A rare Vietnamese chicken breed called the Dong Cao, prized for its delicious meat, has one of the most thickest legs usually not seen among birds of that size. This chicken breed is endemic to the Dong Cao commune in Hung Yen district, about 50km from Hanoi. Once bred exclusively to serve the royal family and mandarins, this rare breed is now prized by chicken breeders and its meat is served in expensive restaurants that cater to the wealthy. The legs themselves are a delicacy.
The Dong Cao chicken has an imposing figure, a healthy body and stout legs covered with reddish scales. A male adult Dong Cao chicken can weigh up to 6 kilograms and develop legs as thick as a human’s wrist. The hens are generally white, while the cocks have colorful feathers.
The bird is in high demand but also in short supply, which explains its high price. A pair of Dong Cao chicken can fetch $3000.
The chicken are very sensitive to weather changes and tend to lay fewer eggs than normal chicken. Their unhelpfully big feet makes the hatching process even more difficult, so breeders have to assist the hens in order to produce chicks. A new born chick takes eight months to one year to become a sellable bird of five to seven kilograms.
