B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[melissaG]

Sandhill recently acquired Ed Hart's RC Colored line, so you might actually end up with some decent birds from them.

Oh, bother!

I have been thinking that I would like to stop the "mixed flock that I keep replacing about every two years" and go to two, maybe three pure breeds.

I don't actually want to show, but I did want "breeder stock" instead of "hatchery stock" birds. Simply from a quality standpoint. I also like the idea of helping out a breed that is both very old, has great history, and is rare.

BUT, there is no way I am gong to talk myself into those single comb Dorkings. They can have huge combs, and I would freeze them all off. Actually, even the rose comb have very large wattles. I kept looking at them wondering if they would freeze easily. I haven't had any trouble with breeds with smaller combs, but when I tried larger combed breeds, the combs did freeze.

I simply don't find the white Dorking as pretty.

Maybe this means I need to pick a different breed. Phewy. Nothing else has such a great history.

Thanks very much for your help.

Sandhill does have rose comb listed in the Red and Colored Dorkings, so don't give up too easily

And Dorkings are quite hardy. & smart.. for a chicken I mean

or perhaps I'm just getting better at speaking chicken? 0.o

 

[Alaskan]

Thanks so much for reposting SoCal's comment....for some reason I didn't see it at first.....must have refreshed funny.

 

[sandiklaws]

basically what I said works out well too, with the same results... hatch everything you can, keep the biggest, which will usually be the ones with more vigor, better health and fertility.

the "reduced health an vigor, reduced activity levels, stunted growth" will end up as culls most likely anyways.

with my group, free ranging from as soon as possible until they're ready for a breeding pen, I notice the weaker ones end up disappearing more often than the others. nature takes it's toll too.

Ditto, you have a vigor issue, NOT a hatch date issue. Breed for better vigor for a few years, cull super hard and you will see your problem disappear. It is kind of pointless to even bother worrying about other traits until you get this one fixed.

Start at the incubator BEFORE hatch; Cull developing eggs for vigor- no moving embryo or healthy looking veins at 10 days, then toss them, assume at least a 50% cull rate. Weigh the chicks at hatch and set sensible goals for weight, weigh again at 2, 3, and 6 weeks. Breed enough chicks that you can do a minimum 10% cull at each age. First hatches, will be control groups for taking a baseline of weights- you cannot move forward unless you know where you are now. Although all of this sounds harsh and labor intensive, if you follow this you *should* very quickly make real progress. There is a likelyhood of a higher percentage of roos w/ this method due to their possibly being larger... but you will have the issue licked in 2 seasons or less and can move on to bigger and better chickens.

**assuming your incubation techniques/equipment are already at optimum**

 

[melissaG]

Thanks so much for reposting SoCal's comment....for some reason I didn't see it at first.....must have refreshed funny.

Not a prob, it does that to me occasionally as well!

 

[SoCal Dorkings]

Thanks so much for reposting SoCal's comment....for some reason I didn't see it at first.....must have refreshed funny.

Not a prob, it does that to me occasionally as well!

... I just thought you guys were ignoring me (lol).

Alaskan, there was a woman who goes by Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain who was raising SC SGD's in
Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. I think she got out of keeping chickens due to work schedule/travel... But still might be an interesting resource...

 

[CFellows]

Ditto, you have a vigor issue, NOT a hatch date issue. Breed for better vigor for a few years, cull super hard and you will see your problem disappear. It is kind of pointless to even bother worrying about other traits until you get this one fixed.

Start at the incubator BEFORE hatch; Cull developing eggs for vigor- no moving embryo or healthy looking veins at 10 days, then toss them, assume at least a 50% cull rate. Weigh the chicks at hatch and set sensible goals for weight, weigh again at 2, 3, and 6 weeks. Breed enough chicks that you can do a minimum 10% cull at each age. First hatches, will be control groups for taking a baseline of weights- you cannot move forward unless you know where you are now. Although all of this sounds harsh and labor intensive, if you follow this you *should* very quickly make real progress. There is a likelyhood of a higher percentage of roos w/ this method due to their possibly being larger... but you will have the issue licked in 2 seasons or less and can move on to bigger and better chickens.

