Don't quote me on this, but here is some info from this site
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/SPPA/OldBreeds.html
The Red Dorking
by Craig Russell
While it was only accepted by the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection in 1995, the Red Dorking is the oldest variety of that venerable race of five-toed fowl so well described by the Romans.
This old five-toed breed has known many names in its long history and takes its present name, Dorking, from a market town in the south of England.
From Roman times until the middle of the last century, Dorkings were the zenith of poultry development and Red was the most common color, although in Dorkings that term covers a lot of ground. Red Speckles and Spangles, the various versions of Black Breasted Red and even Brown Reds were included. What was not included was the Black Tailed Red, as in the Rhode Island Red, that is the color pattern most commonly called Red today.
The bird the Romans wrote about was certainly a B. B. Red; and while the description of the female is less certain and they could have been variable, the typical type was probably the stippled hen that we see in the B. B. Red Game today.
Hope that helps!
Alan Vales
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