B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[pysankigirl]

Okay, so I was reading up on "heritage chickens" and "they" said what made a breed heritage (presumably beyond just the historical existance?) is that they will lay less per year but longer (5-7 years verses 3 years)

so is that bunk or true for dorkings? just wondering...I'd be thrilled if it were. I do intend on keeping my girls after they stop just because I think they deserve to live out their lives but I'd love it if they were producing a little..

 

[RedBugPoultry]

Cuties!


I bought some ceramic eggs to use this coming year, to try to induce some broodiness in my girls. The eggs look so real! I'll have to mark them to tell the difference between the real eggs.

You actually get to where you can feel the difference in the weight.

 

[ki4got]

Quote: i took real dorking eggs, blew out the contents (small hole at each end, used a syringe to push air in to get egg out the other end), then once they'd dried, taped up one end and used a syringe/needle to put plaster of paris back in... the weight is nearly identical to the real thing, but even in the dark i can feel the difference, for the teeny holes on each end. and the birds seem to prefer them to the wooden or plastic eggs and golf balls i've tried.

 

[pysankigirl]

I've thought about doing that...I even have the tools to blow them out really easilly but my lazy butt has never gone to get the plaster of paris!

where do you get it, anyway?


it's raining. all my plans of outdoor work are shot. might as well make some fake eggs!

 

[ashandvine]

I thought about using plaster before- glad to know you can without issues. I have a marble egg that I leave in there. Its yellow but they come all kinds of colors. Much less messy

So this will sound odd. I was thinking of history this morning. I went out and found that my Dorking cockerel has decided he is going to put on big boy pants now that I took the Orp cockerel out of the same pen. He is crowing now and has started mounting girls and taken to trying to stand up to my new turkey tom. It is rather interesting to see his small shape against the turkey who puffs up his whole body not just his hackles. The Dorking looks like a fancy umbrella BUT he is persistent and the posture he keeps while challenging the tom reminds me strongly of their history with the Romans and cockfighting's historical popularity. It was a moment of relating my moment in this morning to many mornings in history with the same breed and people long gone. A bit surreal.

 

[ki4got]

I've thought about doing that...I even have the tools to blow them out really easilly but my lazy butt has never gone to get the plaster of paris!

where do you get it, anyway?

it's raining. all my plans of outdoor work are shot. might as well make some fake eggs!

I got mine from Michael's, but any craft supply store will carry it. AC Moore, etc.

I thought about using plaster before- glad to know you can without issues. I have a marble egg that I leave in there. Its yellow but they come all kinds of colors. Much less messy

So this will sound odd. I was thinking of history this morning. I went out and found that my Dorking cockerel has decided he is going to put on big boy pants now that I took the Orp cockerel out of the same pen. He is crowing now and has started mounting girls and taken to trying to stand up to my new turkey tom. It is rather interesting to see his small shape against the turkey who puffs up his whole body not just his hackles. The Dorking looks like a fancy umbrella BUT he is persistent and the posture he keeps while challenging the tom reminds me strongly of their history with the Romans and cockfighting's historical popularity. It was a moment of relating my moment in this morning to many mornings in history with the same breed and people long gone. A bit surreal.

the plaster works well, as long as it's inside a casing of some sort. like an egg shell or plastic easter egg, etc.

I was amazed (and totally in love with) their capacity for protecting their own and fending off bullies, while still remaining totally peaceful and mellow with anyone not trying to start something. that says a lot for a breed IMO. i dislike the game breed personalities because they seem to think everyone wants a fight (my oegb were fine while caged but would go after anything that moved when free ranged).

i refuse to keep a bird who shows any signs of agression toward people especially, or any of my other assorted animals on the property (even my wimpy cats). the dorkings give the cats enough attitude that the cats don't want to hang around, they share grain with my horses very nicely (tho one girl did get several feathers rudely pulled when my mini stepped on her), etc. the only time anyone has shown any agression at all, is if hubby's a bit slow in getting the grain out to them. LOL then he's mobbed and can hardly creep along without worrying about stepping on someone. i usually toss a handfull off to the side and watch them all run for it, so i can make my move more easily. LOL

i love free ranging my dorkings. unfortunately, my last 5 dorking eggs to hatch, all have the rose comb of my BLRW rooster... guess i didn't get him put up fast enough. and now he's back out ranging because i rescued a dozen bantam cochins today and needed that pen for them.

 

[pysankigirl]

oops!

 

[pysankigirl]

Okay...so what terminology do other chicken breeds use for "colored"?
What I mean is...in dorkings it is called "colored"...in other breeds it would be __________?

 

[RedBugPoultry]

i took real dorking eggs, blew out the contents (small hole at each end, used a syringe to push air in to get egg out the other end), then once they'd dried, taped up one end and used a syringe/needle to put plaster of paris back in... the weight is nearly identical to the real thing, but even in the dark i can feel the difference, for the teeny holes on each end. and the birds seem to prefer them to the wooden or plastic eggs and golf balls i've tried.

Neat idea--where does one get plaster-of-paris?

Oh, I should have read further....

 

[RedBugPoultry]

I was banding a few of my new Red Dorking chicks today that I am pretty sure are little cockerels and one got upset with me and bit me! And held on! Wonder what that says for attitude or temperament?