Have you ever seen a Dorking chicken before? This post is dedicated to interesting facts about this beautiful fowl that has its origins in England.
Did You Know?
That you can predict the color of the eggs laid by a chicken by the color of the chicken’s earlobes. However, the Dorking is an exception to this rule, because it lays white eggs, in spite of having red earlobes.
The Dorking chicken was named after the town of Dorking in England, and is one of the oldest English breeds of chicken. It is one of the pure breeds that represents a genetic resource that is unique. It is the only chicken breed that is endemic to Britain. For centuries, the town of Dorking in Surrey and its surrounding areas were prime poultry-breeding areas.
In this article, we shall look at some interesting facts about this beautiful bird that is prized for its meat. We shall place the facts under relevant categories, such as identification, temperament, history, etc.
History
âșThe earliest record of these fowl species can be found in the writings of Columella, who was a Roman agricultural historian during the 1st Century AD. He described the breed as, “square-framed, large, and broad-breasted, with big heads and small upright combs…the purest breed being five-clawed”.
âșIt is believed that the Dorkings were brought to England during the Roman invasion in 43 AD, by Julius Caesar.
âșQueen Victoria preferred the Dorking over other breeds of table fowl. In fact, when it comes to quality and flavor of meat, the Dorking has few rivals.
Identification
âșThe most distinctive feature of the Dorking chicken is its extra hind toe, which makes it one among five breeds across the world that have five toes, as opposed to the four toes found in most chicken breeds.
âșYou can identify the Dorking by its stout, rectangular body, and broad breast.
âșIt also has unusually short legs for a chicken of its size.
âșThe chickens are heavy, and weigh anywhere between 8 to 14 pounds, with the males being heavier.
âșAdult roosters can weigh up to 9 pounds, while hens weigh up to 7 pounds.
âșThe Dorkings have a large single comb, the tips of which are prone to frostbite injury, and requires protection.
âșThese birds have no feathers on their feet.
âșThey have white skin.
âșIn spite of their large size and short legs, the Dorkings are good fliers, and are known to roost on trees.
Purpose
âșDorkings are valued for the quality of their meat that is white and tender, especially the breast meat that is truly of fine quality.
âșThey are dual-purpose breeds, which means they are bred for both, meat as well as eggs.
âșThey also make good show birds.
Behavior and Temperament
âșThese birds are calm and docile. They are playful and can be easily handled. They make great pets and adapt well to human contact.
âșThey are quiet in nature.
âșThey are active foragers but love to stay close to home. However, they love to wander in search of “treats”, and hence, need a large space to move around.
âșThe hens are broody and are excellent mothers, even going ahead and caring for chicks of other species, such as turkeys and ducks.
âșThey adapt themselves well to confinement. However, you should ensure that you never keep these gentle birds with more aggressive chicken breeds.
Growth and Reproduction
âșDorkings grow relatively slower than most breeds. The birds attain sexual maturity at the age of two years.
âșThey are relatively good layers, if not excellent, laying about 3 eggs a week and close to 140 eggs a year.
âșThe Dorking lays small eggs as compared to their size. The eggs are medium-sized and cream or tinted.
âșChicks usually hatch during the months of March and September.
âșThese birds have a life expectancy of 7 years.
âșThey need good quality feed to stay healthy and grow.
Varieties
âșThere are five varieties of the Dorking, and these include the Red, White, Silver Grey, Dark, and Cuckoo. The Red Dorking is the rarest of these.
âșThe Silver Grey is the only variety of the Dorking to have survived in the United States.
âșThere exists a Bantam version of the Dorking, which is smaller than the true breed.
âșThese birds were crossed with other breeds to give rise to many breeds, including the Speckled Sussex, Buff Orpington, Light Sussex, and Faverolle.
This relatively-rare fowl is included in the RBST Poultry Conservation Trust. Also, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy lists the Dorking as threatened. This is because of few breeders. The need of the hour is more serious breeders who can help bring the population of the birds to a normal level.