Dorking

The Dorking is a medium-sized dual-purpose chook from England, raised chiefly for its meat but also a fair layer of white eggs. It is one of the oldest documented breeds in Britain, with a long history as a table bird. You can pick it out at a glance by its short legs and the fifth toe on each foot, a trait shared by only a handful of chicken breeds.

Dorkings carry a broad, rectangular body set low to the ground. The carcass yields a high share of fine-grained white meat, the reason the breed was valued for the table for centuries. Birds move about in a relaxed, unhurried way and tend to stay quiet in the run.

Temperament runs friendly, calm and docile. Dorkings put up with handling well and settle into a backyard flock without much fuss. They suit keepers after a heritage breed with a steady disposition rather than a high-output commercial layer.

Who it suits

The Dorking suits keepers after a calm, traditional table breed who don't need a heavy egg yield. Its easygoing nature makes it manageable for families and first-time chook keepers. The short legs mean it does better on dry, level ground than in a boggy or steeply sloped run, worth keeping in mind after heavy rain or through a wet patch of weather.

The Dorking takes its name from the town of Dorking in Surrey, in the south of England, once a centre for the trade in prime table poultry. The breed ranks among the oldest in Britain and was raised for the table long before formal poultry standards existed.

Five-toed fowl matching the Dorking type turn up in descriptions of Roman Britain. The Roman writer Columella, writing in the first century, recorded square-bodied fowl with five toes, and these birds are widely reckoned to be ancestors of the modern Dorking. The breed took shape over many centuries on English farms.

By the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the Dorking had become one of England's premier table birds, supplying markets in London and across the south. Its white skin and fine white meat made it a sought-after carcass for the table trade.

The breed was among the first types of poultry recognised when formal standards were drawn up in the nineteenth century. Several colour varieties followed, including the Silver Grey, Dark, Red, Cuckoo and White. Today the Dorking is kept mainly by heritage breeders and counts as a rare or watch-listed breed in several countries.

The Dorking has a long, broad, rectangular body that sits low to the ground on short legs. The breast is deep and full, in keeping with the breed's role as a table bird. The standout feature is the fifth toe: each foot carries an extra hind toe set above the usual four. Legs and skin are white.

The comb can be single or rose, depending on variety. The single comb is large and upright on the male and may flop over on the female. Earlobes are white and the wattles are well developed.

Plumage and colours

Plumage sits smooth and close to the body. The Silver Grey is the best-known variety, with silver-white hackle and saddle on the male and a grey breast. The Dark variety carries darker, more intricate feather patterning. Other recognised colours include Red, Cuckoo (barred) and White. Across every variety the white legs, white skin and five toes stay constant.

The Dorking has a gentle, good-natured temperament. Birds are calm and unhurried, rarely flighty, and they put up with handling better than a lot of breeds. That makes them well suited to backyard runs and to keepers after birds that are easy to manage.

With family members the Dorking is approachable and tame, especially when handled from a young age. The breed is not aggressive toward people. Hens stay quiet for most of the year, with the usual lift in noise around laying.

In a mixed flock Dorkings tend to sit low in the pecking order because of their placid nature, so pushier breeds can bully them. They generally get on with other calm birds. Hens often go clucky and make attentive, reliable mothers, a handy trait for keepers wanting to hatch from their own flock.

The Dorking is a hardy heritage breed, but its short legs and low-slung body make dry, clean ground essential. Wet or muddy runs lead to dirty plumage and foot trouble. The breed forages well and likes time on grass, though in the heat of an Aussie summer a shaded, well-ventilated area matters just as much as dry ground.

Grooming

• Check the feet regularly, paying attention to the fifth toe, which can be prone to damage or scaly leg mite.
• Inspect plumage for mites and lice, especially around the vent.
• Keep nails and the extra toe trimmed if they grow long or curl.
• Provide a dry dust-bathing area so birds can manage external parasites themselves.

Exercise

• Allow daily access to a run or supervised free-range time for foraging.
• Provide level ground; avoid steep slopes that strain the short legs.
• Use low perches so heavy birds are not jumping from height.
• Offer scattered grain or greens to encourage natural scratching.

Environment

Dorkings handle cold reasonably well, but the large single comb of some varieties is prone to frostbite, so a draught-free, well-ventilated coop matters through a cold snap. Through the hot, dry stretch of an Australian summer, shade cloth or natural cover and a steady supply of cool water matter just as much, since low-set birds feel the heat off hot ground quickly. Keep bedding dry and the run well drained.

Dorkings need a balanced, complete poultry feed suited to their age and purpose. Chicks start on a starter crumb, growers move onto a grower ration, and adults get a layer or maintenance feed. Because the breed is a slower-growing table type, steady nutrition counts for more than pushing fast growth. Provide clean fresh water at all times and offer insoluble grit so birds can grind their food, plus shell grit or oyster shell as a calcium source for laying hens.

Treats and supplements

Treats such as leafy greens, vegetables and a bit of scratch grain are fine in small amounts and should stay under roughly 10 percent of total intake. Laying hens do well with free-choice shell grit or oyster shell for eggshell strength. Grit is needed for any bird eating grass, scraps or whole grain so it can grind food in the gizzard.

The Dorking is a generally hardy breed with a typical lifespan of 6 to 8 years. Most health issues are the same parasites and ailments seen across backyard poultry, with a few points tied to the breed's build. Short legs and a low stance mean foot and leg health deserve close attention, and the large single comb of some varieties can suffer in a frost.

Preventive care

• Provide a dry, draught-free, well-ventilated coop.
• Check feet, the fifth toe and footpads weekly.
• Offer a dust-bathing area to control mites and lice.
• Keep feeders and waterers clean and rodent-proof.
• Quarantine new birds before adding them to the flock.
• Follow a routine worming and parasite schedule on veterinary advice.

Dorkings are housed much like other standard chooks, but their build calls for a few adjustments. Because the birds sit low with short legs, perches should stay low and the run level and well drained. The coop needs to be dry, draught-free and well ventilated, both to guard against respiratory trouble and to limit frostbite on the comb during a cold snap. Through summer, shade and airflow matter just as much: a run with no cover leaves low-set birds exposed on a stinking hot day. Allow generous floor and run space, since the breed is medium to large and forages actively.

Setup checklist

• Dry, level, well-drained run.
• Low, wide perches to protect heavy birds and short legs.
• Clean dry bedding refreshed regularly.
• One nest box for every three to four hens.
• A sheltered dust-bathing area.
• Predator-proof fencing and secure housing overnight.
• Shade cloth or natural cover in summer and a draught-free roost in winter.

Dorking eggs take about 21 days to hatch, the same as other chicken breeds. The breed is known for going clucky, and hens are attentive, reliable setters and mothers, so natural incubation under a broody hen is a practical option. For artificial incubation, hold to standard temperature and humidity and turn the eggs regularly until lockdown in the final days.

Hatching steps

1. Select clean, well-shaped eggs and store them no more than 7 days, pointed end down.
2. Warm the incubator to a stable temperature and humidity before setting eggs.
3. Set the eggs and record the date; mark each side if turning by hand.
4. Turn the eggs at least 3 to 5 times a day through day 18.
5. Candle around day 7 to 10 to check development and remove clear eggs.
6. At day 18 (lockdown), stop turning and raise humidity for hatch.
7. Leave chicks in the incubator until dry and fluffed, then move them to a warm brooder.