Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[kimberly35042]

Quote:
Angela --I think you just nailed the reason I gave up my beautiful LF English Orpingtons. The Dorkings are a remarkably gentle, smart breed. I too gave up on the silver greys for better stock in reds. They are equally beautiful with their own set of breeding difficulties. I wouldn't have it any other way!
Kim

 

[kimberly35042]

They are often referred to as flighty, but they are not too bad. My very first came from Ideal Hatchery, they were quick, curious, and chatty. They were under my feet all the time, but didn't care to be touched or held. They are good fliers that forage well and evade predators well.

It often makes me wonder if "flighty" birds get their reputation from chicken cuddling sorts?

 

[finnfur]

It often makes me wonder if "flighty" birds get their reputation from chicken cuddling sorts?

If flighty means not cuddly and aware I think its a asset against predation. Even when feeding the fermented grain daily they don't let me close enough to touch. When you open range thats good to be aware.
The other day I stepped in the coop to gather eggs and heard a blood curdling screech from the Cock and two hens come running in the coop between my legs. I looked out the door just in time to see a hawk make a swoop about 10 feet off the ground. Every hen was under cover and the cock was standing close up to the side of the trailer[ our coops are on trailers ]
Those hens had been scattered around the trailer when I entered it so the built in flight awareness was a great asset.

 

[Wisher1000]

You give me hope.

For over 35 years, my "happy chicken daydreams" revolved around Silver Gray Dorkings. I gave up on them after 3 years of disappointment in the quality of the stock I was able to procure. I am currently working with Blue Laced Red Wyandottes, learning a lot and having fun. These BLRWs are much closer to their proposed standard than the SGDs I was able to hatch, and my eyes and brain say I am better off with the Wyandottes, in any variety, than with Silver Gray Dorkings. My heart still wants Dorkings. Of the 10,000 birds on display at Columbus in 2014, and the 1500 birds in last year's Bluebonnet Classic, all I wanted to look at were Silver Duckwings, any breed, any size. The only "shape" I like is the Dorking type, though the Schilling-type Wyandottes are pretty, too.

I don't have the infrastructure to support growing out many birds, yet(!) I am also learning a good deal about the higher level of care and knowledge required to breed chickens to a standard, rather than sourcing chicks from a hatchery. I am learning how to find answers to my questions despite the difficulty in finding real world mentors. I expect that when I have a good supply of chicken tractors/pens, I will switch back to Silver Gray Dorkings. While the Dorkings I worked with, from 3 sources, were all over the place in size/type/temperament/coloring, they all had a situational awareness unequalled by any other chicken I have encountered. While these Wyandottes are placid, the Dorkings were (mostly) calm, but with double to triple the intelligence. The Dorkings may be "just chickens," but I think they can do a good bit of integrative thought and problem-solving. They were more than trainable, quickly learning how to beg for treats, or to be let out of their pens to free range.

Thank you for sharing,
Angela

You can make progress with small numbers, albeit slow progress. That's no reason not to have them. You can be that much more ahead once you have the room to hatch in larger numbers.

The first year I had them, I didn't raise any. The second year, I acquired a pair and a spare, the hen was killed before I was able to hatch any of her eggs. The third year, I bought five from the only "breeder" I could find and only managed to raise about a dozen girls. I lost most of them to a raccoon. Last year, I raised LOTS and I see a marked improvement over those first, second and third year birds.

You can't make any progress if you don't have any.......

Quote:

Angela -- The Dorkings are a remarkably gentle, smart breed. I too gave up on the silver greys for better stock in reds.
Kim

I think you two just found yourselves breeding partners for the Silver-Grey Dorkings! Find the best you can and start there. If you don't find good ones, make good ones!

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

If flighty means not cuddly and aware I think its a asset against predation. Even when feeding the fermented grain daily they don't let me close enough to touch. When you open range thats good to be aware.
The other day I stepped in the coop to gather eggs and heard a blood curdling screech from the Cock and two hens come running in the coop between my legs. I looked out the door just in time to see a hawk make a swoop about 10 feet off the ground. Every hen was under cover and the cock was standing close up to the side of the trailer[ our coops are on trailers ]
Those hens had been scattered around the trailer when I entered it so the built in flight awareness was a great asset.

I agree with this. I have Cream Legbars and Naked Necks. The Cream Legbars are relatively sweet (handled a lot as chicks), but still not cuddly and hard to catch if you need to - some people call them "flighty". They are AMAZING at appropriate instinctual reactions to hawks (we have them nesting on the property). In fact, they act as the "watch dogs" for the rest of the chickens and are always the ones to sound the alert. The CL rooster lured several terrier dogs out of the yard and into the driveway to protect all the others a couple weeks ago (he survived, but was badly plucked - he's feathering back in. And my perimeter is now tighter.) The hens also have very good "stealth" hiding skills. I love this about them.

I think my chicken yard is safer due to having a number of so called "flighty" birds in the flock. Can't imagine how much more nervous I'd feel without them (or other flighty birds like them).

