Heritage White Dorking Thread

[Of the Glenn]

Do you have a good enough line of silver grays to be able to get type back after wrecking it with

Several of the mainline hatcheries sell Silver Grays and I would get chicks from them.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Several of the mainline hatcheries sell Silver Grays and I would get chicks from them.

What about white dorkings appeals to you? The hatchery dorkings, while I'm glad they have a stronghold at the hatcheries, are not good representatives of the breed. The feature that primarily distinguishes the Dorking is a long, low, heavy, gravy bowl body. You'll be hard pressed to find that in hatchery stock, and crossing it to another breed would put you likely even further from the goal in most cases. Leghorns are dominant white plus a very light built bird with the completely wrong body type. Wyandottes are at least a heavy bird, but again wrong body type plus yellow skin, etc.

I looked for white dorkings for a while to cross to my Houdans to recreate white Houdans but realized the variety needs enough work in their own right that they wouldn't benefit me much. I'm working with white faverolles instead. These at least have the correct heavy body type.

But truly, if this is a variety you're very interested in and passionate about, let's help you find some good white dorkings instead of trying to scab together something from hatchery odds and ends. It would be so worth it! I'd love to see someone else working on these.

 

[Tahai]

reviving this thread to ask about current reputable breeders of Heritage White Dorkings bred to the standard - does anyong have any recomendations? Thanks in advance.

 

[RennaeHanson]

reviving this thread to ask about current reputable breeders of Heritage White Dorkings bred to the standard - does anyong have any recomendations? Thanks in advance.

I'm looking for White Dorking Chickens too, does anyone have a good source for them?

 

[Rillowen]

I am not expressly interested in white dorkings, but i have just started my dorking flock and am looking for culling advice. My goal is a reliable winter breeder with roos that have alot of meat. I have 3 roos that need to be culled, should I go for size, weight, or is there something else? I have 1 that is much larger overall, but i think he is just longer boned, whereas there is another that is squatter with that more "gravey bowel" shape who probably weighs about the same. Would the shorter one be the one to keep or another?
On a separate issue I also have 1 sexually ambiguous white dorking whoes very small comb and waddle have been pale pink since hatched (now 9 months) seems to have shorter saddle and neck feathers, even some that may be short sickle feathers, and the more pointed body, but no comb, no crowing, seems interested in nesting boxes and doesn't fight, but does neck feather flare is someone challenges it.. any clue if its a roo? I have been looking at different pics of dorking hens, most look very classic hen with the boxy body, short tail ect, but some seem to have the longer tail and even a light saddle, if the behavior wasn't off i would call it a roo, comb and waddle or no! But not im just confused.

 

[Rillowen]

The ambiguous white also doesn't mount or squat, just seems disgusted with both genders. Do I have a hermaphrodite??!