The Poultry Keeper

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6805 Location: isle of lewis

these are my pair ,last year,but obvously i need more stock Rolling Eyes

mojo · Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:22 pm Post subject:

anyone got a picture of a silver dorking hen not in a cage please

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6805 Location: isle of lewis

the children came in with ernie ,who for some reason they call edible Twisted Evil

the top one in the pics in the post a couple of posts back ,they put him in a bag for a couple of minutes and weighed him he weighs in at 8 lbs ,there was also the comment he has a nice pair of bre*sts Twisted Evil

and feels really filled out

tuzo2k · Joined: 09 Jun 2007 Posts: 171 Location: charente sw france

Hi Milkmaid - just returned from the UK but all my contacts with White Dorkinga weren't able to help with eggs as the birds had stopped laying. I would have sent you some from the UK had I got some. Sorry - perhaps next year.

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6805 Location: isle of lewis

thank you for thinking of me
ernie is now the top cockeral of the flock
he's a really big bird ,weighs in at about 9 lb s
totally pleased with them Very Happy

Hen-Gen · Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 5:58 pm Post subject:

You can also bear in mind that with the white variety if you mate a white to a silver grey and then mate the young back to the white then 50% of the chicks will come white (on average) and half to three quarters of those with rose combs.
This is a way of increasing numbers and improving vigour and type if you cant find any good unrelated white breeding stock.

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6805 Location: isle of lewis

but the isn't white is a totally different shape as well to the silver and red ect ,i had a gorgous silver grey dorking but he was a totally different shape to ernie
i was told this by several people who when i was looking sort of warned me that i wouldn't get a silver shaped white dorking or am i confused

it's alright i went shopping, phone went into over drive and all being well i'll have 3 seperate lines Wink

,along side the one i have now Wink

and i do really want to be very carefull with what i'm doing Wink

Hen-Gen · Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 11:15 pm Post subject:

The Dorking Breed Standard is the same for all colours with the exception of the comb. Because the Silver Grey is by far the most common then better standards have been achieved in this variety.
Whites have not been available for sometime in this same quality. In fact I was told some years ago that admixtures with other white breeds had taken place. Crossing to Silver Greys would be a good way to improve type. Though you may have sourced White Dorkings from various sources the chances are that they are related and so inbreeding may present problems. If it does, or type is poor, then crossing to Silver Greys represents a way forward.

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6805 Location: isle of lewis

thank you for your advice the first chap i had got some from had been breeding for 60 years and the others come from different sources
they are out there if you look hard enough as my phone bill can testify Wink

,freinds who travel as well Embarassed

now the cuckoo is a different matter ,as is some of the bantam types
hatched from hens teeth springs to mind Wink

mine are not for showing ,they are a bird i'm passionate about ,keeping for my own use ,so numbers apart from for breeding isn't really a problem ,i would love to start a trapnesting programe with them though and will one day, Cool

Hen-Gen · Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 8:35 am Post subject:

Good luck milkmaid. I'll know where to come for some then!
(One of the most beautiful parts of the country!!!)

debcat · Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 11:22 pm Post subject:

field-farm-rare-breeds · Joined: 03 Jun 2008 Posts: 11 Location: lincs

Hi im looking for a trio of white dorkings i already have one trio but i am wanting some more. If you know anybody who has any for sale within 50 miles of lincs please could you contact me Cheers (babeinneed_763@hotmail.com)

gypsyone · Joined: 12 Oct 2007 Posts: 12 Location: Devon

Hi Guys.
I have got 6 W.D. chicks and my hens are laying fertile eggs I am keeping the chicks for a while but would sell some eggs. Any idea what I should charge for them.
Yours David