# My new Dorkings



## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

I got a trio of silver-gray Dorking chickens a couple of days ago. I've had laying hens (my Lay-Ds) for a couple of years now, but this is my first rooster. I'm hoping for them to raise their own chicks.








The hens.









His tail feathers are a bit of a mess due to transport. We are enjoying the crowing and all the other noises he makes. I do know the crowing will become less entertaining as time goes on. 

Anyway, this afternoon I lost the rooster. Could not find him anywhere. Not that there are many places to hide since he is not free ranging yet. I thought maybe he jumped the fence. Decided to check the nest boxes ...









There he was cuddling with one of his girls. They were in there for a couple of hours.

Is this common rooster behavior?? So much new stuff to learn!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Nice! He is probably stressed from the move.


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> I got a trio of silver-gray Dorking chickens a couple of days ago. I've had laying hens (my Lay-Ds) for a couple of years now, but this is my first rooster. I'm hoping for them to raise their own chicks.
> View attachment 152525
> 
> The hens.
> ...


Beautiful! Some roos do silly stuff like this. But it also could have been his lady went in and so did he to be close for comfort.


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## 15WildTurkey (Apr 13, 2015)

Awwwwe beautiful birds


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

Today he settled into a nest box again, but by himself. One of the girls was in a nest box two boxes over. Again he was there for quite a while.

So it is clear they are comfortable going into the coop, they just will not go into the coop to roost at night. Any suggestions on how to convince them to sleep in the coop?


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## 15WildTurkey (Apr 13, 2015)

Where are they trying to roost? When teaching my newbies, they usually try to roost on the ramp to the door or somewhere like that. I’ll watch from inside then go out and pick them up one by one and pop them in to the coop. It’s never taken more then a week maybe or doing that and they get the hang of it. You say you’ve had other hens, I’m surprised the new additions don’t follow them in. Is their a boss chicken guarding the door? That happened once. Before the pecking order got reestablished the newbies weren’t allowed in by said gatekeeper.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

They are trying to roost on large branches I have mounted in their run. We have been manually, with much squawking and flapping (the chickens, not us), putting them into the coop where they then spend the night. It has only been 4 nights. At this point there is no love between my three laying hens and the Dorkings. They keep to two separate groups, though the rooster has tried to introduce himself. None of the older chickens is guarding the door - they are all up on the perch in the coop. The new chickens don't even go up the ramp to the coop or show any interest in going to the coop in the evening. I guess my next move is to remove the perches in the run. Not an insignificant job.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Nice.


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