With the right kind of socialisation, the Dong Tao chicken should get along great with their flock mates and welcome the company of humans.
The average weight of a Dong Taos is between 10 and 13 pounds, but it can get as heavy as 16 pounds. They have a tendency to be friendly, outgoing, and submissive.
Do you want to know more about this chicken species? Family, keep reading!
What Does a Dong Tao Chicken Look Like?
Dong Tao roosters are notable not just for their peculiar feet and legs, but also for the striking array of red, green, and black feathers that cover their bodies.
In contrast, hens develop predominantly white plumage, occasionally accented by light brown feathers. Because of these striking physical differences, it’s easy to tell men and women apart once they reach adulthood.
Dong Tao chickens are easily identifiable by their distinctive red combs and wattles.
Some of them have single combs and waddles that are “normal” in size, like those of most common chicken breeds; others have waddles and combs that are thick, heavy, or lengthy and scaly, like their legs.
Their feet and skin also feature a tricolour pattern of pink, red, and white.
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What Do Dong Tao Chicken Adults Look Like?
These exceptional fowl are stocky and robust, with broad shoulders and substantial limbs. They have thick, tree-trunk legs and a compact, strong body.
Rough, thick scales cover their legs and feet, and their toes are noticeably longer than average. The average human foot has four digits.
Dong Tao chickens are prized for their varied and colourful plumage. The majority of birds have black plumage with occasional red or grey highlights.
There have been reports of people with white feathers. The wings and tails of many birds, notably roosters, are a shimmering blue-black colour.
Their feathers are thick and tightly attached to their bodies, giving them a smooth and polished look.
Dong Tao chickens are characterized by a small, compact head with a large, high comb. Single combs are the most popular type, but the comb can come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
The comb, like the legs, is considerably thicker than that of a regular chicken, and it is long enough to hang down to one side. Their waddles tend to be excessively large and may even reach their crops.
The eyes of these birds are typically a reddish-brown colour, yet in rare cases, they may be yellow.
What Do Dong Tao Chicks Look Like?
The legs of a newborn Dong Tao chicken are noticeably thicker than those of other breeds. The size of their newly formed legs is at least three times that of average chickens.
It’s more difficult to determine the gender of a hen. You can’t tell a cockerel from a pullet by looking at one of these because they aren’t sex-linked.
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What Does the Dong Tao Chicken Weigh?
At full maturity, between 8 and 12 months of age, a single Dong Tao chicken can weigh anywhere from 6 to 16 pounds.
Dong Tao Chickens show exceptional balance between their huge legs and feet, despite the appearance of an unusual inward bending of the knees.
The average weight of a hen is roughly 10 pounds, whereas a rooster averages 13 pounds. Their legs account for a remarkably large proportion of their total mass.
The largest Dong Tao legs ever recorded weighed about 2.2 pounds (about 1 kilogramme).
Both roosters and hens fall within the 12-14-inch height range. The average Dong Tao chicken has a leg circumference of about 4 inches, making it roughly the same size as an adult human wrist.
How Do I Describe the Behaviour of the Dong Tao Chicken?
Despite their ferocious appearance, these birds actually make excellent pets due to their gentle nature.
They have a gentle demeanour that makes them a suitable choice for first-time chicken caretakers because of how easily they bond with humans.
They bond quickly with their owners and are a good choice for mild-mannered kids or anyone else thinking about keeping a chicken as a pet.
Dong Tao Chickens can fly despite their massive size and weight. However, they have a low ceiling for flight, rarely getting higher than three feet in the air.
Most birds can be kept in by a four-foot-tall fence, especially if the run is covered, although some more nimble birds may “stairstep” hop or fly up trees, roosts, or fences.
However, after satisfying their foraging impulses, they usually return to the protection of their coops.
What are the Common Health Problems of the Dong Tao Chicken?
- Obesity:
Dong Tao chickens exhibit a natural propensity for weight gain, as seen by their ability to reach a weight of 10 to 13 pounds despite their relatively small stature of approximately one foot.
If not effectively handled, this might potentially result in the development of obesity, hence worsening the aforementioned issues related to the legs and joints.
Ensuring the provision of well-balanced food and sufficient space for exercise is of utmost importance in mitigating the risk of excessive weight gain.
To enhance the activity levels of your Dong Tao chickens, it is advisable to introduce enrichment activities inside their designated area and employ innovative strategies to stimulate their engagement.
To promote increased movement, it is advisable to maintain a considerable distance between the roosting area, feeding stations, and water supplies.
- Bumblefoot:
Dong Tao chickens are so large and heavy that they frequently develop issues with their feet and legs. The pressure from the weight alone can cause problems including sprains, strains, and even fractures in the legs.
Dong Tao chickens thrive in natural environments, such as pastures or free-range operations, but they are at risk of catastrophic injury if allowed to jump from heights greater than a few feet.
In order to prevent your hens from attempting to fly or jump down from their roosts, you should construct ramps and, if possible, stair-step their roosts.
If you’re going to coop up these hens, make sure there are places for them to “jump” that are higher than two feet off the ground.
If you can’t get rid of them, provide your chickens with better, less dangerous options for escaping. Dong Tao may be at risk for foot pad infections like bumblefoot because of his unusually wide feet.
- Parasites:
Dong Tao chickens are extremely valuable, so their owners are more likely to confine them for their protection.
Being confined all the time also has the unintended consequence of raising the parasitic load. Mites and lice are two examples of external parasites that can cause itching, loss of feathers, and discomfort.
Weight loss, stunted growth, and even death can result from internal parasites like worms.
Important preventative steps include maintaining clean coops and regularly deworming chickens (without encouraging parasite resistance).
- Respiratory Infections:
Dong Tao chickens, like other types of chickens, are vulnerable to respiratory illnesses. Respiratory problems may be caused by things like a lack of fresh air, being in a wet environment, or being exposed to infections.
Respiratory illnesses such as infectious bronchitis, mycoplasma, and avian influenza are rather common. Due to their high value, Dong Tao chickens are more susceptible to respiratory problems.
Keeping more expensive birds in smaller cages is a common safety measure taken by owners, but this comes with its own set of issues.
Maintain a sanitary environment by not overcrowding the coop and providing plenty of fresh air.
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Conclusion
Dong Tao chickens are prized as a delicacy in Vietnam, and they were originally grown exclusively to be offered to the royal family and mandarins.
They are difficult to breed as their big legs make hatching difficult, and they are also sensitive to variations in temperature.
Dong Tao chickens are distinguished by their unusually thick legs, which can reach the wrist of a fully grown man and are covered in scales reminiscent of dragon skin.
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