Purebred chickens: photo, breeding

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

The first birds that man could tame were chickens. This happened over eight thousand years ago. The reason was the mating fights of cocky roosters. The productivity of wild birds was very small, the main purpose of domestication was cockfighting. Pedigree chickens with good productivity appeared much later.

The concept of breed and cross-country

A distinctive feature of birds - high variability - gave impetus to breeding chickens with a narrow direction of productivity. Currently, there are more than 700 varieties in the world. In addition to breeds, there are a huge number of crosses. These individuals do not fit this definition - purebred. Breeds of chickens are numerous groups of birds that inherit economically useful qualities. Leghorn hen eggs will hatch into Leghorn chicks and no other.

Crosses include hybrids obtained by crossing birds of different breeds. Crosses can be complex, involving 3-4 breeds. Individuals are bred for specific tasks. They are deprived of the instinct of incubation, notlook like parents. Receiving offspring from them is unprofitable, since the "children" will not have the qualities of their parents.

Hybrid birds are superior in productivity and viability of purebred parents. Hybridization allows for a significant increase in production volumes in a short time. However, it should be borne in mind that without high-quality original pedigreed chickens, it is impossible to achieve the effect of heterosis in the resulting lines.

Chickens of thoroughbred chickens fully inherit the qualities inherent in the original breed. Appearance, productivity level, plumage color, character, adaptability to the conditions of detention are inherited. This is purebred breeding.

Breeding

When choosing a breed, they are guided by the purpose for which the bird is purchased. To get a quick seasonal result (summer period), it is better to have cross-country chickens. During the spring-summer-autumn, they will have time to grow, give eggs and "ripen" for slaughter for meat. With year-round keeping of poultry, preference is given to breeding chickens. High economic returns and the possibility of updating the parent stock will provide a small farm with fresh dietary products on an ongoing basis.

The breeding of thoroughbred chickens includes several important points:

• Formation of the parent stock. Having determined the breed with which you plan to work, you should think about purchasing a bird. It is better to take adults from trusted breeders, chickens will immediately rush. One is enough for ten or twelve chickensrooster.
• Organization of the food base. Proper nutrition is one of the main factors in obtaining products. It is necessary to provide grain, nutritional supplements, green mass in the diet, and, if possible, grazing.
• Selection of eggs for incubation. Eggs with damaged, fragile or uneven shells are not suitable for obtaining viable offspring. Two yolks, the wrong shape of the egg is also a reason for culling. Each laying hen is allowed to incubate the clutch at least once a year. Eggs are selected from the most productive laying hens.
• Selection of replacement young animals. Peak egg production in chickens occurs in the second year of life. To maintain production at the proper level, periodic renewal of the herd is required. Young animals are selected he althy, mobile, corresponding to breed characteristics.
• Creating comfortable conditions of detention. Chickens need to fulfill their task of producing products, and not fighting for survival. Providing livestock with a warm chicken coop, clean nests, a spacious aviary, and balanced nutrition is the main task of the poultry farmer.

Contents

Purebred laying hens do not require specific conditions for keeping. All as for ordinary poultry:

• chicken coop (heated if necessary) equipped with perches and clean nests;
• fenced area for walking, preferably with grass;
• permanent free access to clean water;
• balanced two meals a day.

Decorative breeds also do not requirethe content of special conditions. Only some breeds (for example, the phoenix - due to its very long tail) need more careful care.

Classification

The long work of breeders and the ability of the bird to change has led to amazing results. Today you can see an amazing variety of breeds from small, weighing only 300 grams (Malaysian serama) to huge 7-kilogram individuals (Jersey giant). The color of feathers, their structure, length, shape and size of the crest, body structure, meat yield, egg production, leg length, etc. - all these features distinguish breeds from each other.

Pedigree chickens (photo in the text) are classified according to several indicators. The main direction is productivity:

• egg;
• meat and eggs;
• meat;
• fighting;
• decorative;
• vociferous (a relatively new breed category).

Egg

This group appeared somewhat later than the others, because in the conditions of primitive farming, keeping a highly specialized bird was inappropriate. Characteristic features of egg breeds are:

• light body weight - about 2.5 kg;
• body like wild chickens;
• precocity;
• weak brooding instinct;
• dense plumage;
• white shell;
• skeleton is light;
• egg production - 200-300 eggs per year;
• chicken weight at birth is 30-35 grams;
• comb well developed, usually foliate, erect, up to 7 teeth.

