B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[dalalune]

there are a bunch of colors out there.......we need to concentrate on the SOP varieties and get them back up to where they should be, before branching out to all the other varieties that may or may not be historically valid......

I whole heartedly agree! As the saying goes..."you need to BUILD the barn, BEFORE you paint it".

Sure, there are LOT of fun colors out there to play with in every breed. However, to truly save and preserve a breed that is as scarce and damaged as the Dorking, it seems that resources are best channeled into what is considered the "recognized/SOP" varieties. There are some varieties out there that have been recognized by British historians and some that have been established but not recognized by U.S. breeders. If these colors are turning up in closed, purebred flocks, then by all means, they may be important genetic resources for that flock, variety and breed.

However, be aware that some of those colors are the result of out-crossing with other breeds just to re-create an old variety or develop a new variety. Only careful breeding will repair the damage done by this kind of introduction of other breeds.

Personally, I will try to concentrate on one APA recognized color (for now) in the Dorking breed. Since I now believe that some (maybe all) of the birds I started out with were NOT as "pure-bred" as I had hoped for; I see a LOT of "barn-building" that I will need to do. I am just hoping it will end up the right color "Red" when I am finished!

 

[ki4got]

Quote: THANK YOU!!! i've got a hanging scale and couldn't figure out how to hang a bird to weigh them. LOL

any chance you could post (or pm) a pic of your scale setup so i can figure out how to go about setting it up?

 

[ki4got]

And I am sure that the cut depends on what I will have to work with to begin with and that it varies strain to strain. I am just curious about a ballpark figure. Hopefully by the end of the year I will be picking which birds make the cut on our little backyard farm!

personally, i would say at whatever age you decide to cull, say at 6 months (my estimate when i can hang on that long), weigh everyone, make note of their weights, and keep the heaviest (however many you choose) for breeding, culling the rest.

 

[cukooformarans]

personally, i would say at whatever age you decide to cull, say at 6 months (my estimate when i can hang on that long), weigh everyone, make note of their weights, and keep the heaviest (however many you choose) for breeding, culling the rest.

Yes, this is what I will have to do with my own birds, and what anyone choosing for size would have to do i expect. I haven't been able to find much information on typical weights other than what the sop calls for at maturity so I was just curious about what other people are seeing. Also I hope to order some chicks from YHF in the spring so I was specifically interested in what they were expecting from their birds.

 

[cukooformarans]

personally, i would say at whatever age you decide to cull, say at 6 months (my estimate when i can hang on that long), weigh everyone, make note of their weights, and keep the heaviest (however many you choose) for breeding, culling the rest.

Thank you for your reply!

 

[bethbug74]

Might anyone have some nice quality Silver Grey hatching eggs available currently? My Brinsea will be free at the end of the month, and I'd like to get 10 or so eggs to set with some from my pair to expand my Dorking base. I am at 72901. Thanks!

 

[Yellow House Farm]

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THANK YOU!!! i've got a hanging scale and couldn't figure out how to hang a bird to weigh them. LOL

any chance you could post (or pm) a pic of your scale setup so i can figure out how to go about setting it up?

Well, I don't really know how to do it. I have to get my much better half to do the pics, and then it's about the timing to ask

Killing cones have a nail hole at the top. Tie it through the hole and then suspend it hip hight from the hanging scale. Allot for the difference in weight. Insert the bird, but don't let go of the legs for a few moments until it calms. Then slowly remove your hands. Be ready to read the scale quickly because you might only have a few moments before you have to grab their legs to keep them from flipping out.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

personally, i would say at whatever age you decide to cull, say at 6 months (my estimate when i can hang on that long), weigh everyone, make note of their weights, and keep the heaviest (however many you choose) for breeding, culling the rest.

Yup, and I'd add to remember that you only have to save a few. THat's the great thing about working in community so that you are not olding the entire gene pool. Cuckoo, what variety of Dorkings do you have?

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Yes, this is what I will have to do with my own birds, and what anyone choosing for size would have to do i expect. I haven't been able to find much information on typical weights other than what the sop calls for at maturity so I was just curious about what other people are seeing. Also I hope to order some chicks from YHF in the spring so I was specifically interested in what they were expecting from their birds.

Within a pound of Standard weight as a threshold.

 

[cukooformarans]

I should be receiving 24 red dorking eggs from dick horstman anytime now. I also am on your mailing list for the spring (mega fingers crossed at this point!) I knew I would need to choose the largest of what I had for my personal flock. I just wanted an idea of what to aim for/ expect. My logical brain does well with numbers but not abstracts ...lol... That is why I was a math and science person in college! I am really excited and looking forward to this breed and the adventure of learning how to choose appropriate breeders and also prepare and enjoy the culls! And I am really excited about learning from you guys! The dorking ppl seem very nice and patient.