BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[DesertChic]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Dorkings as being good broodies- is it true or is that an urban myth? How would a Dorking compare "good broody- wise" to a Dark hatchery Cornish?

I'm FB friends with some Dorking breeders in England and they rave about their broodies, but I'm not sure about here in America.

 

[varidgerunner]

I've got some dorkings here that I'm trying. They have made no attempts at brooding thus far. They have been laying a couple months. I have birds the same age on eggs right now. My guess is that they fall under the occasionally go broody category. Might go broody sometime up in the summer, when my others are raising their second brood. I always heard Cochins were good broodies. I never had any that successfully raised chicks. About the only thing that they seemed to get right was the quit laying part. Made a lot of noise, pooped on a lot of nice eggs, no chicks.

 

[bramblefir]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Dorkings as being good broodies-  is it true or is  that an urban myth?  How would a Dorking compare "good broody- wise"  to a Dark hatchery Cornish?

My hatchery Dorking, Dark Cornish, and LF Cochin haven't shown any desire to brood yet. Some of my other hatchery breeds of the same ages have already raised a clutch or more.

Now breeder quality Dorkings are probably different. I believe YellowHouseFarm's White Dorkings are good broodies.

 

[hellbender]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Dorkings as being good broodies- is it true or is that an urban myth? How would a Dorking compare "good broody- wise" to a Dark hatchery Cornish?

I don't think Cackle Hatchery has Dorkings but my Cackle DCs seem to ALL want to have children!

 

[LindaB220]

My broody White Rock finally took to the nesting box (and fake egg) I made up for her in the isolation pen, so I placed 3 Bielefelder eggs, 1 NN egg and 1 White Rock egg under her. I was originally only going to give her Biel eggs to sit on since I seem to have problems hatching them in the incubator, but I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to put one of my favorite NN hen's eggs under her, along with a possibly NN fertilized White Rock egg. She pecked at me at first, but once she realized I was GIVING her eggs, not taking them away, she calmed tremendously and went into her zone...pupils dilated, head low and body flattened out. So....21 days to wait and see what happens, more or less.

I gotta tell you that the white rocks are the easiest brooders I've ever seen. One got the urge and bing, the others were piling on. Getting them separated were much more of a problem. I've decided to stay in the Portland/Vancouver are and live with my daughter Jenny. She wants me to garden and relax. Not going back to Louisiana. I'll let somebody else pack up for me.

 

[Beekissed]

Linda, you mean piling on like these two Rocks?

You can just see a tiny chick face at the rear of these two hens....



These were most likely the warmest chicks in history.....




These two decided to raise their two broods together for a bit....






As you can see, one hen just isn't big enough to cover these Rock chicks...it's a two hen job!

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Beekissed what lovely broody hen pictures! I have a fencing question for you- it looks like you've lined wire fence with the plastic (Is it Benner's?) mesh. What size of mesh is the wire? Is the plastic fence just to keep chicks in, does it keep weasels out? We have the odd weasel here it's the predator I fear the most.... I have some 1/2" by 1" wire mesh, it's hideously expensive so I'm looking for effective alternative fences for my outdoor mobile tractors and coops. Thanks.

 

[Beer can]

I don't think Cackle Hatchery has Dorkings but my Cackle DCs seem to ALL want to have children!   :cd

I was going to order some with the NNs, they are sold out of DC for the yr... :-( .

 

[hellbender]

I was going to order some with the NNs, they are sold out of DC for the yr... :-( .

Do you have your NNs? I could perhaps provide you with a couple DC cockerels in the not so distant future???

 

[DesertChic]

I gotta tell you that the white rocks are the easiest brooders I've ever seen. One got the urge and bing, the others were piling on. Getting them separated were much more of a problem. I've decided to stay in the Portland/Vancouver are and live with my daughter Jenny. She wants me to garden and relax. Not going back to Louisiana. I'll let somebody else pack up for me.

I was actually surprised when my WR turned broody the first time because I'd been told repeatedly that the tendency had pretty much be been bred out of them, but my Lily turned out to be an amazing mother. I just wish she would ease off that instinct a little bit. She only lays for a max of 6 weeks before turning broody, and she absolutely refuses to be broken. That's part of the reason I'm just working with her at this point. As long as I have the room I'll just let her hatch out a few eggs each time to keep her happy.