Category:Dorking Chicken

Varieties:


 * White
 * Silver Gray
 * Colored

Standard Weights (White): Cock-7-1/2 pounds; hen-6 pounds; cockerel-6-1/2 pounds; pullet-5 pounds.

Standard Weights (Silver Gray and Colored): Cock-9 pounds; hen-7 pounds; cockerel-8 pounds; pullet-6 pounds.

Skin Color: White.

Egg Shell Color: White.

Use: A good, general purpose fowl for producing meat and eggs. It was developed for its especially fine quality meat.

Origin: The Dorking is believed to have originated in Italy, having been introduced into Great Britain at an early date by the Romans. Much of its development took place in England where it gained much acclaim for its table qualities. The Dorking is one of our oldest breeds of chickens.

Characteristics: The Dorking has a rectangular body set on very short legs. It is five toed and has a relatively large comb, thus requiring protection in extremely cold weather. Dorkings are good layers and are one of the few instances where a bird with red earlobes lays a white shelled egg. Most Dorking hens will go broody, make good mothers and are quite docile. Because of their white skin, Dorkings are not as popular in the U.S. as in Europe.