Only the speckled variety of Sussex really appeals to me (I think I must have a thing about spotty plumage), and I love the Dorking's longevity - first mentioned in Roman sources, but it's not clear whether they found it here when they invaded or brought it with them.
Thanks! I could tell Edie but not the other two.
Roman! Wow, I had no idea the breed went back so far!
I need to read up about Dorkings. By longevity, do you mean of the breed or the individual?
the breed - the five toes are the key to the identification, and while there are a few other 5-toed varieties, they were certainly not the norm then. Of course we've had 2,000 years evolution and selective breeding since then, and mosaics and painted surfaces aren't photos of course
, but I think it's about as secure as any breed can be given the timescale and the evidence.
The Romans wrote about them apparently. Fascinating.the breed - the five toes are the key to the identification, and while there are a few other 5-toed varieties, they were certainly not the norm then. Of course we've had 2,000 years evolution and selective breeding since then, and mosaics and painted surfaces aren't photos of course
Silver grey. Very pretty and very bird-like. She'll camouflage well.
I love the Swedish flowers too. And I'm half Swedish myself (except for that 1/8 Scots), so I have a genuine curiosity about them. In all my chicken-gazing, I've never seen one.
and she should be very resilient - the point of the long history is that they've survived through thick and thin!
