In Russia, the most popular species of chickens arebirds carrying eggs with a white and brown shell. The first belong to the laying hens, and the latter to the egg-meat type. There are also meat breeds of chickens, sporting and miniature. But they are less in demand among farmers, especially the latter two types.
Sports breeds are distinguished by a high ratevitality, but here egg-laying in them on average, and even the minimum level. Miniature chickens, on the contrary, are well ridden, but too fastidious to maintain and die like flies, if kept as ordinary poultry. That is why farmers prefer to breed common breeds of laying hens and egg-and-meat species. They are unpretentious, long live and in most cases fully justify the forces invested in them and financial means.
So, let's try to figure out which breeds of chickens are considered the best, why and how they differ from each other. Also consider the main features of a particular species and the desirability of breeding it.
The breeds of laying hens differ from other highactivity. They have a comparatively light bones, light weight and dense plumage. One of the notable visual features of the layers is the large leaf-shaped crest on the vertex.
Eggs of chickens begin to be carried throughfour to five months after birth. Once the bird has gained the necessary mass, eggs begin to appear. Domestic farmers prefer to breed the least fastidious breeds of layers - Russian white and leggorn, but some do not deny themselves and in exotic.
This is one of the most popular breeds of chickens.Description and feedback on this species is, as they say, on each pillar. This breed is very popular in Russian villages and villages. She is indifferent, tenacious and well rushing.
The hen came into being thanks to the Russianbreeders who crossed the breed of chicken leggings with meat birds. Nesushka begins to give eggs after five months of life. The live weight of a chicken can reach three to four kilograms in cocks and two or three in females.
Своим внешним видом несушка чем-то напоминает Lyshorn, but her head is little more than the original species. Reviews for the breed of Russian white chicken are mostly positive. The only critical drawback, to which most farmers complain, is the weak instinct of incubating. Therefore it is necessary almost forcibly to drive the bird to eggs or to deduce them artificially.
This breed of chickens (photo below) was bred inItaly, in the town of Livorno, after which it successfully spread throughout Europe and Russia including. One of the remarkable differences between birds is the variety of color. It can be black, pale, red, but most often white.
Leggorn is the best breed of chickens, according toexperienced farmers. An adult weighs about two or three kilograms, but at the same time has a good egg production index. In one year the hen can give about 200 eggs, which is very good for its weight. The shell is distinguished by its pure white color and high strength.
Just like in the case of the Russian white hen,LEGHORN is a breed of chickens without a developed instinct of incubation. Therefore, for small households, it is more expedient to select another breed, but for farmers with incubators - the very thing.
For breeding other breeds of chicken leggings ismain, in view of its enviable egg lay. If you properly keep this bird and how to feed, it can not only act as a laying hen, but also go for meat. The egg production index decreases slightly, but the live weight is added.
Nesushki this breed have, as a rule,cuckoo or clay color. One of the distinctive features of the Poltava chicken is the pronounced red "earrings", as well as the presence of ear lobes and a leaf-like crest.
Birds of this breed are perfect forbreeding by amateurs. The weight of an adult chicken varies within 2-3 kilograms with an average egg production of 170 eggs per year. Unlike previous breeds, Poltava laying hens have a well-developed instinct of incubation, so there are no problems in yards with a small number of heads.
The bird is easy to maintain, tenacious and relatively calm. Judging by the responses to the breed, for rural grandmothers and small farms - the very thing.
The breeding roots of the rock are lost somewhere, andexperts of this area already plainly and do not know who and when brought out this bird. The distinctive features of the laying hen are the sporting composition of the skeleton. In appearance, the chicken is more like a fighting bird than an ordinary hen.
Representatives of the Orel breed carry eggsMedium size with white or pale pink color. In a year the female can carry down to 160 eggs at the weight of 3 kg. In addition, the bird has distinguished itself by excellent indicators of viability, adapting even to the harshest climatic conditions. Therefore, the breed can be recommended without exception, but without fanaticism: the strong northern cold chicken will not survive without proper maintenance.
It should also be noted that due to itsoriginal coloring, many breeders use the Orel breed as show birds. The mahogany coloring is especially beautiful and interesting in this respect.
Cours of the dominant breed were taken out in the Czech Republic.Tense and lengthy selection work has borne fruit. The breed is distinguished not only by its excellent egg production index, but also by its high resilience along with its attractive appearance.
The bird is perfect for medium and smallyards, and thanks to a good instinct of incubation, a hen can be bred without an incubator. The only drawback to which most farmers complain in their responses is the large number of yolks in one egg (two or three). This feature does not have the best effect on breeding young animals. Nevertheless, the dominant enjoys an enviable popularity in the middle and southern regions of Russia.
Here we have a kind of hybrids, where birds have not only acceptable egg production, but also decent weight, as well as good quality of meat.
Such breeds grow up almost equally withlayers, but unlike the latter are less fastidious to maintenance care. Also it is worth noting that meat-egg chickens have a more flexible and calm character. This is especially evident in the manner of behavior in private courts. If laying hens need a high fence or a fence, then meat-egg birds do not try to leave the walking zone.
