B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[tgrlily]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

Quote:
Hmmm... I just switched to a higher protein food myself this week... maybe I'll add some special treats, boiled eggs and such, and see if that makes a difference. I don't have my red roo anymore...

He passed last summer. I think I broke his will to live when I pulled him from the breeding pen. The girls were picking on him something fierce! He just kind of moped around for a few months, and then one day I found him in the yard, lifeless.

*sigh*
Thank you for the encouragement...

:

That's so sad!!

Well, if things keep looking up here, I'll be able to send you eggs from our little flock. I've gotten this wrapping & packing thing down to a science!!​

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
Hmmm... I just switched to a higher protein food myself this week... maybe I'll add some special treats, boiled eggs and such, and see if that makes a difference. I don't have my red roo anymore...

He passed last summer. I think I broke his will to live when I pulled him from the breeding pen. The girls were picking on him something fierce! He just kind of moped around for a few months, and then one day I found him in the yard, lifeless.

*sigh*
Thank you for the encouragement...

:

That's so sad!!

Well, if things keep looking up here, I'll be able to send you eggs from our little flock. I've gotten this wrapping & packing thing down to a science!!

Thank you Renee, it's definitely time for some new blood!

 

[tgrlily]

I finally figured out how to post a poll.

Please check it out! The Dorking Poll

 

[BlackBart]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

Quote:
Hi Tori!
We just got fertility up this last hatch. Started with 9 eggs, 2 were infertile & 6 hatched! It's about time!

Before that, I was tossing most of them & getting really frustrated. I was lucky to have any make lockdown. I did add my back-up cockerel to the mix, but other than that I made no change. Could it be a seasonal thing? Maybe adding vitamins to their water would help.

Lucky!! I only have one boy, 2 silver grey hens, and one red hen. That's all I have to work with after 2 years.

My boy, Junior, is beautiful... I get a lump in my throat when I look at him. I've seen him doing his job, and I even trimmed his feathers again this evening. Spring is finally here... I want chicks!!

Someone had posted some info about a book on breeding Dorkings... perhaps they require extra nutrition that they're not getting with the commercial pellets??​

Only two of mine lay a pure white egg the rest are off white.
I noticed that my Dorkings eat a lot and they seem to need extras. They love beyond any doubt, porridge with whole flaxseed in it.
They are slow to mature and start their real business a bit later than most breeds. The few people I know that have them, have put a light on them.
Mine have just started to pick up and one is already broody.

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

If anyone lives around (or willing to drive to) Kansas City and want Silver Grey chicks, I am hatching them like crazy. I have decided to go Red all the way and would prefer to sell these and buy the reds. Let me know if you are interested.

Dave

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
Thank you for the info.

One of my hens is almost 3 year old... one is a year old, and one is just starting to lay. My Rooster is over a year old. Didn't do squat last year either. We have plenty of light now, and the snow is melting fast. All 3 are laying, but not fertile. I've upped their pellets to the 20% (it's almost $20/50# sack now) and will supplement with other sources of protein. I will make up some oatmeal for them... and I have whole flaxseed.

They ARE slow to mature, but this is their second season... they're about to be cut from the program if they don't produce something soon!! The way feed prices are going up, I can't afford to feed many freeloaders, no matter HOW much I love the breed.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
...and Dave, shush... that's just torture!!

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

Quote:
...and Dave, shush... that's just torture!!

ROFL... Sorry about that...​

 

[BlackBart]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

Quote:
Thank you for the info.

One of my hens is almost 3 year old... one is a year old, and one is just starting to lay. My Rooster is over a year old. Didn't do squat last year either. We have plenty of light now, and the snow is melting fast. All 3 are laying, but not fertile. I've upped their pellets to the 20% (it's almost $20/50# sack now) and will supplement with other sources of protein. I will make up some oatmeal for them... and I have whole flaxseed.

They ARE slow to mature, but this is their second season... they're about to be cut from the program if they don't produce something soon!! The way feed prices are going up, I can't afford to feed many freeloaders, no matter HOW much I love the breed.

Where did you get your birds? If your ever on Vancouver Island I know of several good breeders.​

 

[tgrlily]

Quote:
Lucky!! I only have one boy, 2 silver grey hens, and one red hen. That's all I have to work with after 2 years.

My boy, Junior, is beautiful... I get a lump in my throat when I look at him. I've seen him doing his job, and I even trimmed his feathers again this evening. Spring is finally here... I want chicks!!

Someone had posted some info about a book on breeding Dorkings... perhaps they require extra nutrition that they're not getting with the commercial pellets??

Only two of mine lay a pure white egg the rest are off white.
I noticed that my Dorkings eat a lot and they seem to need extras. They love beyond any doubt, porridge with whole flaxseed in it.
They are slow to mature and start their real business a bit later than most breeds. The few people I know that have them, have put a light on them.
Mine have just started to pick up and one is already broody.

Mine don't seem to need a lot of extras. They are our best foragers and spend most of the day away from the coop if they can. Not that they don't like their treats -- little buggers'll follow me right into the kitchen! AND they ate more of my tomatoes than we did last summer. I guess they're foraging for the good stuff. I have a pic somewhere of one of them jumping up in the air for a piece of cheese.

Weird pet tricks!

If you're on & haven't done it yet, please see The Dorking Poll! Including myself, 13 people have participated so far.