B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[melissaG]

Love my lil Silver dorking pair! (Hoss and Bertha) We're planning on getting a few more soon. Marking my spot on the thread

Hi y'all

 

[Rockashelle]

Love my lil Silver dorking pair! (Hoss and Bertha) We're planning on getting a few more soon.  Marking my spot on the thread Hi y'all

They are addictive for sure! Enjoy!

 

[Rockashelle]

Oh, thanks, didn't know we were talking about the same person lol. Wow I'm so with it, guess I should try and get some sleep but like they say. "I can rest when they bury me".....

 

Theres too much work to do to rest! That's two people in your PM now. Wendy & Sherri.

 

[melissaG]

They are addictive for sure! Enjoy!

Thank you!
With that temperament and mannerisms, how could they not be !

 

[greenhorn]

Theres too much work to do to rest! That's two people in your PM now. Wendy & Sherri.

Yes and thank you very much for helping Rockashelle. Also like the subtle way you worked that so I'd know there were 2 nice ladies looking for whites. Not being sarcastic either... I try and avoid that due to my lack of skills in that area. People sometimes think I'm being sarcastic when I'm really not. Happened a few posts ago even.

Anyway I'll send her a message this morning before I head out to feed the birds. Draining the fermented grains and fodder as we speak.

Not sure how many more birds we can promise out this season though. Laying seems to have slowed down a little bit, only 6 eggs last night and 3 were from the blacks. Folks wanting white chicks or eggs may have to wait til after the spring hatch.

Not complaining, I'm actually surprised about how many folks are interested in the whites. Kind of figured they were so rare because most folks like colorful birds. Anyway that's also a great thing. Maybe after a short while YH and I and the others getting birds can help spread them around. I may start weeding out less serious prospects though. I really would like to get them to folks who are serious about helping improve rather than hooking somebody up with some nice rare "showy birds" for somebody's lawn ornaments. Not saying that's a bad thing but probably not the best thing for a breed that's in such dire need for serious breeders. Eventually it would be awesome to see folks keeping white dorkings on their lawns for show.... When we have so many out there that it's no longer an issue.

Oh, I have chicks hatching in my new homemade hatcher/incubator this morning. Seems to have worked pretty good even though I was still fine tuning it through the hatch. Was a small hatch so not a huge issue. Only have 3 eggs from my #1 bird in there. This was before I started putting him in coop #2. Had #2 rooster in there with the 2 whites that currently reside in there. This way I can get more eggs from our best Rooster. Both coops have our best hens divided up.

So much to do. Need to start designing my website next.

Anyway I'm rambling again....

Thanks big time Rockashelle.

 

[foxflower]

I can't read through 3000+ pages to find a breeder. Would you all tell me where I can acquire some silver or colored dorking hatching eggs?

 

[bethbug74]

I can't read through 3000+ pages to find a breeder.  Would you all tell me where I can acquire some silver or colored dorking hatching eggs?

I have eggs. Website is www.compoundpoultry.weebly.com

PM me.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Hi Foxflower,
For silver grey dorking eggs (not chicks) try:
http://www.blackdiamondguestranch.com/index-3chicken.html or
http://horstmanspoultry.com/largefowlhome/silvergreydorking.html

I know both of these breeders have wonderful birds.

This hatchery is now advertising eggs: http://www.strombergschickens.com/product/Silver-Gray-Dorking-Standard-Eggs-/Fertile-Chicken-Eggs I have ordered chicks (other breeds, not dorkings) from them, and were quite happy, but do not know anything about the quality of their dorking breeders.

If you google for chicks (as opposed to eggs), you can often find some established breeders that offer eggs in addition to chicks, but don't show up on the google search for eggs.

There may be waiting lists at many or all breeders, since all these birds are rare but people really want them.

