B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[Yellow House Farm]

I once took eggs out of the incubator one afternoon to move to the hatcher and forgot about them. I found them on the workbench the late the following day and rushed them off to be under a broody hen who still pulled off a respectable hatch.

 

[bethbug74]

Murray McMurray JUST changed the availability of the Silver grey Dorkings from "None at all this year," to "Available on April 1st." They also drop their minimum chick order to 15 after that date now. They will go fast. I just ordered 15 straight run myself, to increase my flock base. From what I understand, they bought out a reputable SG breeder recently, so their stock is really pretty good. I don't like paying hatcheries, since they do have unethical business practices to maintain their big bottom lines, but I have been looking for about 6 months now for more Dorkings, to no avail.

Does anyone know exactly WHERE McMurray stock originated? I keep seeing that they "bought out a reputable breeder," but nothing more specific.

 

[capayvalleychick]

My chicks have finished hatching. They are still at my hatching partner's place. His photo here: post #16900

9 total, out of 52 eggs. He's setting more for me, next week.

 

[Kilsharion]

Murray McMurray JUST changed the availability of the Silver grey Dorkings from "None at all this year," to "Available on April 1st." They also drop their minimum chick order to 15 after that date now. They will go fast. I just ordered 15 straight run myself, to increase my flock base. From what I understand, they bought out a reputable SG breeder recently, so their stock is really pretty good. I don't like paying hatcheries, since they do have unethical business practices to maintain their big bottom lines, but I have been looking for about 6 months now for more Dorkings, to no avail.

Does anyone know exactly WHERE McMurray stock originated? I keep seeing that they "bought out a reputable breeder," but nothing more specific.

If I recall correctly, McMurray stock is from Duane Urch's lines...

 

[ki4got]

Quote: duane urch works with ideal... not sure where the mcmurray stock originated, maybe urch too, but i was thinking they were from gene patterson when he sold off his birds. either way they are decent birds IMO... they can use some improvement but not as far off as some hatchery variety breeds are.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

duane urch works with ideal... not sure where the mcmurray stock originated, maybe urch too, but i was thinking they were from gene patterson when he sold off his birds. either way they are decent birds IMO... they can use some improvement but not as far off as some hatchery variety breeds are.

Oops! You've got in backwards. I wouldn't go so far as to say that Urch works with either. He has supplied stock to Murray McMurray in the past. He works with Stromberg's. He's not involved with Ideal.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

My chicks have finished hatching. They are still at my hatching partner's place. His photo here: post #16900

9 total, out of 52 eggs. He's setting more for me, next week.

Is this nine fertile or are we talking about a lot of dead in the shells?

 

[Yellow House Farm]

My chicks have finished hatching. They are still at my hatching partner's place. His photo here: post #16900

9 total, out of 52 eggs. He's setting more for me, next week.

What happens with natural incubation?

 

[Rockashelle]

What happens with natural incubation?

One broody hen sitting on 6; 24 going into the incubator Saturday and 20 hatched two weeks ago. Come on broodies!

 

[capayvalleychick]

Is this nine fertile or are we talking about a lot of dead in the shells?

Out of 52 eggs, all 17 Delaware eggs were clears. He set 35 Dork eggs. 14 were not fertile. 6 quit early. 15 developed but only 9 hatched alive. 2 of those had difficulty getting out of the shell.

I have not had a chance to see how these would do with a broody. I had some dummy eggs in the coop and the hens did not show any inclination to set. My hens tend to get broody in the heat of the summer for some reason. I'm using a cockerel for this first breeding that was born 2/12, so this is my first time to see how he does.

Their diet has been a mixture of Layena and a rooster ration that includes fish meal, plus Calf Manna since last molt. I would think that would cover all the nutritional needs.

I can never get close enough fast enough during their mating to see if the mechanics are working.