Modern breeders have a hugethe number of breeds of hens both egg and meat direction. One of the best for today is the Hercules. It is very productive and also quite unpretentious in caring hybrid.
The color of the bird of this breed can be either colored or pure white. The main distinctive features of chickens are:
Experienced farmers advise buying chickens to pay attention to their head. If the realized daily chicks are really Hercules, they should completely lack a scallop.
According to breeders, these chickens have their owndignity. To them it is possible to attribute first of all unpretentiousness, and also the quiet, benevolent character. The cockerels of the Hercules fight very rarely, including those of other breeds. With geese, ducks, turkeys and so on, this bird is getting along very well.
Eggs of chickens, oats,The same as usual layers. With good care of one individual, you can get 210-220 pieces. Eggs are quite large in size. They have very good taste qualities. Praise their farmers and for a very large yolk saturated bright color. The weight of one egg is usually 64-66 grams.
The weight of the bird also breeds very highnot bad. Chickens can reach a mass of 3.3-3.5 kg, males - from 4.3 to 4.5 kg. At the same time, their juicy and tender meat is considered more delicious than in laying hens. Cooking from it can not only soup. From broiler meat, it is distinguished by a more natural aroma.
Chickens Hercules, the characteristics of which were givenabove, in fact very productive and quite rightly deserve excellent reviews of the owners of household plots. In the first months of life the bird of this breed is usually kept on balanced mixed fodders. In this case, the chickens develop well, grow rapidly and do not get sick. Later the bird begins to give natural food. Judging by the opinions of the owners of household plots, the Hercules are carried long enough - from 2 to 3 years. Calcium- and nitrogen-containing mineral supplements are given to them without fail, otherwise the hens start pecking eggs. If you keep meat, this condition can be ignored.
From natural forages give grain (basicallywheat). You can also feed bran and vegetable mash in boiled water, broth or inverted. Be sure to give these chickens and vitamin supplements, meat-and-bone meal, chalk and yeast in small quantities. Otherwise, like broilers, they can "fall to their feet". Of course, they place it in a shed and tanks with small pebbles. Chickens peck them for better grinding feed.
The metabolism of meat-egg hens is somewhat worse,than in the same layers. The ration of breeds of these directions of productivity is similar. The only difference is that the meat-meat hens are given food 15-20% more. At the same time, it is very important to ensure that hens do not overeat. If they get too many vegetables and grains, their body weight may increase too much. But not at the expense of meat, but because of the fat growing on the internal organs, which depresses the hormonal system. Such chickens begin to be carried much worse, and their eggs lose their biological value.
Therefore, it is important to ensure that grains and mashrooms in the troughs do not lie. Eat everything that is offered to them, chickens should a maximum of 30-40 minutes.
Sometimes the owners decide to breed such a bird aschickens of the Hercules breed, independently. In this case, in the breeding period, males usually are fed separately. The peculiarity of the behavior of this poultry is that "cavaliers" usually pass "ladies" to the feeders first. Therefore, males often remain hungry, which, of course, can not but affect the quality of offspring. To prevent this from happening, in the barn it is necessary to fill the walls with separate feeding troughs. They should be located at such an altitude that there are only convenient males to eat from them.
Chickens Hercules, reviews of which are very good,can be carried and in the cold season, of course, only under the condition of proper nutrition. Take care of a full-fledged diet of chickens in winter is from the summer. It is necessary to prepare vitamin supplements. It can be:
In summer, a cut dandelion, plantain, soybean and spurge should be added to the mashrooms.
To the conditions of chickens content, the Hercules is not toodemanding. The bird house is usually built with a frame-panel board. Inside, they set up feeding troughs and drinking bowls, as well as nests and nests. The window in the henhouse should be required. Heating in the house does not usually suit. However, a thick litter (at least 40 cm) from the straw is worth putting. In the winter period, various biological processes begin to occur, accompanied by the release of heat. That is, such a litter begins to act as a "soft" heater.
Nases are set at a height of 80-100 cm.Next to them, nests of standard sizes are nailed. Feeders are equipped with a pole-vane. If this is not done, the hens will climb up and scatter the food in them.
With floor maintenance in front of the barn suitpaddock. From the chicken coop it should be fairly wide-lazed. Hercules - calm chickens, however it is worthwhile to put a reliable fence around the paddock. Otherwise, the bird can go into the garden and peck, for example, tomatoes.
When the content in the cells can be slightly reducedthe cost of raising such a bird, like the oatmeal chickens. Feeding them, however, in this case has some peculiarity: the diet necessarily introduces vitamins of group D. This can be D2 or D3. Their use helps to strengthen the body of the bird and increase resistance to diseases. In the cells, the chickens of meat-egg production direction grow a little faster.
The bird of this breed is worth a little more thanlaying hens. The price of daily chicks, for example, can fluctuate within 40-50 rubles. Teen chickens cost about 60-100 rubles. In Russia, the oats of the Hercules breed are quite difficult to buy. They sell and bred them mainly in Ukraine.
The laying hens (the price of such chickens is about 35 rubles) are cheaper, they give a little more eggs, but meat in quantities such as from Hercules, of course, is impossible to get from them.
Hercules chickens were bred in Ukraine bycrossing of four different breeds. Since they are related to the crosses, it is impossible to breed them "in oneself". However, some summer residents, who already have time to evaluate the dignity of this breed, believe that in the first and even the second generation of these chickens can get a very good, fairly productive offspring. But it's better not to take risks and get a hatching egg on a poultry farm.
Chickens Hercules, the characteristics of which allowsjudging them as very unpretentious, should receive a sufficient amount of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Especially it concerns small chickens. They are looked after in the same way as for the laying hens. Only feed them in the early days give a little more. It is best to use the "Start" for laying hens or broilers (you can mix). It is allowed to feed and traditional delicacies - boiled egg, millet and cottage cheese. Five-day-old chickens can already be given a finely grated carrot. A little later - thoroughly washed greens.
Lighting in the manger for chicks of this breed in the early days should be round the clock. Later, the artificial light day is gradually reduced.
Chickens meat-egg breeds differ moreresistant to diseases than broilers. However, they are inferior to laying hens in this respect. Therefore, to monitor the health of such chicks should be carefully. Of course, it is necessary to comply with the temperature regime in the manger. In the early days, the air in the box should be warmed to at least 29-30 degrees. Six-day-old chickens are already enough and 26 ° C. Next, the temperature should be reduced by three degrees every week until it reaches 16-18 ° C.
Drinkers for chickens should use dripor nipple. You can not allow chicks to get wet. If this happens, the chicken must be dried as soon as possible and placed in a very warm place. Manganese is added to small amounts of water.
Thus, the Hercules breeds differvery good productivity. It is easier to care for them than for broilers. At the same time they gain weight very well and are also quite good. This explains their immense popularity with farmers and owners of small household plots.
