Texas

[Cockle-Dood]

Here are our LAST 2 chicks to round out our first flock. They are 2 weeks old and everyone is playing nice in the brooder...so far.

Love me some EE's!...those are EE's right,. lol!

cant wait until i do another batch of fuzzies!!

 

[Burns06]

The feed store said they were Ameraucana's, but after all the threads I read about mistaken identity, I can't confidently say anything.

 

[jnntefend]

The feed store said they were Ameraucana's, but after all the threads I read about mistaken identity, I can't confidently say anything.

Yup. My "Rhode Island Red Pullets" Have at least half their body in cream. These are sex links, no doubt. Still, they are wonderful.

 

[Cockle-Dood]

The feed store said they were Ameraucana's, but after all the threads I read about mistaken identity, I can't confidently say anything.

that is a really touchy subject. 99% sure you have EE's which really only means that they arent show quality americaunas. will lay a greener egg than the blue laid by americauana and will miss standard in a couple other areas as well like leg coloring or feathering. but still awesome birds! my first 2 died by k9 but made sure and got some to replace. cant imagine a flock without them....

 

[Kilsharion]

The feed store said they were Ameraucana's, but after all the threads I read about mistaken identity, I can't confidently say anything.

If you got them from the feed store - they are indeed EEs. And, like Dood said - it winds up being a really touchy subject. **grimace** Me, I love EEs and don't care if they aren't purebred. Though, I have hit Yinepu up for one of her purebred Ameraucana cockerels if any survive shipping and actually hatch out

Mostly cuz I want to be able to keep blue/green eggs on the property without having to keep bringing in new stock.

 

[Burns06]

I am not concerned about them being purebred. I think they're beautiful birds either way. This is our first flock and we just wanted a little color in the egg basket. These girls are going to be spoiled that's for sure. My kids think they are better than all the other pets

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
Oh trust me.. the issue with too much protein is a real thing with meaties.. I lost almost an entire batch to flip before I could get lower protein feed

Quote:
dualies can do better with higher protein.. especially breeds like Dorkings.. but when you get into freedom rangers and cornish cross.. you really have to watch protein content.. (more so with the cornishX). And some strains can handle it better than others. I was a doubter (even though my Aunt the "queen of the broilers"

had warned me).. had to see it for myself before I believed it..

and when you lose a bunch of birds to flip within a few days of each other.. you become a believer very quickly. The thing with death by flip is you KNOW it's flip.. the way the birds flip over and die all stretched out is the telltale sign


even with dual purpose birds you can go too heavy on protein.. it can cause long term issues with their livers if they are on excessively high protein feeds (26% and up) for too long.

Pulled an amazing stunt today. I tripped over one of our giant rocks in the chicken coop, managed to grab the chick I was about to fall on, twisted so I wouldn't land on the baby, and fell. The chick is doing great besides griping at me for startling it. I peeled my elbow, tore up my calf, bruised my hip, and I think I sprang my wrist. Hurts real bad to move it but I can move it.

ouch!.. I hope you heal up fast

Here are our LAST 2 chicks to round out our first flock. They are 2 weeks old and everyone is playing nice in the brooder...so far.

 

[Kilsharion]

even with dual purpose birds you can go too heavy on protein.. it can cause long term issues with their livers if they are on excessively high protein feeds (26% and up) for too long.

Yeah, that's a given. I was aware of the "too much protein" issue, as I've been warning some others of it in another thread ( I think you're on those, Yinepu...maybe not ). I would have expected to see studies against the higher protein amounts (23%) for broilers. I've not seen them, so I'm digging around to find them. I'm far from disagreeing. As Yinepu knows, I do not hold studies in exactly the highest regard, though I do tend to use them as a base from which to start asking questions.

This is great information

And, yes, Dorkings are one of the few chicken breeds that actually do very well on gamebird feed. The love their proteins!! I've sometimes wondered, reading their descriptions in older texts and how big they got, if they weren't more of a crossover bird between chicken and turkey. I mean, they were known to get up to 14 pounds (unlike today where 10 pounds is considered "big" for them)...that's the size of a small turkey isn't it?

 

[Kilsharion]

By the way - just read this article, today. The Dorking is the focus breed for The Rare Poultry Breed Association of Australia. Yay Dorkings!

I'd be really interested to see a Blue Silver Grey....

 

[Texasmja]

And, yes, Dorkings are one of the few chicken breeds that actually do very well on gamebird feed. The love their proteins!! I've sometimes wondered, reading their descriptions in older texts and how big they got, if they weren't more of a crossover bird between chicken and turkey. I mean, they were known to get up to 14 pounds (unlike today where 10 pounds is considered "big" for them)...that's the size of a small turkey isn't it?

The SOP says Dorkings (LF)
Cock - 9 lbs
Cockerel - 8 lbs
Hen - 7 lbs
Pullet - 6 lbs

Admitted to the Standard:
White - 1874
Silver Gray - 1874
Colored - 1874
Red - 1995
Cuckoo - 1998