- Ant Farm

 

[gjensen]

You give me hope.

For over 35 years, my "happy chicken daydreams" revolved around Silver Gray Dorkings. I gave up on them after 3 years of disappointment in the quality of the stock I was able to procure. I am currently working with Blue Laced Red Wyandottes, learning a lot and having fun. These BLRWs are much closer to their proposed standard than the SGDs I was able to hatch, and my eyes and brain say I am better off with the Wyandottes, in any variety, than with Silver Gray Dorkings. My heart still wants Dorkings. Of the 10,000 birds on display at Columbus in 2014, and the 1500 birds in last year's Bluebonnet Classic, all I wanted to look at were Silver Duckwings, any breed, any size. The only "shape" I like is the Dorking type, though the Schilling-type Wyandottes are pretty, too.

I don't have the infrastructure to support growing out many birds, yet(!) I am also learning a good deal about the higher level of care and knowledge required to breed chickens to a standard, rather than sourcing chicks from a hatchery. I am learning how to find answers to my questions despite the difficulty in finding real world mentors. I expect that when I have a good supply of chicken tractors/pens, I will switch back to Silver Gray Dorkings. While the Dorkings I worked with, from 3 sources, were all over the place in size/type/temperament/coloring, they all had a situational awareness unequalled by any other chicken I have encountered. While these Wyandottes are placid, the Dorkings were (mostly) calm, but with double to triple the intelligence. The Dorkings may be "just chickens," but I think they can do a good bit of integrative thought and problem-solving. They were more than trainable, quickly learning how to beg for treats, or to be let out of their pens to free range.

Thank you for sharing,
Angela

They are not all created equal. My Catalanas are a world away from anything that I have had, and I have had a lot of different birds in the last twenty years. Once I came to know these, I was smitten. Some chickens are more like chickens than others.

 

[gjensen]

You can make progress with small numbers, albeit slow progress. That's no reason not to have them. You can be that much more ahead once you have the room to hatch in larger numbers.

The first year I had them, I didn't raise any. The second year, I acquired a pair and a spare, the hen was killed before I was able to hatch any of her eggs. The third year, I bought five from the only "breeder" I could find and only managed to raise about a dozen girls. I lost most of them to a raccoon. Last year, I raised LOTS and I see a marked improvement over those first, second and third year birds.

You can't make any progress if you don't have any.......

I think you two just found yourselves breeding partners for the Silver-Grey Dorkings! Find the best you can and start there. If you don't find good ones, make good ones!

There are some breeds and varieties that cannot be advanced reliably without numbers. disqualifying faults can become so entrenched that it requires numbers just to have enough replacement birds, much less move forward. It can take a lot to stand still. Sometimes you have to break the mold.

Small numbers are for breeds and varieties that are in good shape.

 

[gjensen]

Flighty often does come from the chicken cuddly sorts. To some, if it flaps it's wings it is flighty. The reputations can become over extended. If I had read the books, I would have known that my Catalanas were flighty. I did not, so I do not. What I have are birds that are sharp, assertive, and active. They are confident, not nervous.

Some strains of some breeds are down right nutty. They are no pleasure to own. So, some could be called flighty while being fair. It is a subjective term, so each will have a different view.

But let us be honest. Many do not want real chickens, LOL. They want them soft and cuddly. And there are trade offs. Calm can be synonymous with lethargic. I prefer active and with personality. I like to see something going on upstairs.

Then, much of it is management. Some birds are not meant for close confinement.

 

[neopolitancrazy]

You can make progress with small numbers, albeit slow progress. ..You can't make any progress if you don't have any.......

I would rephrase your statement to "you can't make progress if you can't hatch any. My first year's stock laid in the weeds, roosted at the top of a 2 story barn, and were only seen after dark, with a flashlight. My second year I had almost 100% fertility, but only 15% of the eggs developed into healthy, vigorous chicks. The second year I had 0% fertility, and I moved on to BLRWs.

There are some breeds and varieties that cannot be advanced reliably without numbers. disqualifying faults can become so entrenched that it requires numbers just to have enough replacement birds, much less move forward. It can take a lot to stand still. Sometimes you have to break the mold.

Small numbers are for breeds and varieties that are in good shape.

My husband made 3 chicken tractors that I love, last summer. He is now relatively quick and efficient with that design, and my fallback gift request is "more chicken tractors, please!' Each is 8'x10' and can grow out a dozen chicks or house a trio/quad of adults. I am also improving my efficiency with early culling/butchering. All of the equipment and skills I am acquiring should be easily transferred to any other chicken breed. I am keeping in touch with the Dorking grapevine so I might have better luck with my next attempt to source breeding stock.

Angela

 

[Wisher1000]

I had those problems, too, Angela. I thought I was never going to get any to hatch and then I thought that none that hatched would ever survive to adulthood. I also had problems with the hens not laying. It was frustrating and disheartening. I am so glad I kept at it, the rewards have finally started showing up and I am thrilled.