B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[welly]

Chicken queen
Thanx but I am looking for chicks

 

[dorkings]

Does anyone ever get 4 toes when breeding all 5 toed Dorkings hens with 5 toed Dorking rooster? from what I've read it can happen if the rooster and hen have a 4 toed recessive gene. Is this correct?

 

[ki4got]

Does anyone ever get 4 toes when breeding all 5 toed Dorkings hens with 5 toed Dorking rooster? from what I've read it can happen if the rooster and hen have a 4 toed recessive gene. Is this correct?

polydactyly is a multi-genome incompletely dominant trait, so yes, if the right combination happens along it's possible to get 4 toes. but i've only had 2 or 3 chicks with 9 toes total, in which case, they're culled. (out of probably over a hundred hatched over the last year).

it's not something i'd worry about unless it's happenning a LOT. then i'd look more closely at your parent birds and try a different rooster, first.

all the 9-toed chicks i got came from the same roo, but it's not a considerable number even for just his chicks, and he has other qualities that out weigh that issue.

 

[welly]

Dorkings
I sent you a pm

 

[dorkings]

polydactyly is a multi-genome incompletely dominant trait, so yes, if the right combination happens along it's possible to get 4 toes. but i've only had 2 or 3 chicks with 9 toes total, in which case, they're culled. (out of probably over a hundred hatched over the last year).

it's not something i'd worry about unless it's happenning a LOT. then i'd look more closely at your parent birds and try a different rooster, first.

all the 9-toed chicks i got came from the same roo, but it's not a considerable number even for just his chicks, and he has other qualities that out weigh that issue.

Thank you ki4got.

 

[BlackPanther]

Five toed trait is called polydactyl. It is an incomplete dominant trait. When crossing 5 toed and 4 toed birds with each other (sex of each does not matter) in the first generation you will get close to an even mix off offspring with 5 toes on both feet, or 4 toes on both feet, or 5 on one and 4 toes on the other and chicks with a mixture and partial 5 toed with the fifth toe actually branching off the 4th toe. Done this cross many many times. If possible Only keep the 5 toed birds for breeders, however, if crossing the mixed offspring back to homozygous 5 toed parents it is not terribly difficult to get back to all 5 toed birds. Then you just deal with quality of toe arrangement.

Thank you! That is what I wanted to know!

 

[BlackPanther]

If I recall correctly, he was hoping for only 4 toed birds from the cross. He thought his clients/neighbors wouldn't like 5 toed birds. I love them!

I'm a she

and I think it's fine. I'm not intending to actively breed the cross, it's just something that might happen.

 

[Rockashelle]

I'm a she    and I think it's fine. I'm not intending to actively breed the cross, it's just something that might happen. :/

My apologies! I'm a she too! Enjoy!

 

[Yellow House Farm]

I am looking for silver gray and red dorking chicks In Ma.,Nh,RI

Hello
Any dorking breeders in Ma. Or Nh. Thank you

Greetings! There are reds and sg's in NH. Check out "dorkings" for Sg's (pg 302) and "vnseeds" for reds.

 

[ashandvine]

To be honest, it sounds like you need to pick one. Your judge friend is right, and improvement is the goal. It's also what makes it fun. It's not cheap, though, be it in feed or in eventual necessary infrastructure. I think most of us are best with one breed, if we really want to see improvement. When you select one breed, you really won't need to carry more than a dozen through the winter, and it won't feel like striving.

A note on your breed, follow your heart. It sounds like you need to cross the Dorking off your list. That's cool. It's nice to whittle down the list. You live in a place, i.e. New England, where there are lots of shows and where there is a fun poultry community. In your stead, I'd choose one breed and then join the circuit of breeders and exhibitors in our region. The folk are nice, and there's absolutely nothing as good to strengthen you as a breeder than attending shows and slowly getting to know breeders who will teach you everything you need. To that end, I'd really recommend selecting a breed that is part of the SOP. I know that you've mentioned the Orloff, but the chances of the Orloff actually making it through the standards committee aren't great, and you risk years of effort coming to no end and going to shows being kind of on the outside looking in. There are so many breeds of recognized SOP fowl, and I believe you've mentioned a couple. Perhaps, the deserve a double nod.

Best to you in your decision making.

J

Dear Yellowhouse J... Thank you, sincerely, for this thoughtful response. I just got back from the Poultry Congress and there was only one set of Dorkings (red only) there being shown by a junior. It makes me want to champion the underdog but ... I also saw Orloffs lol I was tripping over myself because mine are better than theirs lol I also learned that most of the folks there had two breeds they are working with. Phew. My Marans were better than a few being shown and you are right; listening to and watching the judges and shows and breeders... wow. I wish Chanteclers weren't white. Why are they all white and single comb... ack! lol I think your point about SOP is a good one but I might be too stubborn. My Ams are good, almost as good as what was shown, but not. I fall in love with birds every time I see them. Not being a chicken collector is a challenge for sure. I will miss some of the personalities in here. I hope I see you elsewhere.