B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[3littlebirds]

I really agree with Joseph (Yellow House Farm) and think everyone should give his last post a good read. If you are going to breed and sell birds, why not produce the best quality birds possible?

 

[greenhorn]

I really agree with Joseph (Yellow House Farm) and think everyone should give his last post a good read. If you are going to breed and sell birds, why not produce the best quality birds possible?

After reading YHF's post i figured out this thread is for Dorking lovers. Serious breeders can offer advice but must walk on thin ice while doing so.

 

[ki4got]

Quote: IMO, if you don't love what you're doing, why do it at all? so in that respect, i would hope that "serious" dorking breeders are also dorking lovers... though i'm sure the reverse isn't always true, you can be a dorking lover and simply keep them as a backyard flock. i know several in my area who do, but have no desire to hatch eggs or raise chicks, or in any way help improve the breed.

 

[Kilsharion]

After reading YHF's post i figured out this thread is for Dorking lovers. Serious breeders can offer advice but must walk on thin ice while doing so.

Not sure why. Serious breeders can certainly say whatever they want to say about their breeding options. Just because serious breeders approach things a certain way doesn't mean the fancier or more relaxed breeder has to walk in lockstep. Posting how you do things is never a problem, I wouldn't think. It's when you post in such a way as to proverbially smack anyone in the face who doesn't do what you do that things become problematic.

We each have our own approaches to things. Respecting those differences helps to promote open discussion that can bring a new thought into being that otherwise would not exist if everyone did exactly everything the same way. Differences are good - they promote thought outside of our own, individual boxes. They challenge stagnant thinking and promote positive growth not only for the breed but the breeder.

That's all that is needed - respect. From the Dorking fancier who doesn't breed seriously in a focused manner....And, likewise, respect from the serious breeder for the Dorking fancier. Nothing more than that. We all love Dorkings. We all want the breed to grow and recover their quality. Some are more focused than others on the return to certain 'standards' for the birds. Some of us have a different idea of the standards we are trying to achieve and go about our breeding programs with various levels of rigidity - and, some don't care one whit about the standard and just want more of the wonderful birds so don't cull unless absolutely necessary (these are the ones I tend to call fanciers).

Regardless of how each and every one of us approaches it - we are all of the mind that these are wonderful birds. Trying to "speak" here in a way that does not belittle or textually "backhand" someone for how they approach things is all that is requested. It's hard, sometimes, to word yourself in a way that gets your point across without coming across condescending or belittling....I know - it's been a lifelong struggle for me.

But, I would think all those who love and appreciate the Dorking should be welcome here, equally. I know I benefit from reading about how WHF does his breeding just as much as I benefit from reading how Ki4got approaches the care and maintenance of her flock. Not in the same way, maybe...but, I do benefit from information both have shared. To eliminate that just because approaches are different or goals are different seems to be counterproductive.

Anyway - just my 2¢. Take it for what it's worth.

Respectfully,
K

 

[cukooformarans]

I second kilsharion. We were typing at the same time but she worded it better. The only thing I will ad is that the only way to get along is to remember that as long as we are honest about what we have and meeting our birds needs, there is nothing morally or ethically wrong with being a purist just as there is nothing morally or ethically wrong with not being a purist. And, frankly, there is a market for both. I hope that you will not go to just lurking, YHF, as one of the things i look forward to reading on this thread is your posts.


Oh yes, and sandiklaws breeding strategy has me intrigued and I look forward to following it and maybe purchasing eggs from her one day!

 

[neopolitancrazy]

I believe Miss Manners said that one must be thick-skinned to interact socially, and it seems we have at least one thin-skinned person on this thread. I do not understand why anyone would think a poster who has criticized the management choices of other Dorking admirers should not in turn receive honest criticism of their own management practices. In any event, I prefer to read as many honest opinions as possible, to broaden my own horizons, and sometimes to correct my own course. I hope this recent tempest in a teacup does not dissuade any passionately honest breeder from sharing their opinions, strategies and higher standards.
Sincerely,
Angela

 

[greenhorn]

Sure but how many serious Dorking breeders actually frequent this thread? You rarely see the kind of input that YellowHouse offers and now he has gone into lurk mode. Can't say I blame him either.... I've found one new site that serious breeders visit ad I'm sure there are more. Not saying that I'm not going to read this thread from time to time but I'm off to find a forum that has more serious discussion about serious breeding. There are a couple other threads here at BYC that I enjoy reading so I'll be around. Don't worry, know I won't be missed lol.

 

[sandiklaws]

I second kilsharion. We were typing at the same time but she worded it better. The only thing I will ad is that the only way to get along is to remember that as long as we are honest about what we have and meeting our birds needs, there is nothing morally or ethically wrong with being a purist just as there is nothing morally or ethically wrong with not being a purist. And, frankly, there is a market for both. I hope that you will not go to just lurking, YHF, as one of the things i look forward to reading on this thread is your posts.


Oh yes, and sandiklaws breeding strategy has me intrigued and I look forward to following it and maybe purchasing eggs from her one day!

Thanks, I am planning on this being a 10 year project before having enough generations culled for sale.... so you might have a bit of a wait

 

[cukooformarans]

Well my first response was to say that is too long to wait!! But, on second thought, no one can say you are not going for quality if you plan to breed for a decade without selling eggs! Lol

 

[pysankigirl]

Joseph-

I found your description of yourself enlightening. After reading your post, I do think that you come at this from a different angle from many of the people here. This is “Backyard chickens.com”. And most of us don’t look at them with a purely clinical eye. I daresay that 90% of the people on this site have never been to a poultry show. I know I haven’t. To you they are either worth something as show birds or they are not worth anything at all. To the Backyard chicken owner/breeder all their chickens are worth something if they lay eggs, get meat from them, or simply are restful to watch scratch and peck as you drink your coffee on your front porch in the morning.

I don’t know you and you don’t know me. But please believe that there is no anger in my heart as I write this, only sadness because it seems like we are not going to get out of this without someone packing up their toys and going home. But perhaps you don’t realize that the respect that you command and your intensity in your opinion is a sword that makes your words bite so much harder than some others.

I remember a few months ago when I first started talking about getting eggs from Craig Russell having to put myself into “time out” to try to not be upset by a few of your posts before responding. Perhaps you didn’t know...You are so vehement that your opinions are the right ones that it is intimidating to go against them. So people are afraid to talk about something here that they know that you’d disagree with.

But your opinions are colored by what you think is important, as are mine. And we may not agree on what we think is important. But respectfully disagreeing is part of life.

Personally, My opinions about SOP’s are tainted by being someone who loved and championed a dog breed that I wish had never gone AKC… before Leonbergers went AKC you had to do all kinds of health testing and be 3 generations clear of hip dysplasia before you were allowed to get a pedigree for your dog’s litter. Now that they are AKC, no health testing required. The AKC will give a pedigree to anyone as long as the parents are both AKC pedigree’d. And breeding dogs just to have the look needed to win at shows has turned a lot of dog breeds from useful to preposterous: witness what has happened to the German shepherd…so many health problems caused by wanting that weird low stance in the rear. As a result, my respect for official animal organizations and the beauty pageants they sponsor is jaded. And there are many breeds that haven’t even gotten APA recognition yet. Does that mean they aren’t real breeds? Was the Leonberger not a breed before it was recognized by the AKC?

So yeah: coming at this from different directions. But I don’t think it is the end of the world. It takes all kinds and if we were all the same, life would be really friggin’ boring. But respecting other’s right to have different opinions is what I love about this country and I heartilly believe we should strive to do that here.