At four months its probably too early to judge these birds. If you see obvious defects like four toes, wrong comb type, roach back, or wry tail, then those can be put aside as unsuitable for your breeding pen. Otherwise enjoy some watchful husbandry with these slow growers. I just noticed one of my 9 1/2 month old cockerels now has a black stripe down some of his saddle feathers, something I'm sure he didn't have before.(He's a colored dorking.) My experience with other breeds is that you spend the first six months "ruling out" and the second six months "ruling in". Send in some updates in four more months. Good luck.Hello,
I got some silver grey dorkings in April form Mcmurray's. They are 4 months old right today (hatched April 10, 2015). I know they will fill out more, and see some flaws form (my interpretation of) the standard, but would like other's opinions.
Here is my better looking rooster:
Here is my other rooster:
Here are the hens:
There are the rose comb varieties, the whites, the cuckoos (if you can find one) and sometimes reds. My Dorkings have rather large single combs which my not bode well for freezing temperatures. No problems with our wimpy winters here where I live.
I think to make a sex link the female would have to had to been the SGD. Anybody know? I'm curious.Puchased 15 SG hatching eggs. At day 10, culled 8 due to being infertile. Have had to cull another 2 since then due to stopping growth/infection/bacteria. 1 of the eggs is larger than the others and is not as advanced as the others... It's about half of what everyone else is at. I'm thinking it may be a stray turkey egg... or who knows. Either way, I think I have 5 SG eggs that are good so far (out of the original 15). I'm currently on day 13, as of 7pm tonight (pst).
I had heard about the infertility rates of Dorkings, but now I'm getting a close up lesson on it. I have an order in with Sandhill for Colored and White Dorkings, not sure how far out they are. I live in Northern Idaho and need a bird that's cold hardy, which I've heard that Dorkings are wonderful for. And my husband has to have something that tastes good as well. Once we have a good stock, he will be eating the culls... not the good ones
Anyway, wish me luck on the last half of incubation with my babies.
PS: The lady I bought them from also gave me a pair of "Dilkies", SG/Buff Silkies that were 3 weeks old for free because they were not what she expected and wasn't up to her standard. They came from the free rangers. She was shocked her male dorking mated a buff silkie... can't blame her there. They are cute and now are named bonnie and clyde. They look different (opposite colors) from each other, so I know one is male and one is female (or at least I assume).
