B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[Yellow House Farm]

That's very sweet of you!
I was just looking at all the chickens I was thinking about trying for this year; and the Dorkings were kind of hinged on my Welfare Java order, which I had thought I wouldn't be able to do, mostly because of space issues.... and I realized how excited I was for the silly Dorkings!
But this afternoon my white Orpington plan fell through, so good and bad news: good news is that my coop won't be full of Orpingtons so I might get the Dorkings!

Bad news is that I wanted white Orpingtons!!

Further bad news is that now I have to wait for the Javas to become available

Well, perhaps you're supposed to dedicate yourself to White Dorkings instead. They're rather lovely.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Wing-bands and toe-punches play a key role in breeding programs.

 

[yinepu]

Wing-bands and toe-punches play a key role in breeding programs.

yup.. which is why I asked about them

 

[Rock N' Faverolles]

That's the rooster and a hen. Again just want to see if anyone can let us know if they are dorkings or not.

They look to be silver penciled plymouth rocks. The male has a single comb and I can't see the female's comb. They are not dorkings. Sorry

 

[DownwardDog]

Well, perhaps you're supposed to dedicate yourself to White Dorkings instead.  They're rather lovely.

YHF, I emailed you yesterday

In general, how many eggs do Dorkings lay in the summer vs. winter?
Thanks,
Lenore

 

[BlackPanther]

Well, perhaps you're supposed to dedicate yourself to White Dorkings instead. They're rather lovely.

LOL I picked the silver greys because I was looking for something with a sweet disposition that laid big eggs and had pretty-patterned hens. I was stuck between the reds and those until I found that the silver-greys were relatively easy to get.

 

[ki4got]

Quote: they're also relatively easy to sex at hatch too. not that it matters, i grow them all out, but i just like to know.

 

[BlackPanther]

So do I! It must be the Silver-Grey-ness that has me so excited!

 

[dalalune]

Wing bands – what size bands work best with Dorkings and what is the earliest age you can band them? It would be best for record keeping to be able to do it as early as possible, but would a wing band as big as one needed for an adult Dorking be too cumbersome for a day or two old chick? Leg bands, even the alum. ones, just do not last long. If a plastic band were to make it on a bird for 3 or more seasons, the numbers are usually illegible by then. I like the idea of using spiral legs bands for quick I.D. purposes and the wing bands as permanent individual markers. I just want something that I can permanently tag a chick with that I do not need to worry that it will interfere with the bird’s growth and will be readable long into adult life.

My current system requires constant supervision since the birds quickly out grow their legs bands. I have had some birds grow so fast that the bands became too tight very quickly and had the be "surgically removed".

 

[yinepu]

Wing bands – what size bands work best with Dorkings and what is the earliest age you can band them? It would be best for record keeping to be able to do it as early as possible, but would a wing band as big as one needed for an adult Dorking be too cumbersome for a day or two old chick? Leg bands, even the alum. ones, just do not last long. If a plastic band were to make it on a bird for 3 or more seasons, the numbers are usually illegible by then. I like the idea of using spiral legs bands for quick I.D. purposes and the wing bands as permanent individual markers. I just want something that I can permanently tag a chick with that I do not need to worry that it will interfere with the bird’s growth and will be readable long into adult life.

My current system requires constant supervision since the birds quickly out grow their legs bands. I have had some birds grow so fast that the bands became too tight very quickly and had the be "surgically removed".

I know that the hatcheries that wing band chicks do it at hatch while sexing them.. so the wing band should be fine on a tiny chick.. The only issue i have seen was where a chick had gotten the end of the band over their wing tip and no one straightened it back out.. so it started cutting into the flesh as the chick grew. I only saw the one incidence of it reported.. so I am guessing it's pretty rare..just something to be on the lookout for.

i asked about sizes for Dorkings as well.. but it seems that the Jiffy bands only come in one size and people seem to find that it works well for Dorkings.. so that's what I will be using on mine (Thanks again Karen for the info and suggestions!)