- Oct 24, 2011
- 12
- 0
- 22
This is from the Dorking club website... I hope no one minds my sharing it here:
General Characteristics
The Dorking Fowl
The Dorking is one of the most ancient of all domesticated races of poultry. It was brought to Great Britain by the Romans with Julius Caesar, but was known and described by the Roman writer Columella long before it became a poplar breed in England. He spoke of the hens as being ‘square framed, large and broad breasted, with big heads and small upright combs,’ adding ‘the purest breeds are five clawed.’
The Dorking was most certainly one of the first fowls brought to the Americas by our ancestors. It is primarily a dual purpose fowl used for both meat and egg production. The hens by nature are wonderful mothers and the cocks great protectors of their flock. The APA admitted the Silver Gray, Colored and White varieties into the American Standard of Perfection in 1874. Although the Red Dorking is the most ancient of the color varieties it was not admitted into the Standard until 1995. 1998 saw the admission of both the RC Cuckoo and the SC Cuckoo into The Standard of Perfection. Currently the Dorking Club is working toward admission of several other old color varieties.
General Characteristics
Male: Carriage: Quiet and stately, with breast well forward.
Type: Body massive, long and deep, rectangular in shape when viewed sideways, and tightly feathered. Back broad and moderately long with full saddle inclined downward to the tail. Breast deep and well rounded with a long keel bone. Wings large and well tucked up. Tail full and sweeping carried well out with abundant side hangers and broad well-curved sickles.
Head: Large and broad. Beak stout, well proportioned and slightly curved. Eyes full. Comb single or rose. The single comb is upright, moderately large, broad at the base, evenly serrated, free from side sprigs. The rose is moderately broad and square fronted, narrowing behind to a distinct and slightly upturned leader, the top covered with small points of even height. Face smooth. Earlobes moderately developed and hanging about one third the depth of the waddle, which are large and long.
Neck: Rather short, covered with abundant hackle feathers falling well over the back, making it appear extremely broad at the base, and tapering rapidly toward the head.
Legs and Feet: Legs short and strong. Thighs large and well developed but almost hidden by the body feathering. Shanks short, moderately stout and round, free from feathers, the spurs set on the inner side pointing inwards. Toes, five, large round and hard, the front toes (three) long and straight and well spread, the hind toe and the extra toe well formed and separated; the extra toe placed above and pointing upwards.
Female: The general characteristics are similar to those of the male, allowing for the natural sexual differences, except that the tail is carried rather closely. The single comb falls over one side of the face.
General Characteristics
The Dorking Fowl
The Dorking is one of the most ancient of all domesticated races of poultry. It was brought to Great Britain by the Romans with Julius Caesar, but was known and described by the Roman writer Columella long before it became a poplar breed in England. He spoke of the hens as being ‘square framed, large and broad breasted, with big heads and small upright combs,’ adding ‘the purest breeds are five clawed.’
The Dorking was most certainly one of the first fowls brought to the Americas by our ancestors. It is primarily a dual purpose fowl used for both meat and egg production. The hens by nature are wonderful mothers and the cocks great protectors of their flock. The APA admitted the Silver Gray, Colored and White varieties into the American Standard of Perfection in 1874. Although the Red Dorking is the most ancient of the color varieties it was not admitted into the Standard until 1995. 1998 saw the admission of both the RC Cuckoo and the SC Cuckoo into The Standard of Perfection. Currently the Dorking Club is working toward admission of several other old color varieties.
General Characteristics
Male: Carriage: Quiet and stately, with breast well forward.
Type: Body massive, long and deep, rectangular in shape when viewed sideways, and tightly feathered. Back broad and moderately long with full saddle inclined downward to the tail. Breast deep and well rounded with a long keel bone. Wings large and well tucked up. Tail full and sweeping carried well out with abundant side hangers and broad well-curved sickles.
Head: Large and broad. Beak stout, well proportioned and slightly curved. Eyes full. Comb single or rose. The single comb is upright, moderately large, broad at the base, evenly serrated, free from side sprigs. The rose is moderately broad and square fronted, narrowing behind to a distinct and slightly upturned leader, the top covered with small points of even height. Face smooth. Earlobes moderately developed and hanging about one third the depth of the waddle, which are large and long.
Neck: Rather short, covered with abundant hackle feathers falling well over the back, making it appear extremely broad at the base, and tapering rapidly toward the head.
Legs and Feet: Legs short and strong. Thighs large and well developed but almost hidden by the body feathering. Shanks short, moderately stout and round, free from feathers, the spurs set on the inner side pointing inwards. Toes, five, large round and hard, the front toes (three) long and straight and well spread, the hind toe and the extra toe well formed and separated; the extra toe placed above and pointing upwards.
Female: The general characteristics are similar to those of the male, allowing for the natural sexual differences, except that the tail is carried rather closely. The single comb falls over one side of the face.
