Does either breed tend to make better mothers than the other? As far as caring for the chicks, protecting the chicks, etc.? Thanks for any help!
I do not know about the Red Dorking but I have a Golden Laced Wyandotte who just hatched out 7 chicks and she is great! I can lift her up, pull out a chick, look at it and set it back by her and she rarely pecks my hand. But she is very protective of her chicks and moves herself between them and me. It is also her first time hatching eggs. I even moved her on day 18 and took the eggs she was setting on and put eggs I really wanted hatched under her and she settled on them and hatched them. The ones she was setting on that I moved to the incubator hatched (if they were fertile).
Same here. I have a GLW who raised a pair of Dominique pullets for me. She was a good mother. I have never had Dorkings though. My Cubalayas seem to make the best mothers though. Very protective, and I have one who has gone broody, raised a batch of chicks, then went broody again.