B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[Yellow House Farm]

Yeah again I really didn't care about the papers.as I was checking out I saw it. So as long as they are Silver Grey Dorkings I am happy. That as long as this hatchery stands by their chicken's, they are healthy and just a little thing...live..lay eggs ya know I am happy. I have no personal intention to bread for sale or show. I just want healthy producing chickens...so your saying mmm is not a good hatchery? Oh dear we have 15chicks coming...

They're going to be great. Besides, for better or for worse, MMCM is one of the best sources currently for SG Dorkings. I wouldn't sign off on breeding and showing too quickly, it's where all the fun comes in

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[Yellow House Farm]

@SoCal Dorkings:

Well it does sound like you've got a good start, and although I would hve said that you only need to get your stock from one source, if you've got it from two, that's your reality.

What I'd say about breeding though is that the state of things has changed a bit. There are enough of us currently working with the three primary color patterns of Red, White and Silver Grey, that, in those patterns at least, we don't have to worry so much about being caught without genetics. Indeed, among breeders, the Reds seem to be the strongest variety. With that in mind I'd recommend breeding from two or three pairs only.

If you don't have a Standard, get one right away. Go to the APA website and order it on-line. You can't really be successful without it.

I'd honestly say drop the Coloreds and stick to the Reds. Coloreds are difficult because they're not available in any number, and they're not genetically stable, which are two clear reasons for which they're not a good place for a beginner to start.

Separate out your Coloreds, and look at your Reds. Weigh them all, and see if they're all about the same. If you have any that stand out as being lighter than the rest, put them to the side. Then take those that meet the weight requirements or most closely approach them, and consider their type. In one of your photos you have two females side by side--given it could be the fault of the photo; you'll have to see in person whether it maintains--but one of the females is distinctly longer than the other. That would be a point in her favor. Look at all of your birds side by side and compare them from above, below, from the side, from the front. Feel their bodies, select females that aren't pinched at the tail.

Color-wise your girls' backs should have clear shafting, which is when the shaft of the feather is a different color than the rest of the feather. The shafting should be golden yellow. Google image photos of Light Brown Leghorns. This is the color pattern you are looking for except that the females backs are to have clearly visible shafting where in the Leghorns they are not. The heads of your females should be golden in color and not black. It appears that come of your females are dark headed, steer clear of this.

Keep two or, maximum, three pairs. Keep one extra red male in case of suddent tragedy. We always need a VP. You can keep the other females for eggs and broodies, and then eat the others.

Best of luck and keep us posted!

 

[greenhorn]

Got the best hens set up with the best roosters yesterday. Have the nest boxes up in all the breeding coops. Now we just have to wait a little longer and we'll be ready to gear up for hatching. We have one really nice rooster I need to get pics of soon. Another is pretty nice but a little smaller, probably because he was stunted a little from being cramped in too small of an area for too long of a time last summer. The coop took longer than we were hoping but we're on track now.

Also have a few nice white hens, thinking we are going to get some pretty nice white birds out of the gate. It's starting to get exciting.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Got the best hens set up with the best roosters yesterday. Have the nest boxes up in all the breeding coops. Now we just have to wait a little longer and we'll be ready to gear up for hatching. We have one really nice rooster I need to get pics of soon. Another is pretty nice but a little smaller, probably because he was stunted a little from being cramped in too small of an area for too long of a time last summer. The coop took longer than we were hoping but we're on track now.

Also have a few nice white hens, thinking we are going to get some pretty nice white birds out of the gate. It's starting to get exciting.

I'm excited, too, to see what gets on at yours. Your coop is beautiful. I think you'll find it rather intereting how many chicks you can get out of a limited number of birds. We candled our first Dorking eggs last week, and through all of that cold weather, we're sporting 82% fertility. They're due to hatch this coming weekend. In the past we've culled hard for color, comb, and toes right from the get go. Each year, it's been better. I'm hoping for a continued reduction in early culls this year. We'll see.

 

[greenhorn]

I'm excited, too, to see what gets on at yours. Your coop is beautiful. I think you'll find it rather intereting how many chicks you can get out of a limited number of birds. We candled our first Dorking eggs last week, and through all of that cold weather, we're sporting 82% fertility. They're due to hatch this coming weekend. In the past we've culled hard for color, comb, and toes right from the get go. Each year, it's been better. I'm hoping for a continued reduction in early culls this year. We'll see.

Thanks again about the coop Joseph, you do a great job of culling. Every bird we received from you had great feet, color and combs. Of course color can change with age but we got some very nice birds overall. Lost my best and only rooster from one clan and didn't get the best example from another clan (didn't get many roosters from that clan). I still need to check and see which clan the hens came from that I put with my roosters. I basically just put the best birds together. Figure i'll put the best 2 hens on the best rooster from each of the 2 clans that I have a good rooster and see how it goes....

 

[SandiDent]

Thank you, it is a big relief to read your thoughts on this. I am really looking forward to the sounds of little chirps.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Thank you, it is a big relief to read your thoughts on this. I am really looking forward to the sounds of little chirps.

It helps winter seem shorter.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

You do a great job of culling. Every bird we received from you had great feet, color and combs. Of course color can change with age but we got some very nice birds overall. Lost my best and only rooster from one clan and didn't get the best example from another clan (didn't get many roosters from that clan). I still need to check and see which clan the hens came from that I put with my roosters. I basically just put the best birds together. Figure i'll put the best 2 hens on the best rooster from each of the 2 clans that I have a good rooster and see how it goes....

It's been one heck of a culling adventure. It will probably taake another few years to get the color really strong, without these late emergin surprises.

I'm sorry to hear about your best cockerel. That happened to us about three years ago, when a mink chose to show us one of the weak points in our operation....grrrr....

 

[greenhorn]

It's been one heck of a culling adventure. It will probably taake another few years to get the color really strong, without these late emergin surprises.

I'm sorry to hear about your best cockerel. That happened to us about three years ago, when a mink chose to show us one of the weak points in our operation....grrrr....

Actually he was our 2nd best cockerel but still sucks, he was the best male bird from that clan. Hope we can try again with that clan and another if that's possible.

 

[SandiDent]

Let me just ask the Dorking pro's :
should I brood the Chick's in the hen house or in with us in say the bathroom where they are safe and can be watched closely until they get bigger..or (!) Make this choice if we still have freezing cold weather?