Thursday, July 24, 2014

Silver Gray Dorking Chickens For Sale In America

By Sharron Cantu


One of the most ancient five toed birds in history is reputed to have arrived in England with the Romans around forty AD. Many people disagree with this bit of history by pointing out that this bird is nowhere to be found in Italy. How they arrived is not as important as their history once in England. This breed was specially cultivated for its excellent table value and the flavor of its meat. Now, you can find silver gray Dorking chickens for sale in most countries around the world.

Named for the city they were cultivated in the Dorking chicken was kept in the one area of production by prohibiting the sale of live birds for centuries. This action by the city guaranteed that the purity of the lines as well as the profitability of the market would remain secure.

The attributes of these birds include their large size of up to nine pounds for a rooster or seven for the hens. They have short sturdy legs and large thighs which make them desirable for the table. The wings and breasts are large and meaty with excellent flavor that is tender and delicate.

The roosters are very showy and strut with head held high and chest out. This is a non-aggressive bird that forages close to home but the roosters will protect the flock of hens if they are in danger. This breed does very well in a small farm with pastures for them to forage and trees to roost in at night.

The hens of this breed are exceptional mothers. They are known to lay a large clutch of eggs and brood them each year if not watched. They will also raise the chicks from other hens if given the chance. They will be consistently good laying hens throughout the year even in the winter. The pullets are less reliable about laying eggs in colder months. Both hens and roosters have the black and silver feathers although hens are less showy than the roosters.

This breed is considered rare and threatened because there are fewer than five thousand breeding birds in America. Persons are needed to become breeders so that this bird can be returned to healthy numbers in America. Interested parties can purchase day old chicks to raise until they are grown, pullets are available and grown birds can be purchased as well. They are often kept as show birds by collectors.

If purchasing dressed birds for the table you may want to purchase them in multiple numbers and freeze them for future use. Freezing them preserves the original flavor and texture of your meat. An online search may help you to find distributors in your area but many ranchers will ship the birds to you frozen if you choose.

Whether you want these birds for show, egg production or for the table you will find a wide variety of farms and ranches that can satisfy your needs. They are beautiful to observe and show as well as very cost effective when used for egg production or dressed for the table at dinner time.




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