Dorking Chicken, England Chicken that has five toes.

 

Dorking is a famous chciken breed come from Dorking, England. This rectangular body shape with short legs is good both ini meat and eggs. The color of egg is white, Eventhough,  the Dorking har red earlobes. Most the white eggs come from whie ear lobes hen. The average of egg production is not more than 200 egg a year, the exact range is 170-190 eggs. The egg production does not exceed the levels seen in common dual-purpose chickens, including the Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire, and Plymouth Rock.

This chciken is dual purpose chicken developed from Belgiia in Roman era. The dorking is a five toes chicken, similar to the silkie chicken. The roman brought the chicken as fine table.

THe chicken is large. the rooster weighs 4,55 to 6,55 kilogram (10-14 lbs); while, the hen weighs 3 to 5 kilogram (8-11 lbs). there is bantam version weighs around a kilograms. The roster bantam wieghs 1130 to 1360 grams, meanwhile, the hen slighlty diferrent. it weighs 910-1130 gram. Some bantam has rosecomb.

There are five color that is reconition bys the standard breeed, such as white, sliver grey, red, dark and cucko. The silver grey color is the color pattern with silver neck color. the silve grey also have grey color in sadddle and the center of wing. The remain color of is is black.

The Dorking is not hard winter due its wide comb. Meanwhile, the chciken is not tolerate with hot condition or hot weather.

In my country, there is dorking descendant. the descendant is called Ayam Kedu. The kedu has no five toes but the performance is similar to Dokring. They have have upright body and tall. The comb is also single wide with red earlobe. There is thre color variation of Kedu, such as White, Red and color.

 

Brahma Chicken for Pet

Brahma is a large chicken class that is rising for its meat or eggs. Most breeders use it for its large meat. I believe that the chicken from India. It  has been widespread to world. The chicken weighs 5.5 kilogram and the feather is so thick becuase the chicken comes from the subtropical chicken. The feather almost covers all body including the shanks.

In my opinion, the chicken is not good as pet because it is not simple. The feather or plumage is not beautiful too the Brahma is not different to Rhode Island Red, Wyandotte, Langshan, and others. The variation color of the chicken is just white, buff, birchen, black, dark and others.  

You need large coops to raise the chicken and also high. You also need more chicken feed for the Brahma too due it’s has large size. I do not see a good reason to raise the chicken for the pet. The chicken voice is just same with other chicken.

In US and United Kingdom, the birds are not competed as the show Bird. Perhaps there is some competition fro the Brahma but as the utility chicken.

I my country, people sales the chicken as the pets because it is unique. The Brahma is rare in my country. Perhaps people raise the chicken because it’s rarely and uniquely.

I think ever people has right to raise any chicken as the pet. The chicken is tame and it is good for pet. They can stand with cold or hot weather.

read also
Giant Cochin as pet

Sicilian Buttercup: A dual puropse chicken with a unique buttercup comb

It is a unique chicken due its buttercups comb above its head. The buttercup is a comb that is similar to rose comb but the middle of cup has no points. The buttercup comb gets from its ancestors Berbera Breed. The other Buttercup ancestor is North African fowl (Gallus turcicus).
As guess is name the chicken come from Sicily, Italy. The USA was imported this breeding 19th century. British and Australian also imported the breed in 20th century.

photo by : clearwater 88
The female has buff color marked by black spangle. The hen neck color looks like a pheasant hen. In my opinion, the buttercup color is similar to Egyptian Fayoumi and Campine Chicken in color. However, he rosters color is not similar. It has orange red with some black spangles, similar to New Hampshire. The tail feather is black beetle with sickle shaped feather at the middle tail.
The skin of the bird is yellow and the feet are yellow willow in color. The hen is a good layer that lays small eggs. The egg color is various, from white to tinted. People raise it for is egg. The chicken is good for free ranging farm but it is no a good setter which means you have to provide the hatching machine (incubator machine ) to hatch the eggs or you should use other broody hen to hatch the chicken.
The chicken is a good flier. If you raise it in free ranging, you will see the chicken perch in tree, roof, or others.
read also rosecomb

