Quote:
Send a couple of those my direction if you get some extras
Send a couple of those my direction if you get some extras
B.Y.C. Dorking Club!
- Thread starter chickenmum
- Start date
I've have chicks!
Sadly the only one my broody hatched died.
I rescued the remaining eggs and have 6 little Dorkings out now.
Looks like an even split of pullets/cockerels and I have a bunch more eggs cooking.
Unfortunately I have a lot with only 4 toes.
I'm hoping at least one of the cockerels will have 5 toes so I can put him over the 4 toed hen and the 4 toed pullets I'm getting. I'd really like to get another roo but I'm not having much luck finding one.
Given how few I have and how difficult sourcing them is proving to be I'm planning on hatching as many as possible and culling late. I'm thinking I may end up keeping all/most of this years hatch in large mobile pasture pens and pulling the best into breeding pens. That way if there is a catastrophe I'll have birds to fall back on. So far I've lost 2 roos, both times leaving me with only one. If I lost this roo before I'd got some hatched I'd have been in an extremely difficult position.
Sadly the only one my broody hatched died.
Unfortunately I have a lot with only 4 toes.
Given how few I have and how difficult sourcing them is proving to be I'm planning on hatching as many as possible and culling late. I'm thinking I may end up keeping all/most of this years hatch in large mobile pasture pens and pulling the best into breeding pens. That way if there is a catastrophe I'll have birds to fall back on. So far I've lost 2 roos, both times leaving me with only one. If I lost this roo before I'd got some hatched I'd have been in an extremely difficult position.
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That is how I do it. Congrats on the chicks!
A few is better than none!
Kim
That is how I do it. Congrats on the chicks!
Kim
Quote:
That is how I do it. Congrats on the chicks!
A few is better than none!
Kim
that's what i'm doing currently too... hatch everything i can and sort em later.
hubby doesn't quite 'get' it LOL
That is how I do it. Congrats on the chicks!
Kim
that's what i'm doing currently too... hatch everything i can and sort em later.
hubby doesn't quite 'get' it LOL
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Yeah, you have certainly earned your user title!
Kim
Yeah, you have certainly earned your user title!
Kim
Quote:
Yeah, you have certainly earned your user title!
Kim
then again "everything I can" is a total of 14 dorking chicks since september. and an assortment of mutt bantams, cochins and quail (this morning!).
the mutt bantams are all destined for the freezer, same for the quail (except a few breeders). so the only thing that's keepers are the cochins dorkings and a few quail.
oh and anyone that lays decent eggs (and a few other purebred bantam girls i'm partial to).
Yeah, you have certainly earned your user title!
Kim
then again "everything I can" is a total of 14 dorking chicks since september. and an assortment of mutt bantams, cochins and quail (this morning!).
the mutt bantams are all destined for the freezer, same for the quail (except a few breeders). so the only thing that's keepers are the cochins dorkings and a few quail.
oh and anyone that lays decent eggs (and a few other purebred bantam girls i'm partial to).
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ok here's a new question...
on proper foot conformation, where are the rear toes supposed to point? straight off the back of the leg, toward the inside, or somewhere in the middle?
i'm trying to get a visual with the chicks but i don't think anyone matches up... wondering if that changes as they grow? at least they do all have 5 toes tho some have better seperation than others do.
on proper foot conformation, where are the rear toes supposed to point? straight off the back of the leg, toward the inside, or somewhere in the middle?
i'm trying to get a visual with the chicks but i don't think anyone matches up... wondering if that changes as they grow? at least they do all have 5 toes tho some have better seperation than others do.
Good question.
Most of mine are somewhere between straight back and 30 degrees towards the center. I'm not sure where they should be either.
I think my chicks where they are closer to the middle are inclined to 'toe out' in the front slightly too. That often pairs up with being cow hocked. Not what we are aiming for so looking for that to change as they grow.
Our new Australian Standards book should be printed early next year and I'm hoping to get order a copy soon.