The silver greys are the most popular and available. The colored birds are even more rare and it will likely be hard to find eggs. You may have to get chicks if you can't find a source for eggs. The only "hatchery" that I know of that has colored chicks is Sandhill Preservation Center: http://www.sandhillpreservation.com/. They also have silver grey chicks. They are not a traditional hatchery, so the wait will likely be long and the customer service not a priority, but they have breeds that are difficult to find elsewhere. For hatchery chicks in the silver greys, most people recommend McMurray (http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/index.html), most people don't like the birds from Ideal (too flighty), and Farwest is unable to supply chicks this year.

 

[Kilsharion]

Hi Foxflower,
For silver grey dorking eggs (not chicks) try:
http://www.blackdiamondguestranch.com/index-3chicken.html or
http://horstmanspoultry.com/largefowlhome/silvergreydorking.html

I know both of these breeders have wonderful birds.

This hatchery is now advertising eggs: http://www.strombergschickens.com/product/Silver-Gray-Dorking-Standard-Eggs-/Fertile-Chicken-Eggs I have ordered chicks (other breeds, not dorkings) from them, and were quite happy, but do not know anything about the quality of their dorking breeders.

If you google for chicks (as opposed to eggs), you can often find some established breeders that offer eggs in addition to chicks, but don't show up on the google search for eggs.

There may be waiting lists at many or all breeders, since all these birds are rare but people really want them.

The silver greys are the most popular and available. The colored birds are even more rare and it will likely be hard to find eggs. You may have to get chicks if you can't find a source for eggs. The only "hatchery" that I know of that has colored chicks is Sandhill Preservation Center: http://www.sandhillpreservation.com/. They also have silver grey chicks. They are not a traditional hatchery, so the wait will likely be long and the customer service not a priority, but they have breeds that are difficult to find elsewhere. For hatchery chicks in the silver greys, most people recommend McMurray (http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/index.html), most people don't like the birds from Ideal (too flighty), and Farwest is unable to supply chicks this year.

Dick is having fertility problems so his waiting list is backed up quite a ways (I'm still waiting on mine that were due to be delivered the last week of March).

Jeanne at Black Diamond is very, very nice. She gets confused easily, so be very clear with her. She will not ship until May since she's located in Montana. Their weather just doesn't make for a good shipping schedule until around then. She's got me slated for 24 Reds (she does the rose combs) and 12 SGDs. Looking forward to receiving them.

You often have to get on waiting lists the year before to make it in the spring hatch for the following year.

Several hatcheries carry SGD chicks - McMurray and Ideal. I've heard people complain about Ideal; and, I can attest to the frequent fence hopping (and sometimes deliberate crossing) that happens there. McMurray supposedly has some decent stock. Ideal...not so much. Every one of the chicks I've seen from there has had pretty long legs and not quite as stout as I'd expect. However, I actually have a few from Ideal that are colouring in wonderfully. They are also very non-flighty though a couple of them are not the brightest bulbs in the chandelier.

Sandhill - be prepared to wait. They are very slow to fulfill orders. Though, I've heard some mixed reviews about their stock.

Duane Urch still sells SGDs. I'm not sure that he still has any available this season, though.

MyPetChicken also sells SGDs - they are sold out for this season.

My breeder list is at home so I am forgetting people (trying not to cross my Red breeders with my SGD breeders). But, anyway - my 2¢ for what it's worth

 

[foxflower]

thank you all 3 I was thinking about ordering some other birds from Stromberg but have been hesitant because I want birds with the traditional characteristics. I have never ordered from Strombergs before so don't know about the quality. It's probably the cheaper way to go. I've ordered from Sandhill and McMurray before but they don't have CA grays, which I can get from Strombergs. I've also had mixed success with Sandhill Preservation breeds....some great, others horrid. I looked at the Montaná breeders website and am not sure I want to pay that much right now. We'll see; I know quality rare breed eggs can cost a lot. Thanks again for the information. I really want to try this breed. They sound like birds our family would really enjoy.