B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[kimberly35042]

Quote:
You are funny. I can't see putting blue in them (as pretty as that pullet is), but ultimately, they are YOUR birds. Breed for what YOU want. I think there is nothing more lovely than a brightly coloured golden cockbird. Borrowed photo from the web, but Jim was kind enough to share eggs with me and he had beautiful birds. Just don't lose sight of that big beautiful type in a quest for "x" color. I'm sure others will disagree, but at the end of the day, I'm the one feeding them and looking at them.

 

[pysankigirl]

You are funny. I can't see putting blue in them (as pretty as that pullet is), but ultimately, they are YOUR birds. Breed for what YOU want. I think there is nothing more lovely than a brightly coloured golden cockbird. Borrowed photo from the web, but Jim was kind enough to share eggs with me and he had beautiful birds. Just don't lose sight of that big beautiful type in a quest for "x" color. I'm sure others will disagree, but at the end of the day, I'm the one feeding them and looking at them.

And I am trying to chose the biggest ones with the best combs and feet. don't know about body shape yet...too young still. that is one of the reasons I am thrilled with these two. they are the biggest two girls. and they have great feet and combs. dont know about ear lobe color yet, as that seems to be a problem with all of my options so far.

They are my obvious choices for females, honestly, for all the traits I am looking for. but my options are farly limited on the cockerels. The two that would be my best choice for size have side sprigs on their combs.

There is one other guy who has decent size and comb and although his feet aren't perfect, (rear toes a little too connected) they aren't awful either, but he is almost entirely grey. I was hoping for something resembling a colored male out of all of them and that one has the dreaded side sprigs...not sure about his color, either, though too much red maybe? might not have the di gene

Now trying to look past the grey (because grey is really black with a dilution gene easilly isolated and will still throw 25% black (=colored base?) he does have a bit of the golden coloration in his hackles. so given his size and lack of side sprigs, he might be my best bet. but yeah, wish for a different color, one more like that second girl I showed you guys would be perfect.

but breeding for size, not color, right?

how bad are side sprigs...I have heard they are really hard to get rid of and they are the first things to cull for?

 

[kimberly35042]

I'm not even sure I can consider the "minor details" yet...gah! Maybe in the fall. We have embarked on a "freezer project"
so they all get 6 months to see how they mature *lol*

I have a big red growing out but his toes are a mess (see the crooked toe?). I think I have a pair that look like the black headed pullet you showed. Too young to see any size and/or type yet. Only black with gold color.

 

[ki4got]

in your quest for size, don't forget that dorkings take a while to mature, so the faster growing ones may not be your biggest ones... so don't judge them too soon. i would say wait until 5-6 months old, if you can wait that long, before doing a size assessment.

 

[pysankigirl]

I'm not even sure I can consider the "minor details" yet...gah! Maybe in the fall. We have embarked on a "freezer project"
so they all get 6 months to see how they mature *lol*

I have a big red growing out but his toes are a mess (see the crooked toe?). I think I have a pair that look like the black headed pullet you showed. Too young to see any size and/or type yet. Only black with gold color.

I THINK the girls are similar to the colored we are looking for...interesting stippling on them! but I am no expert. they look pretty to me! are these from sandhill or Ki4got?

 

[pysankigirl]

I keep going back to that photo....who owns those birds and why cant I order eggs from them!!!???!!!

oh, well...

 

[kimberly35042]

haha -- I DROVE to Tennessee to get those eggs!!! If Craig was closer, I'd drive there! Jim's birds originated from Sandhill, but he's had them for some years now.

The youngsters in the pictures are from Jim's eggs. The barring is most likely just baby feather. Couple weeks should know for sure.

Ki4got -- YES! Like I said at least 6 months for everyone=Aug-Sep. Ideally I'd like 8-9 months so could wait till cooler days of October. I want type as much as size and some strains could mature more slowly or quickly.

I also came home with a nice adult hen from Jim, but I wasn't happy with the rooster so I sold him. Icing on the cake is eggs coming from Rudy next week. Then hopefully I will end up with enough stock by spring to start making some decisions (if not sooner)!

 

[ki4got]

I keep going back to that photo....who owns those birds and why cant I order eggs from them!!!???!!!

oh, well...

i think those ones kim posted are mine, the rose comb one tho looks like one of my wyandotte/dork mixes...

i'll have tons of eggs with me at gilmanor (glen allen, tomorrow, 8am-?? - bring egg cartons tho if you want some, i'm out).

they'd be free ranged eggs from all dorking hens, but possible roos are - 2 sg dorkings, 2 red dorkings, 1 blrw, 1 crested/featherfooted ee roo. i'll also have my blrw hens' eggs & EE eggs (same roos) and some pure mille fleur bantam cochin eggs (14 of them) from my one and only (for now) breeding pen (which now consists of 2 roos and 2 hens, since 3 went broody!)

 

[kimberly35042]

Your group is younger...
I have one weeble chick for sure but the rest look dorking.

 

[pysankigirl]

I am absolutely thrilled that multiple people are doing the colored projects because it just adds for genetic diversity down the line. Hopefully we are going to all end up with the same dilution genetics that won't go all wonky if we try out another line with them.