B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[Sydney Acres]

I picked up a few SGD chicks at a local feed store a couple weeks ago. They are from Murray McMurray and were supposed to be straight run. They all looked like pullets, but I remember reading somewhere that the SGD from MMcM are not easy to sex like most SGD chicks. I can't find where I read that though. Does anyone have any experience with their chicks? One of them does have a slightly lighter marking on top of head, and it's a tad smudgier. The others have very dark, clear head markings. So possibly one boy?

Does MMcM not offer sexed Dorking chicks, or did the feed store not get their order in on time so straight run was all that was left? Maybe it's different in different parts of the country, but I've never seen LF straight run chicks in a feed store, since almost everyone wants pullets and won't buy chicks if there's a probable rooster in the group.

Hopefully you've got at least one male. If not, the good news is that SG is the most common color out there, so if you need to get a rooster you're more likely to find one in that color than in others. Another alternative is to ask the feed store to special order you a male or two when they next order chicks. Most feed stores will gladly take special requests, and some even have a "heritage days" event where people pre-order anything they want from the hatchery catalog up to one year ahead of time, and pick it up at the feed store during the week of the event. Most stores recommend ordering 6 pullets and 2 cockerels to start, then cull down to a good trio if that's all you want.

If you only have pullets and want to hatch your own, they usually go broody quite well. Of my seven Red Dorking hens, four have already gone broody this year. So if you have no male this year and can't find one, next year you can order eggs and put them under a broody to hatch. Just remember that shipped eggs have a lower hatch rate, so order more than you think you need.

 

[LavendarFeather]

Does MMcM not offer sexed Dorking chicks, or did the feed store not get their order in on time so straight run was all that was left? Maybe it's different in different parts of the country, but I've never seen LF straight run chicks in a feed store, since almost everyone wants pullets and won't buy chicks if there's a probable rooster in the group.

Hopefully you've got at least one male. If not, the good news is that SG is the most common color out there, so if you need to get a rooster you're more likely to find one in that color than in others. Another alternative is to ask the feed store to special order you a male or two when they next order chicks. Most feed stores will gladly take special requests, and some even have a "heritage days" event where people pre-order anything they want from the hatchery catalog up to one year ahead of time, and pick it up at the feed store during the week of the event. Most stores recommend ordering 6 pullets and 2 cockerels to start, then cull down to a good trio if that's all you want.

If you only have pullets and want to hatch your own, they usually go broody quite well. Of my seven Red Dorking hens, four have already gone broody this year. So if you have no male this year and can't find one, next year you can order eggs and put them under a broody to hatch. Just remember that shipped eggs have a lower hatch rate, so order more than you think you need.

Thank you! And yes, McMurray does offered sexed birds. What happened is that this particular feed store was ordering chicks for a "Chick Day" event, which they were talking about for weeks and weeks ahead of time. They don't have chicks all the time, like some feed stores do--this may have been their first time, I'm not sure. I asked whom they were ordering from, and when they told me, I asked if they could order me a male or two SGD. They decided to order straight run, mainly for me, and got about 10 I think. They let me pick up 5 before the official chick day. But all 10 looked like girls! On close inspection, there were 1 or 2 whose head markings were a tad lighter and not as crisp, so I took those two and three others. I'd have to check my calendar, but I believe they are about 4 weeks now, so I should know soon.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Quote:
Oh, that's what happened. Don't you just hate it when people change your order without asking! There's a big difference between "I'd like this many pullets and this many cockerels" and "We ordered lots of straight runs, and you get first pick."

Since they may be new at this, have you complained to the manager? They really need to learn the difference, and nothing will change if someone doesn't (politely) point out the problem. I, personally, wouldn't be a happy customer with those circumstances.

 

[LavendarFeather]

Oh, that's what happened. Don't you just hate it when people change your order without asking! There's a big difference between "I'd like this many pullets and this many cockerels" and "We ordered lots of straight runs, and you get first pick."

Since they may be new at this, have you complained to the manager? They really need to learn the difference, and nothing will change if someone doesn't (politely) point out the problem. I, personally, wouldn't be a happy customer with those circumstances.

It was okay with me. I would have been happy just to get one boy, and didn't want to have to order from McM myself--didn't want 25 of them! But extra pullets are never a problem So I was happy enough. Of course, I also wound up buying 3 other pullets I really didn't need, just because they were there (Mottled Houdans--I love mottled birds, and couldn't resist their little bouffants...)

If I were to order through the feed store again, I would do as you suggest, and clarify what it is I want and will accept.

 

[Sydney Acres]

I am hatching eggs for the first time. By best Dorking hen (#1) went broody after I had only collected 5 eggs from her, but I was also able to collect 11 eggs combined from hens #3 and #4. I put the 5 eggs from hen #1 under her, and put the 11 eggs from hens #3 and #4 in a borrowed still-air incubator (the Styrofoam type), 18 hours after putting eggs under the broody hen. That was 3 days ago. Two days ago hen #4 went broody. Both hens have excellent temperaments for raising chicks.

