B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[pysankigirl]

I just meant that chickens in general were fragile (compared to my other pets)

 

[Kibi78704]

Hi Folks.
I'm giving a 10-15 minute presentation on Dorkings to the Austin Backyard Poultry Meetup Group (http://www.meetup.com/AustinBackyardPoultry/) during our first Heritage Chicken meetup next Saturday morning. I'm putting my notes and pictures in a Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation, and would be happy to send you a copy, if you'd like.

Would anyone be willing to send me pictures that I could use for this presentation?

I have pictures of Silver Grey chicks up to 7-weeks old, but that's about it.
I am especially hoping to be able to show at least one shot of each standard color. If you have an image of which you are especially proud, I'd love to use that as well.

Also, if there is anything you would like me to say about Dorkings to our group, I'd be happy to include that, as well. I will give you credit, and if you wish, publish your contact information.

I love these birds, and would like to give them a bit of PR in hope that more folks will start raising them here in Central Texas.

Thanks in advance,
Kibi

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Kibi, what's your email address?

 

[Kibi78704]

D'oh! Sorry that I forgot to post it!

kwhitworth AT austin.rr.com.

Thanks SO much!

 

[Kibi78704]

BTW - I have a story to share with you all.

I have two flocks, one of which is 15 7-week old SG Dorkings and another which is 24 14-week old Ameraucanas. Each flock free range in separate yard sized runs.
One day, the Ameraucanas got into the Dorking run. My lead Dorking cockerel, Lancelot, saw a flood of Ameraucanas invading his territory. He ran up to the lead Ameraucana cockerel, Boychik, who obviously out-massed him many times. Didn't phase him a bit. Lancelot puffed up as big as he could, flapped his wings and challenged Boychik. Of course, Boychik was unimpressed, took one swift peck, and sent Lancelot screaming under the coop.
I have to admire Lancelot for having the courage (to attempt) to defend his territory, and although I was terrified at the time that Boychik would kill Lancelot, now it is the funniest thing to remember a tiny 6-inch tall cockerel challenging a 16-inch tall cockerel.
Needless to say, they were kept strictly separate afterward.

 

[joyous]

Is there anyone near eastern Iowa that would part with a show or near show quality Red Dorking roo.?

 

[ki4got]

good luck finding them. sq dorkings are few and far between i think. and finding someone willing to part with them may be even less likely.

you might be better off getting some eggs and trying for your own. rudy troxel has some decent birds and I had great fertility on them. unfortunately due to incubator issues, only 4 hatched and i lost 1. bit i've got a nice trio growing out now with some high hopes pinned to them.

 

[Alwayswantchics]

Looking for some eggs in so.cal if there are any for sale. Or somewhere close.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Hi Joyous,
I recently purchased 13 red dorkings for Sandhill. I got the impression from their catalog that of all their dorkings, the reds were their best quality. They are now 10 weeks old. Of the 13, there are three very nice quality (probably not show-winning quality) cockerels, two fair quality cockerels, and one terrible cockerel. Of the pullets, there are four of very nice quality, two good quality, and one fair quality.

When I posted about how much I liked the breed and my possible interest in breeding them, Joseph replied:

Dorkings are rare, indeed. Moreover, in all of the four primary colors--red, white, colored, and SG--there are no existing long-term breeders of high quality stock currently out of the closet; ergo, if they're around, they're not currently accessible, nor is their stock. If you want to begin with reds, beg some stock from Rudy. Dick Horstman's stock may also be a nice beginning.

So, depending on where you are in your breeding program, Sandhill might be a place to start. Or if you're already more advanced than that, probably Rudy Troxel, Dick Horstman, etc.

Here is Sandhill's Website: http://www.sandhillpreservation.com/index.html
They are in Calamus, Iowa. They only sell day-old chicks.

This is Dick Horstman's website: http://horstmanspoultry.com/home.html
It lists prices for both eggs and day-old chicks, but not anything for started, show quality birds. There is contact information on the website if you wish to ask about started birds. They are near Pittsburgh, PA.

This is Rudy Troxel's website: https://sites.google.com/site/triangleacrespoultry/home
He has birds from Roger Tice. He is in Indiana.

Here is a page from the Dorking Breeders Club listing a contact for the person who took over Roger Tice's flock. The new owner is Terry Moseley in Arkansas. http://dorkingbreedersclub.webs.com/apps/forums/topics/show/7447303-saying-goodbye

There is also this site in NH, http://www.petknot.com/vns/index.html. They list fertile eggs, day-old chicks, started pullets, and breeding quality roosters. I do not know them, and have no idea of their quality, but they list their stock as coming from both Tice and Horstman lines.

And this is another site from New Boston, MI, that has Sandhill, Tice, and Horstman lines: http://www.lesperancefarm.com/Poultry.htm. Again, don't know their quality, but their site says that they are working to improve the breed, and from the pictures they appear to be showing their birds.

Good luck in your search.
--April

 

[joyous]

Hi Joyous,
I recently purchased 13 red dorkings for Sandhill. I got the impression from their catalog that of all their dorkings, the reds were their best quality. They are now 10 weeks old. Of the 13, there are three very nice quality (probably not show-winning quality) cockerels, two fair quality cockerels, and one terrible cockerel. Of the pullets, there are four of very nice quality, two good quality, and one fair quality.

When I posted about how much I liked the breed and my possible interest in breeding them, Joseph replied:

Dorkings are rare, indeed. Moreover, in all of the four primary colors--red, white, colored, and SG--there are no existing long-term breeders of high quality stock currently out of the closet; ergo, if they're around, they're not currently accessible, nor is their stock. If you want to begin with reds, beg some stock from Rudy. Dick Horstman's stock may also be a nice beginning.

So, depending on where you are in your breeding program, Sandhill might be a place to start. Or if you're already more advanced than that, probably Rudy Troxel, Dick Horstman, etc.

Here is Sandhill's Website: http://www.sandhillpreservation.com/index.html
They are in Calamus, Iowa. They only sell day-old chicks.

This is Dick Horstman's website: http://horstmanspoultry.com/home.html
It lists prices for both eggs and day-old chicks, but not anything for started, show quality birds. There is contact information on the website if you wish to ask about started birds. They are near Pittsburgh, PA.

This is Rudy Troxel's website: https://sites.google.com/site/triangleacrespoultry/home
He has birds from Roger Tice. He is in Indiana.

Here is a page from the Dorking Breeders Club listing a contact for the person who took over Roger Tice's flock. The new owner is Terry Moseley in Arkansas. http://dorkingbreedersclub.webs.com/apps/forums/topics/show/7447303-saying-goodbye

There is also this site in NH, http://www.petknot.com/vns/index.html. They list fertile eggs, day-old chicks, started pullets, and breeding quality roosters. I do not know them, and have no idea of their quality, but they list their stock as coming from both Tice and Horstman lines.

And this is another site from New Boston, MI, that has Sandhill, Tice, and Horstman lines: http://www.lesperancefarm.com/Poultry.htm. Again, don't know their quality, but their site says that they are working to improve the breed, and from the pictures they appear to be showing their birds.

Good luck in your search.
--April

Thanks so much for all the great info! I live close to sandhill and have red dorkings from them! I was hoping to get a different line to add to my breeding program! I have been extremely happy with sandhill, I also have cuckoo dorkings from them..I am just looking to get closer to standard.