I hope the Dorking description is nice and clear.
Most of mine are somewhere between straight back and 30 degrees towards the center. I'm not sure where they should be either.
I think my chicks where they are closer to the middle are inclined to 'toe out' in the front slightly too. That often pairs up with being cow hocked. Not what we are aiming for so looking for that to change as they grow.
Our new Australian Standards book should be printed early next year and I'm hoping to get order a copy soon.
Hello fellow Dork folks
Hope yall are all doing well. Our harddrive took a nosedive last week so I'm checking in via phone.
Had a question in regards to the body shape of the dorks. My SOP is missing so I'm askin here. They should have the nice cinderblock shape, that part I get. But I haven't seen mention of tails. Are we also looking for a more open tail (ie not pinched from the back)
One more thing. I have a colored Dorking hen w black legs...where would that have come from? These are pure, and have been linebred for many years.
Just trying to get a few things sorted for breeding in the spring. Mostly gonna hatch so we can have some meat for the freezer, this line needs new blood so hopefully I can aquire a few more Dorkings to help diversify.
Hope yall are all doing well. Our harddrive took a nosedive last week so I'm checking in via phone.
Had a question in regards to the body shape of the dorks. My SOP is missing so I'm askin here. They should have the nice cinderblock shape, that part I get. But I haven't seen mention of tails. Are we also looking for a more open tail (ie not pinched from the back)
One more thing. I have a colored Dorking hen w black legs...where would that have come from? These are pure, and have been linebred for many years.
Just trying to get a few things sorted for breeding in the spring. Mostly gonna hatch so we can have some meat for the freezer, this line needs new blood so hopefully I can aquire a few more Dorkings to help diversify.
SOP for Dorking toes and tail
TOES: " five on each foot, front and fifth toes moderately long and smooth, fifth toes well separated from fourth and directly above it, rising in an upward curve from base to tip."
This is the ideal. Sometimes they curl either out or in. As is possible, avoid those that point down or that are growing in fusion with the fourth. THey are supposed to be "wee separated" as if they were not at all attached, but often there is a little bit of webbing at the base. As is possible, avoid those that are growing together in a substantial way.
MALE TAIL: "Large, full, somewhat expanded, carried at an angle of 45 degrees above horizontal." In short, they have a typical European cock's tail.
FEMALE TAIL: "Moderately long; carried at an angle of 35 degrees above horizontal. Main tail feathers--broad." Traditionally the tail of the female is folded fairly tightly such that it is broader at the base that at the tip. It isn't fanned like a Leghorn female.
All of this works with back line. Depending on the breed, the line of the back is compossed of sweeping gradations that avoid sharp angles, or there are angles created at the junctures of back and tail. THe Dorking has angles, the Ancona has sweeps. The tail of the Dorking rises sharply at the juncture of the back such that an angle is created.
TOES: " five on each foot, front and fifth toes moderately long and smooth, fifth toes well separated from fourth and directly above it, rising in an upward curve from base to tip."
This is the ideal. Sometimes they curl either out or in. As is possible, avoid those that point down or that are growing in fusion with the fourth. THey are supposed to be "wee separated" as if they were not at all attached, but often there is a little bit of webbing at the base. As is possible, avoid those that are growing together in a substantial way.
MALE TAIL: "Large, full, somewhat expanded, carried at an angle of 45 degrees above horizontal." In short, they have a typical European cock's tail.
FEMALE TAIL: "Moderately long; carried at an angle of 35 degrees above horizontal. Main tail feathers--broad." Traditionally the tail of the female is folded fairly tightly such that it is broader at the base that at the tip. It isn't fanned like a Leghorn female.
All of this works with back line. Depending on the breed, the line of the back is compossed of sweeping gradations that avoid sharp angles, or there are angles created at the junctures of back and tail. THe Dorking has angles, the Ancona has sweeps. The tail of the Dorking rises sharply at the juncture of the back such that an angle is created.
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