Dorking Chicken Breed – Origin, Traits & Facts

Dorking

The Dorking is a British breed of domestic chicken. It is named after the town of Dorking, in Surrey in southern England.

Habitat

The Dorking is well-suited to backyard environments, particularly in temperate climates. They are adaptable and can thrive in free-range setups, provided there is enough space to forage. They are not particularly flighty, which allows them to be kept in fenced areas.

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Characteristics

Size50-55 cm

Wing Span60-75 cm

Male Weight4.5 kg

Female Weight3.6 kg

Life Expectancy8 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 4/5

Useful to know

The Dorking chicken is one of the oldest known British chicken breeds, notable for its five-toed feet. It is particularly known for its gentle temperament, making it a good choice for backyard flocks. Despite their calmness, they are robust and can be quite productive.

Gallery

Behaviour

Temperamentdocile

Flightinesslow

Foraging Abilitygood

Confinement Tolerance

Dorkings can adapt to confinement but prefer free-range environments where they can forage. They are not particularly flighty and do well in fenced backyards. Due to their calm nature, they are suited to cohabitation with other breeds.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

Egg Characteristics

Egg Color

Egg Size

Laying Frequency

Egg Production / Year

Start Laying Age (weeks)

Legbar

The Legbar is a rare British auto-sexing breed of chicken. It was created in the early twentieth century by Reginald Crundall Punnett and Michael Pease at the Genetical Institute of Cambridge University. They cross-bred American barred Plymouth Rock birds with brown Leghorns and created the gold and silver colour varieties. Pease created a cream Legbar by cross-breeding these with white Leghorns; later crossing with Araucanas caused this to have a crest and to lay blue or blue-green eggs.

Norfolk Grey

The Norfolk Grey is a utility breed of chicken that originated near the city of Norwich, in Norfolk, England, in around 1910. The breed was originally created by Frederick W Myhill of Hethel, Wymondham under the name Black Maria. It is a rare breed which is currently considered to be at risk by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.

Old English Pheasant Fowl

The Old English Pheasant Fowl is a British breed of small utility chicken. It derives from traditional breeds of rural Lancashire and Yorkshire and of the former counties of Cumberland and Westmorland. Its name is due to a perceived similarity of the plumage to that of the wild pheasant. It is a rare breed, and in 2014 was listed as "at risk" by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.