American breeders from the same statelong worked on deducing the necessary qualities of a bird, and as a result one of the best meat-egg breeds was obtained. It appeared in the middle of the XIX century, but it was brought to our country only in the early 20-ies of the last century.
One of the notable features of the gender island isstrong and as if whipped body: convex chest, straight back, strong legs, rectangular body and richly feathered tail. There are practically no wings in the bird, but legs are well developed.
As for coloring, for the most part itred, and part of the steering and fly feathers are black. Representatives of the breed have a bright yellow beak and red ear lobes. The average weight of a bird reaches 3-4 kilograms, and the annual egg production does not exceed 170 eggs.
One more breed with the name of the state, deduced inNew England in North America at the beginning of the last century. The basis for the selection was the Rhode Island, but the new species received a higher rate of egg production and viability.
The only thing farmers sometimes complain about istheir responses, so it's on the belated maturity of the bird. If the above described breeds reached this for 4 months, chickens of New Hampshire need at least six months. But the expectation is more than compensated by recoil: hatchability does not cross the lower mark of 85%, and this despite the similar inclinations of instincts of incubation. So in this case, you can do without incubators and some specific content.
Exterior birds are very reminiscent of the breedRhode Island, but the plumage of the hens is slightly lighter with the departure of a chestnut shade. By nature they are very calm, so it can easily be contained in ordinary cells of several individuals.
In addition, the breed of New Hampshire is divided into twosubspecies: broiler and egg. The first is characterized by a larger physique, as well as meat production, and the second has a modest skeleton, but high egg production (up to 200 eggs per year). Regardless of the subspecies, the live weight of chicken reaches 4 kilograms. It should also be noted that in broods males prevail, so the broiler line looks more promising for this breed.
The breed was bred in North America over a hundredyears ago. Breeders crossed several species of birds at once and got a fully productive and non-selective chicken as a result. The breed enjoys an enviable popularity in our country, especially in the meat direction.
Plymouthrock is specific and easily recognizablestriped coloring. The bird begins to swell when it reaches the age of five months, and the hatchability of the young does not fall below the 80% mark, which is very good for hens with a good instinct of incubation. In the pluses of the breed you can also record a very calm and peaceful nature. They are well neighbors with each other in close quarters and do not peck their own kind.
The bird has a good egg laying along withgood meat qualities. Such a universal option can be seen in most villages and towns in the middle and southern part of Russia. The one-year-old chicken reaches a weight of 4 kilograms and carries around 180 eggs a year.
The distinct difference between meat breeds and others is the size of the skeleton, together with the compactness of the trunk. Feathering in the bird is loose, legs short, and the character is mostly phlegmatic.
Because the main task of such chickens is meatproduction, egg production of rocks has the lowest index. It should also be noted that the instinct of incubation in these hens is much better developed than in laying hens and meat-egg birds.
Куры породы брама разительно отличаются от себе similar. Birds are practically devoid of a crest, and their feet are shrouded in fluffy plumage. Roosters of this breed have a kind of collar that encircles the neck and back. And the latter always contrasts with the main color.
Подвидов брамы разводится немало, но все они weigh about the same: males about 4.5-5 kilograms, and females about 4 kg. The bird behaves more or less calmly, but only with its relatives. Unwelcome guests like ducks or geese, they do not like, preferring their own kind.
This breed was produced by crossingMalaysian and English fighting hens. In the beginning of the last century the bird was occasionally seen in Europe and in Russia, because apart from meat, there was nothing to take from them: the youngsters slowly emerged and feathered, and the eggs were very small.
Approximately in the middle of the last century thecareful selection by breeders and as a result the same breed with a relatively high egg production and good weight was obtained. Female weigh 3.5-4 kg, and the weight of males can reach up to 5 kg.
Subsequently, it was this breed that was taken as a basis for breeding broiler birds. She is tenacious, uncomfortable and comparatively quickly gaining weight.
This breed is characterized by rapid maturation.In six months the female weighs almost 4 kilograms, and the male weighs 5 kilograms. In this case the bird, despite its whipped constitution, has a very good egg production and can carry up to 160 eggs per year.
The appearance of the fascia is unusual and original.Under their throats, they tied a scarf, and many breeders consider the bird's exterior humorous and touching. That is why the breeders brought out a subspecies of Faverloids - dwarf hens, which can be kept almost in the apartment. The weight of an adult does not exceed one kilogram, and egg production reaches a rate of 200 units per year. And in winter it does not decrease.
The breed was well established in the Middle Volga and insouthern Russian regions, because it is unpretentious to the climatic conditions and to the content. The nature of the individuals is calm and friendly. Chickens feel great in the company with other birds - geese, turkeys, ducks and other.
The only negative, which often complainfarmers in their responses to the breed, is a bad instinct of incubation. The bird has to forcefully drive the eggs and create some additional conditions for the perch. With an incubator, things are much easier, so large farmers do not have such problems.
