B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[vnsseed]

the primary issue with frostbite isn't temperature, really, but keeping moisture in the coop to a minimum... moisture in the air settles out as frost on the combs and that is when the problems start. keeping a coop clean and dry will lessen any problems with that.

When i was at UMO, the chickens all shared the barn with my horses and i never had a problem with combs, even tho i can remember days that it hurt to breathe it was so cold...

god i love virginia...

What Karen said.... We have SC Red Dorkings here in NH and haven't had problems with frost bite in our Dorkings, yet. The key is insulation with proper ventilation, without draft.

 

[ashandvine]

Well, I do not insulate and keeping chickens in a barn with other animals, like horses, who produce a lot of body heat creates enough heat in the room for chickens to be safe despite ambient temperatures, like putting a bunch of people in a room and suddenly you are hot because you are all sharing body heat. I do not intend to do anything fancy other than provide a little light in the really dark months. This is a new system here for me regarding coops as I moved in April and haven't wintered here yet. The winds this spring were fierce though. I have a barn basement which I hate (200 year old farm here) that is divided out into 'runs' internally, but then there is a small cottage that serves for the other 'nice' girls who I worry won't get along with some of the bigger chickens. So far we have harmony-- despite momma chicken chasing the heck out of the ducks. I told one woman to put toddler socks on her birds heads, like ski masks, but for long term I don't want to do that to a bird if I am not really in love with the breed. Not knowing what I am headed for regarding the housing here I don't want to keep anyone that has a large comb. The Delaware rooster is at risk so he is in the barn... but like I said, there is something about that basement that feels like a basement to me despite it being built to hold animals which I don't care for. Maybe Dorkings aren't for me...?

 

[vnsseed]

Well, I do not insulate and keeping chickens in a barn with other animals, like horses, who produce a lot of body heat creates enough heat in the room for chickens to be safe despite ambient temperatures, like putting a bunch of people in a room and suddenly you are hot because you are all sharing body heat. I do not intend to do anything fancy other than provide a little light in the really dark months. This is a new system here for me regarding coops as I moved in April and haven't wintered here yet. The winds this spring were fierce though. I have a barn basement which I hate (200 year old farm here) that is divided out into 'runs' internally, but then there is a small cottage that serves for the other 'nice' girls who I worry won't get along with some of the bigger chickens. So far we have harmony-- despite momma chicken chasing the heck out of the ducks. I told one woman to put toddler socks on her birds heads, like ski masks, but for long term I don't want to do that to a bird if I am not really in love with the breed. Not knowing what I am headed for regarding the housing here I don't want to keep anyone that has a large comb. The Delaware rooster is at risk so he is in the barn... but like I said, there is something about that basement that feels like a basement to me despite it being built to hold animals which I don't care for. Maybe Dorkings aren't for me...?

That would work fine... I wouldn't write off Dorkings. They survived for thousands of years without heat lamps, and if we let them, they can do it again. I don't do anything special, but I insulate my coops as they are only plywood construction. Your barn probably has as much insulation as my coop and with the added heat of other animals, your barn is likely warmer.

 

[ashandvine]

I love the idea of how old Dorkings are. I don't have any breed here with a rose comb and find it kind of fun. I am very interested in meaty birds, those which are truly dual purpose. I have been reading. While worried about having white birds here I haven't totally sworn off them. I like the reds if it weren't for their comb. Are any of these size to color dependant? I read they were pretty docile and that is a huge draw for me. I thought about Coronation Sussex as well but had a hard time finding good ones from a local breeder... and they are white... and the five toes of the Dorking fits nicely with the Houdans and Favs

 

[ki4got]

I love the idea of how old Dorkings are. I don't have any breed here with a rose comb and find it kind of fun. I am very interested in meaty birds, those which are truly dual purpose. I have been reading. While worried about having white birds here I haven't totally sworn off them. I like the reds if it weren't for their comb. Are any of these size to color dependant? I read they were pretty docile and that is a huge draw for me. I thought about Coronation Sussex as well but had a hard time finding good ones from a local breeder... and they are white... and the five toes of the Dorking fits nicely with the Houdans and Favs

if you're set against the single comb, you might find someone with rose comb reds (not SOP tho). I don't have them myself, i prefer the single combed varieties. I'm also not horribly fond of white anything. (same discussion yesterday on the cochin thread LOL). with the red virginia clay, nothing stays white beyond a matter of minutes. that applies to cat, dog, horse, bird, car, etc...

 

[ki4got]

i was discussing with someone, about culling dorkings...

this is orangey. (a friend nicknamed her and it stuck). pics from hatch 4.9.12 to current, at just under 5 months old now, and about ready to lay.
a great example of why NOT to cull for color or shape before 5-6 months old...
the bottom pics were taken about a month apart...


i may have been a bit hasty on selecting thru the sandhill chicks, because i love this 'little' girl, who i was ready to send to the swap on more than 1 occasion.

 

[pysankigirl]

I have had dorkings for only a short time but I absolutely LOVE their personalities. they are docile but confident. they aren't skittish at all. they are the first ones to run up to me to see what I have and haven't seen them being peckish with any of the other chickens.

my cockerel is another story...I was pretty unhappy with him for quite some time but once I got rid of the other cockerel that was dominant, he calmed down and stopped picking on the girls...I was shocked because before he was making a real *** of himself. but I am giving him a second chance and he's doing pretty well.

But the girls are my favorile chickens so far.

 

[capayvalleychick]

i was discussing with someone, about culling dorkings...

this is orangey. (a friend nicknamed her and it stuck). pics from hatch 4.9.12 to current, at just under 5 months old now, and about ready to lay.
a great example of why NOT to cull for color or shape before 5-6 months old...

Unless you have a bird with obvious serious defects, I've found that you really can't tell what they are going to look like until about 7 months. They don't really look mature until a year of age.

Kim

 

[Chillychick]

Got my chicks Thursday morning. 2 of each except they said they would put a roo in there to keep them warm. They are so adorable. I think the roo is a dorking. My son says they look like chipmonks. They run around, eat, then pass out. I could just watch them all day long but I have house work to do.

 

[ashandvine]

They run around, eat, then pass out. I could just watch them all day long but I have house work to do.

Sounds like DH.