Chicken Keeping

Information and help for keeping Hens in your Garden

Nature on our Doorstep - New, The Down the Lane Wildlife Diary

Chicken Breeds - Dorking

Not a great Layer, but has good looks !

Dorking Chicken

Because of their name Dorking (after the Surrey town of Dorking), many people think these are quite a new breed. In fact they go back to Roman times and it's believed the Sussex breed comes from them.

Because they are not such good layers as other Hens, the breed is not as popular as it has been and now classed as 'rare'.

They are known for their short legs and rectangular body.

Dorking Owners say...

As they are known, mine didn't mature fully until they were about two years old. They go broody very easily so it's important to get their eggs away from them as quickly as possible.

Although mine is now 4 years iold, she is still producing 190 eggs per year, so it's far from bad news!

Dorkings are duel purpose and one of the oldest British breeds, but since the development of hybrids the breed has been in decline and Dorkings are now classed as a rare breed. They don't lay every day like some of the hybrids but lay less over many more years. Breeders are hard to find but worth seeking out to help preserve the breed.

Jannie

              



All three pictures are of Silver Dorkings

silver-dorking

 

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