.

My only concern about what you have written is the side sprigs. Those will keep popping up if you use the breeders with them. I just had to cull a good quantity of otherwise nice birds because I did not realize how dominant that trait was. I wasn't able to see it in your photos, though. Can you get a close up, so we can see if it's actually side sprigs? The other comb issue may be split comb, but again, I could not tell by the pic.

I like to free range all the youngsters together for as long as possible. When the boys start getting too rough, I separate them. I've found that it really depends on the group, how many you can keep together.

Yes, I belong to the Dorking Breeder's Club but it doesn't seem very active. I've posted questions, etc., and never gotten answers. That's okay--this forum is very helpful, and I know they are there if I need to get hold of a nearby breeder.

That's good to know about the side sprigs, although kind of a bummer because he's my biggest and has the best body shape. =( I went out to get better pics, but it's snowing and very cold and I was finding it very difficult because none of the birds wanted to come out where I could get a good picture. LOL I'll try again later. It's definitely a side sprig--like a small comb point coming out of the side of the comb.

I'm beginning to think that maybe I just shouldn't have the three "families" right away. Maybe I should just choose the one or two best cockerels for 2013 and then expand to my original plan for 2014. Something else I forgot to mention: I think one of my boys has a wry tail. It hadn't become noticeable yet when I chose my 4 cockerels, but I'm seeing it now. It straightens up when he runs--does that mean he's just lazy with how he holds it, or is that a true wry tail? And if it is, how dominant is that defect?

 

[countrygoddess]

I just added some more pictures of the pullets to my album.

 

[capayvalleychick]

I know from experience that the side sprigs will keep coming back, so those are definite culls if you are breeding to the Standard. I don't know how dominant wry tails are... I culled the one & only example of that in my flock. I am seeing the sort of lazy tail behavior in some of my cockerels. It looks different from the pullet with a true wry tail. I can't really comment on that with any certainty.

I've gotten my best advice from breeders that have decades of experience and APA judges as mentors. They do seem to recommend using your best, even if it's just a trio.

Your pullets look nice.

 

[RedBugPoultry]

Yes, I belong to the Dorking Breeder's Club but it doesn't seem very active. I've posted questions, etc., and never gotten answers. That's okay--this forum is very helpful, and I know they are there if I need to get hold of a nearby breeder.

That's good to know about the side sprigs, although kind of a bummer because he's my biggest and has the best body shape. =( I went out to get better pics, but it's snowing and very cold and I was finding it very difficult because none of the birds wanted to come out where I could get a good picture. LOL I'll try again later. It's definitely a side sprig--like a small comb point coming out of the side of the comb.

I'm beginning to think that maybe I just shouldn't have the three "families" right away. Maybe I should just choose the one or two best cockerels for 2013 and then expand to my original plan for 2014. Something else I forgot to mention: I think one of my boys has a wry tail. It hadn't become noticeable yet when I chose my 4 cockerels, but I'm seeing it now. It straightens up when he runs--does that mean he's just lazy with how he holds it, or is that a true wry tail? And if it is, how dominant is that defect?

Sorry to hear about you SG roos side sprigs. I purchased a trio of SG Dorking chicks from a woman early this spring and got 2 cockerels and a pullet instead of 2 pullet-- but long story short one of the roos I got had exactly what you are talking about with a side sprig on his comb. He was the nicest built boy also of the two. I had heard so much about side sprigs with my Marans that I decided early not to breed him. Anyway, I lost my pullet and both boys ended up on the table and tasted great! I am now sticking with my Red Dorkings for a while.

 

[Framac]

On further review, I am interested in Dorkings in any color but White. If someone is close to me, I would love to pick up Chicks in the spring. Again I am in Upstate NY.

Framac

 

[Yellow House Farm]

CountryGoddess, well have to get you down to the NH Poultry Fanciers Association (straight down 89 near Concord, NH) and the North Eastern Poultry Congress (straight down 91, in Springfield, MA) There are several new breeders of Dorkings in NE, we need to start meeting up. Let's make 2013 the year NE Dorking breeders come out of their closet.

Do start families right off the start. Do it matrilinearly. If you end up with two males, that's perfect. Retain three to four of your best females. Use one male over two of the females, and the other male over the other two. Have them four females separate, if possible, when the breeding season comes and alternate the males between their two females. Hatch out the chicks in such a way that you're sure who's the mother of whom. Toe punch each chick immediately with the punch that represents the particular female. As you move forward, keep all daughters, granddaughters, great-granddaughters, etc... in the same pen as the original mother. Never use a son in the pen of his mother. This is referred to as clan breeding at it will do just fine for you, protecting from in-breeding, while still in-breeding enough by not introducing superfluous blood.