**assuming your incubation techniques/equipment are already at optimum**

Thank you so much!! This makes perfect sense! That's what I was thinking, that there must be something wrong. Chickens should hatch at 21 days. I just did not know how or what to fix. I am going to do my best to take your advice. It is going to be super hard for me to toss developing eggs before they hatch. Wait I don't have to toss them, I will keep them separated or marked and make sure they get put in the freezer. That is why I got dorkings in the first place.

I only have a trio of silver grays and one went broody on me, so I'm only getting six eggs a week to put in the incubator. My main goal for this year was to grow my flock, then start a better breeding program next year when I have more birds to work with. Would you say this is still a good plan or should I start your doing this right away?

 

[melissaG]

... I just thought you guys were ignoring me (lol).

Alaskan, there was a woman who goes by Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain who was raising SC SGD's in
Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. I think she got out of keeping chickens due to work schedule/travel... But still might be an interesting resource...

lol, 'course not!

 

[Alaskan]

Nope, I am just blind!

 

[sandiklaws]

Thank you so much!! This makes perfect sense! That's what I was thinking, that there must be something wrong. Chickens should hatch at 21 days. I just did not know how or what to fix. I am going to do my best to take your advice. It is going to be super hard for me to toss developing eggs before they hatch. Wait I don't have to toss them, I will keep them separated or marked and make sure they get put in the freezer. That is why I got dorkings in the first place.

I only have a trio of silver grays and one went broody on me, so I'm only getting six eggs a week to put in the incubator. My main goal for this year was to grow my flock, then start a better breeding program next year when I have more birds to work with. Would you say this is still a good plan or should I start your doing this right away?

Well, it is ultimately up to you, however selecting for a strong start, esp. where you only have a trio, makes the most sense to me. Perhaps just do the development cull on the bator eggs and do the weight selection next season... but you will really need to stick to your guns and not cheat to make good progress. Vigor in the old/neglected/rare breeds is nearly always an issue, simply because to many people, every single chick has "value"... but the reality is, if you keep everything and cull nothing you soon wind up with issues. I say cull hard right out of the gate, giving yourself strict guidelines to follow that line of thinking, and you will soon see your efforts rewarded. Always select the very best of any given stage to go forward with, and soon improvement will follow. Also remember egg size when setting- culling begins with egg selection BEFORE incubation has even taken place. Only the most shapely and large eggs should be set for hatching, the extra dirty eggs, odd shaped eggs, porous eggs, and odd textured/colored eggs should go in the fridge for eating. .

 

[CFellows]

Well, it is ultimately up to you, however selecting for a strong start, esp. where you only have a trio, makes the most sense to me. Perhaps just do the development cull on the bator eggs and do the weight selection next season... but you will really need to stick to your guns and not cheat to make good progress. Vigor in the old/neglected/rare breeds is nearly always an issue, simply because to many people, every single chick has "value"... but the reality is, if you keep everything and cull nothing you soon wind up with issues. I say cull hard right out of the gate, giving yourself strict guidelines to follow that line of thinking, and you will soon see your efforts rewarded. Always select the very best of any given stage to go forward with, and soon improvement will follow. Also remember egg size when setting- culling begins with egg selection BEFORE incubation has even taken place. Only the most shapely and large eggs should be set for hatching, the extra dirty eggs, odd shaped eggs, porous eggs, and odd textured/colored eggs should go in the fridge for eating. .

I have been doing egg selection, and I will start with the developmental cull on the bator eggs. Then for this year I think I will make my next cull at butcher time, only saving the biggest and best birds for breeding. Then next year I can be more strict in my culling. What would you say is the best number of hens to keep with one rooster?