The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Marketplace => Topic started by: Jukes Mum on May 10, 2014, 01:41:44 pm

Title: Silver Grey Dorking Cockerel
Post by: Jukes Mum on May 10, 2014, 01:41:44 pm

Hi All - I am looking for a Silver Grey Dorking fella for my lovely ladies.
Really struggling to find one and am starting to think that they are a rare breed for a reason!
I live in North Yorkshire, work in West Yorkshire and will be travelling to Staffordshire and Northampton in the next week or so, so any of these areas would work.
 :fc:

Title: Re: Silver Grey Dorking Cockerel
Post by: SallyintNorth on May 10, 2014, 02:26:14 pm

Wishing you luck in your search - I think they are magnificent creatures  :thumbsup:

I had a one given, from our local Rare Breeds bod, so the cock was a good one, but although he was absolutely beautiful  :love: :chook:, he was useless at his job.  A complete wuss, didn't look out for the hens, and the fox had him within two weeks.  ::)   

However, he'd managed to fertilise some eggs and we had a hen go broody, and we reared 4 Warren x Silver Grey Dorkings.  All bloomin' cocks  ::) - but they were tremendous cocks, and they all worked brilliantly at every aspect of their job.  Foxy never got to look near when I had a one of they about ;)

Title: Re: Silver Grey Dorking Cockerel
Post by: Jukes Mum on May 10, 2014, 02:32:17 pm

Thanks Sally. If you know of/hear of anyone with one please could you let me know? The hens are fab. Really sweet and friendly, they don't scratch up their paddock and they taste great!

Title: Re: Silver Grey Dorking Cockerel
Post by: SallyintNorth on May 10, 2014, 02:49:42 pm

I'm afraid my neighbour isn't breeding them any more.  You could try the RBST; they have a marketplace on their website and I don't know if you can post things like this on their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rare-Breeds-Survival-Trust/151508721576385)? 

Title: Re: Silver Grey Dorking Cockerel
Post by: Marches Farmer on May 10, 2014, 03:27:31 pm

I have two breeding groups of SGD's.  Do you have an incubator?  We had excellent fertility from both groups last year and I have our first hatch in the incubators now, so hopefully will be in a position to send out hatching eggs after the 16th.

Title: Re: Silver Grey Dorking Cockerel
Post by: Marches Farmer on May 16, 2014, 02:19:45 pm

Have had 100% hatch and all chicks robust- do you want some hatching eggs?

Title: Re: Silver Grey Dorking Cockerel
Post by: Jukes Mum on May 20, 2014, 08:15:01 am

Hi - sorry I missed your post. I have some hatching eggs going into the incubator, but was hoping to breed my own really. Do you know of anyone with a 'ready to go' boy?

Title: Re: Silver Grey Dorking Cockerel
Post by: Marches Farmer on May 20, 2014, 02:18:00 pm

Not presently, alas.  We shall have a 2013 proven cockerel available after July, but we're rather a long way from you.