Red Shaver, Canada chicken breed that lay super jumbo eggs

Unlike it neighbor, Canada does not have much chicken breed.  Canada has two chicken breed i.e. Chantencler and Red Shaver. Red shaver is a linked sex chicken from Canada. Because of this, we can sexing the chicken easily from its feather. The female is reddish brown in color with white under feather; while, the male color is white with a few red marking. 
The chicken comb is single. The male has larger comb than the female. At 18 weeks or 4 month, the chicken is 3 ½ ponds. After a year, the chicken is 4 ½ to 5 pounds in weight. The carcass of the chicken is three to five pounds in weight.
The Red shaver can produce delicious meat and so much egg, which means the chicken, is dual purpose breed like Rhode Island Red. The female or hen lay from 305 to 315 big brown eggs in a year. The Red performance is a good as white leghorn chicken.  A report from Ottawa said that A four year Red Shaver lay super egg weighing  143 gram, which  is nearly three time of medium standard size or over two time of jumbo standard size (The medium standard is 49 gram and The jumbos standard is 70 gram). The big egg is enough for a big omelet.
A Red Shaver is a quiet breed. You can raise it at your backyard because it is used most frequently on in small flocks for small farms.  The chicken is also has have reputation as a hardy chicken.

Famous dual purpose chicken breed

Since a long time ago, people have taken care of chicken for meat or egg. They get delicious chicken meat and eggs. Some farmer can invent the best chicken breed which can produce more meat and more eggs.

In the last 18th century or the beginning of 19th, some researcher have been success to develop the chicken ability. They have selected the heavy cock and productive layer hen only. The researcher also has tried to make an efficient breed that can convert the feed to meat or egg efficiently.

1. Rhode Island Red

This breed is very heavy which weighs 9.5 pound and the female weighs 6.5 pound. The hen can lay up to 250 eggs per year. It is brown and red in color. It is originated in Rhode Island, United States. The ancestor of Rhode Island Red is Red Jungle Fowl. Now, we can see it in South East Asia jungle.

2. New Hampshire Red

New Hampshire is almost similar with Rhode Island Red in performance. People are difficult to difference this bird with the Rhode Island. The breeder developed this chicken from Rhode Island Red. It is red and brown color. The cock has big single comb. The hen can lay up to 250 eggs in a year. New Hampshire pullet start to lay the eggs at six month old. This breed has been recognized as a chicken breed in 1930s by American Poultry Association.

3. Plymouth Rock

Plymouth Rock is a dual purpose chicken too. The chicken looks fat. The cock weighs 9.5 pound while; the hen weighs 6.5 pound. The hen can lay up to 200 eggs a year. The famous Plymouth Rock color is black barred. The Plymouth has other color variation such as pencil, silver, white, black and more. The cock has moderately size single comb.

4. Wyandotte

Wyandotte is a dual purpose chicken breed from United States. The hen can lay up to 240 brown eggs. The cock weighs 8.5 pound; while, the hen weighs 6 pounds. They have many color variations such as black, white, blue, red laced, white laced, silver and more.

5. Orpington

The weight of the chicken is 7-10 pounds. It is a fat chicken but it has not deep breast like Rhode Island Red. This chicken is a hybrid of three chicken breed such as Langshan, Minorca and Plymouth Rock. The hen can lays up to 200 eggs in a year. The egg is brown in color. The color of Orpington is black, red, buff, white and more.

Scott Gray : Scotlandia dual purpose Chicken

Scots Grey is chicken that is developed in Scotland. It is also called Shepherd Plaid and Chick Marley. This is a heavy chicken, due to its weight 4 to 5 kilogram, while, the female is only 3.2 to 4 kilograms. The Scots gray is taller than the similar marks Plymouth rocks.
As guest its name, the chicken has steel grey barred color but it is different with barred Plymouth Rock. The barring is wider than the barred Plymouth Rock’s pattern.
It has wide single red comb with red earlobes. The skin of the chicken is white that is good as meat. People like white skin chicken.
This chicken good for backyard, due it is good forager. The chicken is also hardy that can adapt with bad climate.
The female can lay many eggs. The color of eggs is whitish. This chicken is considered as dual purpose breeder due it also produce taste meats. This chicken cannot hatch the chicken alone. The breeder should provide eggs incubator.
The chicken has been rising since 16th century. The chicken also influences Malays and Dorking chicken.
Read Also
Red Cap Derbyshire
Old English Game
Rhode Island Red Profile

