B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[LilyD]

Two babies I hatched out on the 20th. So far my roosters and hens seem to make very correct babies. Loving what I am seeing.

 

[Sazbaby]

How many did you lose in your order? I received an order of SG Dorkings from McMurray on June 13 and lost two, which was disappointing....sounds like you lost more than that. Such a bummer.

I ordered 8 males and 8 straight run and ended up with 8 total, looks like 4 girls and 4 boys. They were the only breed that I had any deaths, I had read somewhere that dorking chicks were "delicate?" Can't remember where I read that. I called in with my dead count for the refund and asked them if they seem to have a lot of losses of dorking chicks and the lady told me that they don't, that they are typically pretty hardy chicks for them. Very disappointing, but glad I at least have a few of each sex... :/

 

[Sazbaby]

what were they dieing from? just from shipping?

I don't know, I'm thinking that the issue I'm having is that we have a rural post office that had its afternoon hours cut back and both of my chick orders this year arrived on the 3rd day rather than the 2nd like in the past, so I don't know if it's just shipping stress or what. My first order from Ideal I just had 2 dorking males in the mix and one was dead in the box, the other died within 48 hours, this past order was from McMurray, 2 were dead in box and the rest died within 36 hours. The remaining live chicks are doing great though, looking very healthy.

 

[ChickenWhisper0]

Hey guys so i guess this would be a good place to ask. I am trying to decide either to get a Black Jersey Giant Rooster or a Silver Gray Dorking Rooster. Which would protect the flock better?

 

[ronott1]

Hey guys so i guess this would be a good place to ask. I am trying to decide either to get a Black Jersey Giant Rooster or a Silver Gray Dorking Rooster. Which would protect the flock better?

What are you protecting them from?

 

[ChickenWhisper0]

Any kind of predator really...but i think the biggest threat are hawks and our idiot dogs where we live.

 

[ronott1]

Any kind of predator really...but i think the biggest threat are hawks and our idiot dogs where we live.

Make sure they have things to hide under. I had a Dorking Rooster and he was very alert to threats. IDK abut JGs.

 

[Liberty Nursery]

I am in the process of building my meat bird breeding coop and broiler pen. I want to raise dorkings as meat birds, and I want to cross them and see if I can keep the superior meat qualities. Has anyone cross bred dorkings for the purposes of meat? I have heard that crossing dorkings and Cornish. It will be my first time ever breeding so I have a feeling I am very long ways away from getting something worth bragging about. Any suggestions or advice could be very helpful.

 

[ronott1]

I am in the process of building my meat bird breeding coop and broiler pen. I want to raise dorkings as meat birds, and I want to cross them and see if I can keep the superior meat qualities. Has anyone cross bred dorkings for the purposes of meat? I have heard that crossing dorkings and Cornish. It will be my first time ever breeding so I have a feeling I am very long ways away from getting something worth bragging about. Any suggestions or advice could be very helpful.

One of the first commercial crosses was Dorking X Rock. I crossed Dorking with Barred rock, both were hatchery quality and they were great! 3.5 pounds at 12 weeks dressed out. They even had yellow fat at the breast.

If you can get some big Heritage Dorkings and Rocks you would have amazing meat birds.

 

[pysankigirl]

Hey guys so i guess this would be a good place to ask. I am trying to decide either to get a Black Jersey Giant Rooster or a Silver Gray Dorking Rooster. Which would protect the flock better?

Our dorking rooster seems like a great protector, and he is not at all aggressive towards us. I like that in a rooster!!! our previous dorking was also great but he sometimes tried to protect the flock from the mailman, which wasn't ideal...

we haven't had any losses in the new dorking's area. but it is also more confined than the Barnevelder's area, where they can get picked off too far away for him to do any good. he just cant be everywhere at once. so I cant hold it against him I have a couple more growing up in that area that seem to be doing fine with him, so hoping they will all get along and we will have more coverage.

I know nothing about Jersey Giants