The Dorking Breeders thread

[Dirt Farmer]

Love the spangled look. I know it doesn't belong on Dorkings though. Still love it though.

http://dorkingbreedersclub.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=29099581
http://dorkingbreedersclub.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=29099580

Have you seen these on the Dorking Breeders Club website?

 

[Yellow House Farm]

http://dorkingbreedersclub.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=29099581
http://.webs.codorkingbreedersclubm/apps/photos/photo?photoid=29099580

Have you seen these on the Dorking Breeders Club website?

Absolutely, but the place for that pattern is on Speckled Sussex. Those aren't Spangled Dorkings. Spangled is built on a BBR pattern with mahogany. Those are white skinned, red chickens with mottling, i.e. what a Speckled Sussex is.

Eventually, the reality with the vast majority of new, irresistible colors is that they exist already on another suitable fowl that would, were breeders to unite and work on the same breed and variety, become amazing. Instead, people want mottled Orpingtons and Dorking, and mottled/spangled Games and Sussex continue ever closer to oblivion. Unfortunately, the end result will be that we simply have nothing left of quality at all.

 

[Dirt Farmer]

Absolutely, but the place for that pattern is on Speckled Sussex. Those aren't Spangled Dorkings. Spangled is built on a BBR pattern with mahogany. Those are white skinned, red chickens with mottling, i.e. what a Speckled Sussex is.

Eventually, the reality with the vast majority of new, irresistible colors is that they exist already on another suitable fowl that would, were breeders to unite and work on the same breed and variety, become amazing. Instead, people want mottled Orpingtons and Dorking, and mottled/spangled Games and Sussex continue ever closer to oblivion. Unfortunately, the end result will be that we simply have nothing left of quality at all.

I don't disagree. People want unique, I've gone that route a few times myself. The Orpington is a prime example. There are more color varieties than ever, but most of those varieties are lacking in form and function. William Cook wouldn't recognize them. Many times when seeing them I've thought, why not just raise Cochins? At least they're SUPPOSED to have feathers on their legs!! It took me around eight years to settle on raising Colored Dorkings. I couldn't even find pictures of what a Colored Dorking should look like. I couldn't find any breeders. Guess I've got "unique" after all.
'

 

[Kelsie2290]

The Dorking is this weeks featured breed on BYC's Chicken Breed Focus project, they would appreciate hearing from any owners or breeders about their experiences with the breed. Link to the BYC thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/994592/chicken-breed-focus-dorking/0_20 and it will be up later on the BYC FaceBook page https://www.facebook.com/raisingbackyardchickens

 

[Jan336]

I posted my roo in the classifieds if anyone is interested: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/995897/free-adult-male-dorking-rooster-and-his-hens

 

[RhodeRunner]

I am selling my flock of Horstman/Superior Farm's Red Dorkings. Pickup only in the PA/OH/WV tristate area. PM me, if interested.

 

[ki4got]

I am selling my flock of Horstman/Superior Farm's Red Dorkings. Pickup only in the PA/OH/WV tristate area. PM me, if interested.

if anyone in the wv/va area is interested, I'm planning to go up and get a few of her girls, I'm willing to transport them south. the route im planning to follow is Christiansburg va to Wytheville, north on 77 then up towards Morganton wv (I think 79?) then up into pa... if anyone wants birds we can meet along my path, might make it easier for someone to get a couple decent birds.

drop me a pm either here or on fb...

 

[Dirt Farmer]

if anyone in the wv/va area is interested, I'm planning to go up and get a few of her girls, I'm willing to transport them south. the route im planning to follow is Christiansburg va to Wytheville, north on 77 then up towards Morganton wv (I think 79?) then up into pa... if anyone wants birds we can meet along my path, might make it easier for someone to get a couple decent birds.

drop me a pm either here or on fb...

That's a good find. I've been on the waiting list for Red Dorkings at Horstman's Poultry for a very long time. My Colored Dorkings are almost nine months old now. Soon I'll be hatching out my own. Waiting is not my strong suit. Egg size is still mostly small but starting to get some medium sized eggs. Enjoy the road trip, I highly recommend the Red Vines.

 

[Fowl Explorer]

I am new to this thread and owning Dorkings as well. I have red Dorkings and they are very pretty, but my motives for buying the chicks had to do with utilizing them as the dual purpose fowl they were meant to be. I am considering breeding them, but am dismayed at my ignorance about Dorking standards. Do I have to buy an APA "Standard" to understand how to select them. Will the Standard provide all the information I need? Am also looking for other Dorking owners in Virginia that I can learn from.

Thank you,

 

[Dirt Farmer]

I am new to this thread and owning Dorkings as well. I have red Dorkings and they are very pretty, but my motives for buying the chicks had to do with utilizing them as the dual purpose fowl they were meant to be. I am considering breeding them, but am dismayed at my ignorance about Dorking standards. Do I have to buy an APA "Standard" to understand how to select them. Will the Standard provide all the information I need? Am also looking for other Dorking owners in Virginia that I can learn from.

Thank you,

Welcome to BYC.
Well yes and no. You could just breed for utility based on egg laying ability or carcass, but to breed the whole package you need a Standard. The older versions will not have the Red Dorking so if you look for a less expensive used Standard of Perfection, the Red was admitted in 1995. My 2001 has it. The SOP does not give specific advice on selecting your stock. There are some sources here on BYC that people have shared with me, and I've found information by Googling. I bought Jan E Irving's Dorking Poultry, Fowls and Chickens, and The Mating and Breeding of Poultry by Lamon and Slocum (no mention of Reds). All provide some pieces of the puzzle. Ultimately I think it comes down to having a firm idea of the goal (the standard), and coming up with a common sense plan that utilizes the strengths, and compensates the weaknesses of your current flock.
A mentor would be great but due to the lack of people serious about the breed you'll be lucky to find somebody within 100 miles that has kept them for even 5 years. Hang around here, I've found there's knowledge and experience to tap in to (I'm new to Dorkings as well). If nothing else there's the encouragement of like minded people.