B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[RedBugPoultry]

We have one generation away from Sandhill Red Dorkings here and they are a work in progress. With warmer weather we hope to separate our better roosters and hens into breeding pens but for now they are in a flock. I am still hatching my flock bred eggs and seeing what I get because I can't stand to waste these beautiful birds eggs. I know I will be culling some chicks but I am pretty pleased with my birds. We may be willing to sell some eggs after the first of the year if people are interested. I already have a short list of interested people but pm me if you would like to get on our list and I will keep you informed on what we are going to do.


I am going to go develop an album in my Profile with more pictures of our Red Dorkings if you would like to see more.

Well I did not figure out the album thing too well so all the pictures are in my default album. Not sure if everyone can see them....

 

[OSUman]

I just looked at Sandhills website, and Im guessing that they crossed his Whites with something else, since they are advertising them as both SC and RC.

Ed Hart from Sorrento ILL no longer has Dorkings. I was told they all were purchased by Sandhills. I have Ed's strain of whites. There has been a lot of interest in the Whites (which is great). I just hope people understand that they are a work in progress. A few breeders like YHF and others have really helped the breed. I'm just a newbie. Rome wasn't built in a day.

 

[Rockashelle]

Those of you looking for Reds, I've seen some of these reds from Montana here in Washington State. I believe they ship eggs, not chicks. Just an idea. She also has SG's. I have two from her I'm very happy with.

http://blackdiamondguestranch.com/index-3chicken.html

 

[LilyD]

I had a thought yesterday. Tell me what you think...

I read on here all the time people who are disappointed with the Dorkings they get from hatcheries, or they are disappointed because the stock they get from breeders is subpar in some way. People request chicks and hatching eggs, but specify that they want good stock. Here's the thing, though: aren't we all interested in Dorkings because they are disappearing, and because they are disappearing the available stock is not so great? Aren't we all interested in Dorkings because we want to improve them? Conserve them? I got chicks from McMurray. No, they aren't perfect, but that's why I have them. I want to be a part of bringing this breed back to its former glory, but because it's a rare breed, that will take some time. We have to start somewhere. Now, clearly, I'm not saying take in Farmer Brown's half Silver-Gray/half Easter Egger and turn it into 100% Dorking. I guess eventually, the Easter Egger can be bred out, though, if you think about it. If we could all get Dorkings from hatcheries and breeders that are already SOP or even a generation or two from it, then what are we all doing here?

I agree it's going to be very hard to get many birds that meet the SOP totally. I have heard that the ones through Murray McMurray are very close and that they get theirs through Meyer which also sells decent quality SG Dorkings the only ones I have been told to stay away from because they are much further from the standard are the ones sold by Ideal. Even with lower quality birds though as long as you choose one characteristic or trait that you want to work on and keep breeding and choosing birds that meet your standard for that characteristic you will do well. Once you have good stock that all have the trait you want you choose another and go from there. It takes time no matter what you start with. I am going to be getting some birds from hatching eggs and some from hatchery just because the places you can go to get them is limited. We have to use what we have or we will stand chances of breeding birds too closely related and causing more problems than we fix.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Has anyone purchased any of the silver greys from Farwest Hatchery in Oregon? If so, what is their quality compared to McMurray and Sandhill?

They only have SGs available, so they won't fit into everyone's breeding program. But even if their quality isn't perfect, they sell their males for only $1 each, so it's a great way to get Dorkings (or most other heritage breeds) for meat if you don't have enough culls in your own breeding program. IMO, selling the unsold male chicks at a discount instead of throwing them alive into a woodchipper or suffocating them in a full trashbag is an admirable marketing strategy for any hatchery that sells sexed chicks, and one that I'm happy to support.

 

[ki4got]

On the Dorking Breeders site (a post from a couple of years ago, though--sadly, the site hasn't been active in a long, long time) there is a guy named Roger Tice who has Reds. Or did two years ago, anyway. He lives in Oklahoma. Message me and I'll give you the phone number he posted. There are 36 people listed as breeders of Dorkings in the ALBC breeders directory, but it doesn't specify which color. Craig and Ruth Russel are listed in the Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities breeders directory as having Reds. I've got their number, too, if you message me.

Roger Tice no longer has his reds, there's a post on the dorking breeder's club forum about who has them now...

I had a thought yesterday. Tell me what you think...

I read on here all the time people who are disappointed with the Dorkings they get from hatcheries, or they are disappointed because the stock they get from breeders is subpar in some way. People request chicks and hatching eggs, but specify that they want good stock. Here's the thing, though: aren't we all interested in Dorkings because they are disappearing, and because they are disappearing the available stock is not so great? Aren't we all interested in Dorkings because we want to improve them? Conserve them? I got chicks from McMurray. No, they aren't perfect, but that's why I have them. I want to be a part of bringing this breed back to its former glory, but because it's a rare breed, that will take some time. We have to start somewhere. Now, clearly, I'm not saying take in Farmer Brown's half Silver-Gray/half Easter Egger and turn it into 100% Dorking. I guess eventually, the Easter Egger can be bred out, though, if you think about it. If we could all get Dorkings from hatcheries and breeders that are already SOP or even a generation or two from it, then what are we all doing here?

yup. i'm honest with anyone buying chicks and eggs, that the breed isn't where it should be, but is a work in progress... flaws exist, you pick which ones you're willing to put up with to get the other qualities set first.

 

[capayvalleychick]

Has anyone purchased any of the silver greys from Farwest Hatchery in Oregon?

I did contact them just to ask where they got their stock. They get their Dorkings from Cackle Hachery, at least they did in Feb. 2011.

 

[imtrying]

where is this post with all the breeders? i cannot find it.

 

[dorkings]

I agree it's going to be very hard to get many birds that meet the SOP totally. I have heard that the ones through Murray McMurray are very close and that they get theirs through Meyer which also sells decent quality SG Dorkings the only ones I have been told to stay away from because they are much further from the standard are the ones sold by Ideal. Even with lower quality birds though as long as you choose one characteristic or trait that you want to work on and keep breeding and choosing birds that meet your standard for that characteristic you will do well. Once you have good stock that all have the trait you want you choose another and go from there. It takes time no matter what you start with. I am going to be getting some birds from hatching eggs and some from hatchery just because the places you can go to get them is limited. We have to use what we have or we will stand chances of breeding birds too closely related and causing more problems than we fix.

I agree raising SG Dorkings is not a science it is a journey and that is why I find it exciting.

 

[milleryardchx]

I have been looking at dorkings for the past year... I finally placed an order of 25 for first week of march hatching!! Can't wait to join dorking owning