Rare breed but don't know what color

[violetsky]

Does anyone have any idea what color these dorking chicks will end up? The black one
has yellow fuzz but looks white in the pic, the dark brown one also has yellow fuzz. The light
one is red tipped over yellowish gray. I'm hoping the black one will be a birchen. The
eggs were labeled as to what pen they were in by the breeder but I was out of town when they
hatched.

 

[Illia]

The black one is indeed a Birchen. The brown looking one I'm assuming is what they call red, but honestly, it looks partridge or something. The white looking one can be anything along the lines of white, wheaten, buff, or some cross color.

 

[violetsky]

Hi, Dumb question back at you. What is an AOV araucana?

 

[Illia]

AOV stands for All Other Varieties. Basically it means I breed Araucanas with colors not accepted by the APA. They're still rumpless, tufted, and purebred, but since there's a measly 5 colors accepted, 3 of them being practically the same and the other 2 just solid black and white, it gives us a want for some more interesting colors on such an amazing breed.

 

[violetsky]

OMG.. I just went to your website, what stunning birds you have. Very good photography too. I took 100 pictures today
and really had a hard time capturing the right color or even a good shot. I have some buff ameraucanas in the bator right now, as well as white
and blue wheaten. I'm going to try to make my own dun double lace ameraucana type bird with the dorks. I'm hoping one
will be dun, which is an offshoot from the colored. I think dorks are the only one that have a variety called colored? ??? Your
buff was first nice ameraucana I've seen in that color, but I've only actually seen one other picture.

 

[Illia]

Thanks. The credit of my Buff girl truly goes to Pips&peeps though, I bought the pullet from her.

Curious, how would you get the double lace from Dorkings and why use Dorkings in an Ameraucana project though? They're two VERY very different breed in every way.

Also, Colored Dorkings far as I remember are simply duckwing in color, nothing varied or truly unique. They don't carry the dun gene though, they're just e+/e+ with gold and/or silver. The dun would come from Buff Ameraucanas.

 

[tgrlily]

Hi!

I'm going to guess that your Dorkings came from Teri in Arizona.... she has pics on the Dorking Breeders club's yahoo group of many of the varieties she's working on. We also got our first Dorkings from Teri. I would send her the pics -- I'm sure she'd help you figure it out. The brown chick is not a Red... it would have chipmunk stripes if it was. The red tipped light one could be what she calls tawny... or maybe salmon.

Ilia is right about colored Dorkings being duckwing. I'm not sure if Teri's brown Dorking project is breeding true yet, so I would be hesitant to use it in another project. I'm not clear on how she created the color either, so I can't help you with it's background. Again -- you shold ask the original breeder.

Ummmm --- sorry, but I have to say this. Have you looked up "dork" in the dictionary? It's derogatory slang sometimes used to refer to part of the male anatomy. Dorkings are a regal, noble and ancient breed. If you can take the time to type in the entire word ameraucana, please do the same for Dorking.

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
Rilly?
Well, there must be a reason that dorkings have king in their name.

Cute chicks! I want some....... at least I set the eggs tomorrow.

 

[violetsky]

OOPS. I looked up in the dictionary and you're right. I knew about the first definition, as in slow-witted, nerdy but not the second. King or no king the name
sucks. I just thought abbreviating it a little made it sound better, but now I know. I'm really red-faced. Shame shame shame on me. So very sorry.
As for my project, yes they are very different but I'm not doing it for resale and I have a hunch I will like the results. Dorkings have a lot of interesting
qualities as dual purpose bird, and a lot of fun color diversity. I think its a good idea to keep a few pure dorkings going, and an occasional outcross shouldn't be
discouraged. I say that now and please be sure to check back with me in a year or so when I start seeing the results of my cross breeding endeavor. I like
the stubby legs, boat bodies and colorful plummage of the dorkings and the pea combs of the ameraucanas. There isnt a breed exactly like
I want. I want a pea combed, fun colors to pick from, good egg laying dual purpose bird with a good meaty carcass sans the extra toe and the questionable
name. Russian orloffs are too upright and don't lay enough, Iowa blues are limited in color, ameraucas of course I like, but I want a slower plumper bird. I don't know why
but egg color doesnt matter to me. Has anyone crossed a dorking with an ameraucana here?

 

[tgrlily]

I am the last person to say, "Don't cross that!!!!" It's just a good idea to know what you're getting into!

I'm currently breeding my Dorkings pure, but will be doing 2 different Dorking crosses soon. The goals are just to introduce the color, then bring them back to Dorking type. I even bought a dozen Dominique chicks from a great line for 1 cross. I already had all the ingredients for the other.

Ther are Dorkings with Rosecombs. I know it's not a peacomb, but it is close to the head like one. As far as personalities go, I've never had a nicer bird. They forage well, are beautiful, lay big eggs and are purported to be one of the best tasting chickens. The accepted colors are Red, Silver Grey, Cuckoo, Colored & White. I highly recommend them!

When you breed them to Ameraucanas, you're still likely to get the fifth toe since polydactyl is dominant. If your Dorkings are straight combed, you're going to have some work ahead of you to get that huge comb bred out to the peacomb. The breeds are very dissimilar. Cross breeding is easier with birds that are more alike.

No biggie! A lot of people don't know the full definitions of most of our slang. I'm a geek & a Dorking lover, so I'm up on that one!