Dorking Chickens Gallus gallus domesticus

The Red Dorking chicken is one of the oldest British breeds; it originated in Roman times (unclear whether it came from Roman Italy, or via Phoenician traders). Unusually for chickens, it has 5 toes on each foot (an extra hind toe). It is also one of the closest in appearance to its wild Red Jungle Fowl ancestor. (Some images shown are not true Dorking but have Dorking plumage for illustration.)

There are 4 colour varieties: Red, Silver (Silver-grey), Dark and White. The last one is wholly white above and below.

Silver (Silver-grey) Dorkings - mature cockerel and hen-coloured juvenile male.

Dark Dorkings - cockerel and hens.

Named after the town of Dorking in Surrey, England, where they were sent to market (on to London and elsewhere), the breed was replaced in popularity by the nearby Sussex breeds (Light and White) and declined nearly to extinction before revival in the 1970s. The Dorking is the ancestor of the Sussex breed.

The red hen also resembles the Red Jungle Fowl hen.

It is bred for meat and eggs.

There is also a bantam (miniature) breed.

The extra toe on these is like a spur.