Dong Tao Chickens: One of the most expensive chicken breed

 

The Dong Tao chicken also popular as the Dragon Chicken is a local chicken breed in Vietnam. The name was derived from its birthplace: Dong Tao. Vietnam has a chicken fetish. There are almost 50 types of chicken farmed and raised within the country for different purposes like cockfights, Chicken, and Eggs, and some are kept also as pets. Apart from that Dong Tao has some different and special things compared to a normal chicken breed. That makes it an expensive and unique breed of chicken.

The Dong Taos are principally known for their enlarged, abnormal lumpy legs evocative of the fabulous dragon's feet. It's likely that an ancestor of the breed was noted to have slightly enlarged feet and legs. The exploration was done and times of skilled selective breeding enhanced this point and created this breed. Back in the days of lords and queens, it was banned for consumption as that was reserved only for the king himself.

Dong Tao chickens are large birds they differ little from the majority of other chicken breeds when comes to their feet and legs. The color of females is generally white and cream. While roasters are present in multicolored combinations. Dong Taos are not known for their egg-laying abilities. As hens produce only 60 tinted eggs per year. The ambient temperature must remain steady in order for hens to lay eggs at all. During egg-laying hens usually damage their eggs with their enlarged and heavy feet and legs, for this cause, eggs are nearly always hatched in incubators. It takes about 8 to 12 months to reach the recommendable processing weights and because of their size, they require a huge quantity of feed. On the average mature male, Dong Tao's weight is about 13 pounds or 5-6 kg, and the mature female's weight is about 10 pounds 4.5-5 kg. These different aspects make this worth precious and a tough task to raise them. 

                                 

Dong Tao chicken meat gained a character for being flavorful. In many cultures chicken feet are enjoyed much like chicken wings are in North America, therefore creating a demand for their large legs. A whole chicken can be prepared and cooked in several traditional styles. Stompers are cooked with mugwort leaves and eleven different kinds of traditional Chinese medicine. Officially Dong Taos are defended from export in Vietnam either live birds or hatching eggs but there are complicated loopholes that facilitate these deals.