The Dorking chicken is a rare breed that is thought to have originated from Italy, and was brought to the UK by the Romans. It is a dual purpose breed that is prized for its meat, although now is often kept for exhibition. It is one of the few breeds with red earlobes that produces white eggs. It has five toes, large wattles and comb.

Although a hardy breed, care should be taken in cold weather to protect the comb from frostbite. The standard color varieties are silver grey, white, dark red and cuckoo. Dorkings require plenty of room to exercise and space to forage, and they need good amounts of feed to gain optimum weight. They are docile in temperament and are easy to handle. The hens lay around 170 eggs per year, even in the winter months. They are often very broody and make good mothers. The mature males weigh around 3.4 kg and the females 2.7 kg. Bantam sizes are available.