Dorking chicken

Lore & Background

The Dorking has sometimes been suggested to derive from five-toed chickens brought by the Romans in the first century AD, but it is not known whether the Romans brought poultry with them, nor if they found five-toed poultry when they arrived. The Roman writer Columella mentions five-toed hens as the best breeding-stock. The breed originated in the southern home counties of south-east England and was named after the market town of Dorking, from where birds were sent to London markets. It was among the breeds shown at the first poultry show at London Zoo in 1845 and was included in the first poultry standard, The Standard of Excellence in Exhibition Poultry, edited by William Bernhardt Tegetmeier and published in 1865.

Reader's Guide

The Dorking chicken holds significance as one of the oldest British breeds and a key historical supplier of meat to London. Its five-toed characteristic links it to ancient Roman descriptions, though the exact origin remains uncertain. The breed was exhibited at the first poultry show in 1845 and featured in the first poultry standard in 1865. By the time of the Second World War, interest had decreased rapidly, bringing it close to extinction, but the Dorking Club was restarted in 1970. The breed is known for versatility in both egg and meat production, producing white-shelled eggs despite having red earlobes. It has five recognized colour varieties: white, silver-grey, red, dark, and cuckoo. The Dorking's legacy includes its role in early poultry exhibition and standardization, and its continued preservation by dedicated clubs.

Did You Know?

• The Dorking is named after the town of Dorking in Surrey, England.
• It is one of the few breeds with red earlobes that produces a white-shelled egg.
• The Dorking was among the breeds shown at the first poultry show at London Zoo in 1845.
• The breed has five toes instead of the usual four.