It is difficult to fatten, they do not gain weight, they are very mobile, the output of muscle mass during slaughter is small. Young hens start laying at the age of 125 days. The first laid eggs of thoroughbred chickens weigh within 50 g, by the age of 12 months already up to 65 grams. Egg production ranges from 200-250 eggs, the best breeding farms achieve 220-250 eggs, and the record is 365 eggs per year. Industrial production of eggs involves keeping poultry for 17-18 months. Especially valuable thoroughbred chickens, roosters are kept up to 3 years.

Egg production is the main indicator of the productivity of egg breeds. It depends on a number of factors: the external environment, feeding, conditions of detention, hereditary qualities. The heritability rate is 20-25%.

Most famous breeds: Leghorn, Andalusian Blue, Loman Brown, Highsec White, Highsec Brown, Minorca, Italian Partridge, Hamburger, Russian White.

Meat

Meat thoroughbred chickens are characterized by low mobility, large body weight, phlegmatic behavior. Characteristics:

• body weight up to 7 kg;
• body structure is disproportionate with a wide chest, compact, set horizontally;
• loose plumage;
• begin to rush at 180-210 days;
• egg production up to 150 pieces;
• egg mass - up to 70 g;
• well developed incubation instinct.

Young animals are well fed, feed costs per 1 kg of growthaverage 1.59-1.75 kg. Crosses based on meat parent breeds are capable of gaining weight up to 2.5 kg by one and a half months. Most industrial poultry farms specializing in meat production raise hybrid poultry. Keeping poultry in conditions close to natural improves the taste of meat.

Common meat breeds: White Cornish, Brahma, Sussek, Faverolle, White Plymouth Rock, Cochin, Langash.

Meat and Eggs

This group of breeds is the most widespread due to its versatility - good egg production is combined with a decent body weight. Obtained by crossing egg and meat breeds, with further breeding "in itself". Breed traits:

• body weight up to 4 kg;
• egg production up to 200 pieces;
• egg weight - 55-70 grams;
• shell color from fawn to brown;
• expressed incubation instinct;
• rush in winter and tolerate cold better than egg breeds;
• first laying in 150-180 days;
• high palatability of meat.

Popular breeds include Australope, Moscow White, Orpington, New Hampshire, Kuchinsky Jubilee, Rhode Island.

Decorative

Decorative birds are a real decoration of the farmstead. Small size, unique color patterns, or plumage quality are all chickens' propensity to mutate. It led to a separate direction of breeding birds. Decorative breeds have their "ancestors" among ordinary household breeds, often being their smaller copies (kokhinhindwarf).

Ornamental individuals do not bring many eggs and meat. Their main purpose is to please the owner with their appearance. In many countries, these chickens are kept as pets. Between them, exhibitions-fairs are held and the most beautiful representatives of the breeds are determined. However, in addition to beauty, you can get eggs from them, and a carcass weighing up to 2 kg is quite suitable for a home table.

The most famous: dwarf wyandot, curly, silk, padua, Dutch black white-crested, bentham, seabright.

Fighting

Fighting thoroughbred chickens represent the most ancient group. The "professional" features of the use of roosters (only males participate in battles) were reflected in their appearance:

• legs strong, long;
• almost vertical high body set (some individuals reach 90 cm);
• wide leg set;
• light bones;
• temper is lively, cocky;
• strong beak;
• developed muscles;
• exceptional endurance;
• powerful spurs.

It is useless to fatten representatives of fighting breeds for meat, too lively and mobile nature will not allow meat to be “worked up”. Egg production is low - usually one egg per week. In addition to their direct purpose - fighting (this applies more to Asian countries), they are grown as an ornamental bird.

Popular fighting breeds: Kulangi, Malay, Indian blue and black, English fighting, Azil, Moscowfighting.

Voiceous

Golosistye were singled out into a separate group quite recently. So far, it is represented by one breed - Yurlov vociferous. These thoroughbred chickens have excellent egg production, up to 160 eggs, weighing 90 g, the shell is strong, brown. Males reach 4.5 kg, chickens - 4 kg, excellent taste of meat. The universal breed (previously referred to as the meat-and-egg group) is popular with amateur poultry farmers. Appreciated not only for economically useful qualities, but also for beautiful vociferous cock singing.

Choice

In the entire history of mankind, almost 1000 breeds have been bred, more than in any other branch of animal husbandry. Unfortunately, 32 of them are lost forever, another 286 are on the verge of extinction. Among modern breeds, there are common, with a multi-million livestock (Rhode Island, New Hampshire), there are unique ones, numbering only 15,000 heads (Chinese silk chickens).

Breeders of thoroughbred chickens cherish and increase the variety of breeds. Birds are in demand as a source of dietary products, collectibles, hobbies, pets (small breeds are kept in apartments).