I built a predator-proof broody pen in the barn for hen #1. It is 5'W X 6'L X 6'H. Hen #1 is doing quite well in it. Hen #4 is brooding under a large fern in front of the house, and is being picked up and put in a pet carrier in the chicken house at night (she can't be left overnight on the nest because of predators, and she can't be on the roost in the chicken house because she paces and clucks and knocks the other birds off in the dark, so the pet carrier works well overnight, then she returns to her nest at first light).

My original plan was to hatch out chicks from hens #3 and #4 in pedigree cages in the incubator, then leg band them and slip them in under broody hen #1 at night so she could raise them all. But now that I have 2 broody hens, I was thinking about letting hen #4 brood in the broody pen over ceramic eggs, then distribute the incubator chicks between the two broody hens once they hatch and are banded. My concern is whether the two broodies will tolerate each other. I do not have enough room in the barn for a second broody pen, so they would have to share the space. They have always gotten along, and they typically roost next to each other, but I wouldn't call them best friends. Hen #1 is higher on the pecking order, but is not abusive about it. But normal behavior is not always predictive of maternal behavior, so anything could happen.

What have other people tried with Dorkings? Does this type of setup usually end well, or in disaster? I can divide the broody cage in half, but that will be a smaller space for each than I had hoped to provide. Any advise is appreciated.

 

[pysankigirl]

I have had ens double team and raise chicks twice, although they were not all dorkings. my first pair was a pair of Barnevelders who tag-teamed 6 chicks total between them. right now I have 2 broody mommas side by side one dorking and one Rhodebar. they seem to be swapping chicks freely at this stage. (2 days in) so far so good!

 

[Sydney Acres]

I have had ens double team and raise chicks twice, although they were not all dorkings. my first pair was a pair of Barnevelders who tag-teamed 6 chicks total between them. right now I have 2 broody mommas side by side one dorking and one Rhodebar. they seem to be swapping chicks freely at this stage. (2 days in) so far so good!

That's want I'm hoping for. Anyone else?

 

[ki4got]

I am hatching eggs for the first time. By best Dorking hen (#1) went broody after I had only collected 5 eggs from her, but I was also able to collect 11 eggs combined from hens #3 and #4. I put the 5 eggs from hen #1 under her, and put the 11 eggs from hens #3 and #4 in a borrowed still-air incubator (the Styrofoam type), 18 hours after putting eggs under the broody hen. That was 3 days ago. Two days ago hen #4 went broody. Both hens have excellent temperaments for raising chicks.

I built a predator-proof broody pen in the barn for hen #1. It is 5'W X 6'L X 6'H. Hen #1 is doing quite well in it. Hen #4 is brooding under a large fern in front of the house, and is being picked up and put in a pet carrier in the chicken house at night (she can't be left overnight on the nest because of predators, and she can't be on the roost in the chicken house because she paces and clucks and knocks the other birds off in the dark, so the pet carrier works well overnight, then she returns to her nest at first light).

My original plan was to hatch out chicks from hens #3 and #4 in pedigree cages in the incubator, then leg band them and slip them in under broody hen #1 at night so she could raise them all. But now that I have 2 broody hens, I was thinking about letting hen #4 brood in the broody pen over ceramic eggs, then distribute the incubator chicks between the two broody hens once they hatch and are banded. My concern is whether the two broodies will tolerate each other. I do not have enough room in the barn for a second broody pen, so they would have to share the space. They have always gotten along, and they typically roost next to each other, but I wouldn't call them best friends. Hen #1 is higher on the pecking order, but is not abusive about it. But normal behavior is not always predictive of maternal behavior, so anything could happen.

What have other people tried with Dorkings? Does this type of setup usually end well, or in disaster? I can divide the broody cage in half, but that will be a smaller space for each than I had hoped to provide. Any advise is appreciated.

I would lock the second broody in the broody pen now. give her a place to nest and her own eggs, (in the carrier maybe?) and leave her there. either she will stop being broody, or she'll settle down and the two girls will get used to each other being in proximity.

 

[ChristyinGA]

Your are correct!

The color sexing did not work for McMurray chicks. I had to wait until the breast feathers came in.

This is very good to know. I ordered 4 chicks - 3 females and 1 male. 2 died. But all 4 looked pretty much the same. The two that remain look the same. I really hope my one male didn't die, but he very well may have. Bummer

Edited because I put 3 males and 1 female ;-)

 

[ronott1]

This is very good to know. I ordered 4 chicks - 3 males and 1 female. 2 died. But all 4 looked pretty much the same. The two that remain look the same. I really hope my one male didn't die, but he very well may have. Bummer

I am sorry to hear that you lost the chicks!