Oldest Known Breed of Chicken

It will always be beneficial to a home owner if he or she has a backyard chicken raising. Beside extra source of food and income, raising chickens can be enjoyable. Before engaging in the actual raising activity it is better to know what breed of chicken you are interested to raise. In this article I will be focusing on the oldest chicken breed known today and hopefully this article will help the homeowner in selecting their breed.

The oldest and the ancient chicken breed known today are called Dorking. This breed origin is traced back in Italy in the time of the Roman Empire. The evidence of the early existence of this breed is mentioned in a book wrote by Columella, a Roman writer in the ruling period of Julius Caesar. The ancient writer describe Dorking as a purest chicken breed with five toes, broad and large breast, square look body, large head and a small comb. The Dorking was said to be domesticated and developed in that time.

The Dorking was introduced to the people of Great Britain by The Romans in their reign over the country, from that time it was domesticated by many farmers for personal or commercial used. Dorking breed appear for the first time in a show in British featuring poultry products in 1845.

The name Dorking was attached to the breed base in a place in Surrey England known as Dorking. The place was popular because of its poultry products and market. The varieties of this breed were accepted in the American Standard of Perfection in the year 1874. Such varieties include the silver gray, the colored and the white while the Red Dorking although the oldest of all Dorking varieties was accepted only in the year 1995.

Dorking was also been used as cross breeder to hatch a new breed, Sussex was one the product of this cross breeding which is one of the earliest chicken to be known in North America. From then onward the Dorking became one of the most domesticated fowl. But the coming of other highly breed chickens affect and decreased the number of Dorking making it very rare at this present time.

The Dorking breed is heavy weighing 7 pound to 8 pound. It has a large body and serves in dual purpose which means a good source of chicken meat and a good egg layer. It can lay egg 3 times a week; the egg is medium size in tinted or cream color. The Dorking suits backyard life, it can well tolerate confinement and adaptable in the changes of weather. This breed is prone to brooding and the hens are good mother. These chickens are gentle and shy.

The Dorking is marked as rare in its conservation status; we need to help in increasing its number to the safe level. By including it in our backyard flock we aid their species in surviving rarity. Dorking is a good choice of chicken to breed; it will compensate your time and effort.

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