Java Super Chicken

As underdeveloped country, Indonesia is left behind United States or United Kingdom that have breed so many chicken breed. Indonesia has so many chicken landrace that is not efficient for poultry farm. The hen just produce 90-150 eggs in a year. It is far from commercial chicken layer such as White Leghorn or Rhode Island Red.
To overcome the problem, some breeder cross RIR, White leghorn, and Java Chicken. The Java chicken is different with Java America that has black color. The Java Chicken is higher than the RIR and white leghorn.

First, the breeder cross the Java Rooster with white leghorn hen to produce female parents. to produce the male parents, the breeders cross Rhode Island roosters with Java female. Then the breeder cross the female parent with male parent that produce Java Super. The performance of Java Super is not different with Java Chicken but the Super has fat body.
This is chicken is better than the Indonesia landrace but I doubt the chicken can reach the white leghorn or Rhode Island egg production.
Read Also
New Hampshire Chicken
Orpington Chicken

New Hampshire Red: The brother of Rhode Island Red

New Hampshire red is a famous dual purpose chicken. It is almost similar with Rhode Island Red.  The cock is 9.5 pound in weight. The female is smaller which is 6.5 pound in weight. The cockerel weighs 7.5 pound and the pullet weighs 5.5 pound. The color of the fowl is brown to red. It often fades in the sunshine. It has blood red single comb, which the cock is bigger than the hen. There are some point at the edge of comb. The beak and the shanks are yellow in color. The skin of the chicken is red.


This chicken is developed from Rhode Island Red. Before 1935, American breeder Association did not recognize this chicken strain. People are difficult to distinguish New Hampshire to The Rhode Island. The aim of the bird development is to provide the fast meat. 

The chicken is the prolific layer. The hen can lay at six month age. The productive layer up to two years. The layer can lay up to 220  eggs in a year. Like the Rhode, They lay brown eggs, or even darker brown  ones. The female of New Hampshire is also good mother, meaning the hen can hatch its eggs. The owners do not have to provide incubator to hatch its egg. 

The male chicken has many meats. It can provide the meat fast. Some breeder company use this chicken as broiler parent. They cross New Hampshire with other best chicken.

It is characterized by the brood body then the ancestor red jungle fowl or Gallus bankiva. The tail is short relative to its body. It is black beetle in color. Once light shine the tail, the color looks green and purple. 

This chicken is aggressive so you should be careful with this chicken and the roster is also territorial. You should not raise two or more rosters in a flock.

 image by : Sr.M.Jutta by Pixabay

Plymouth Rock Chicken Profile

Plymouth Rock Hen

Plymouth rock is a dual purpose chicken from United States. It means we can raise this chicken for meat or eggs. Most people recognize Plymouth rock barred. I thought Plymouth Rock was barred in color too because my lecture said so. Actually, there are other color variation such as white, silver, silver pencil, buff, columbian, and others.

The ancestor of the chicken is unclear, but, several individuals claim that this chicken ancestors are Malays, Dorking, Cochins, Black Java, Cochins.

Like other American class chicken breed, the rock looks fat. It has long body, full breast, and broad back. The plumage is thick. It has red blood comb, double whittle, and red earlobes. Plymouth rock weighs 9 half pounds like Rhode Island Red; while, the female weighs 6 pounds. The male can provide much meat. The hen can lays up to 200 eggs a year. They can lay in winter or bad weather. The chicken is well-adapted with winter.

Plymouth Rock Rooster

The beak, shank and toes are yellow in color. It has clean shank or no one feather in its feet. The tail is short like other American class.

This bird is docile and it is suitable for backyard pet. The bird can be tamed easily. The hen is broody too so the hen can hatch the eggs.

Photo by: Just Chaos
Photo by: Carly and Art