In the modern world, chicken farming is incredibly relevant, although it is worth noting that vegetarian and vegan diets are becoming increasingly popular. It is possible that in the future these movements will be able to supplant the consumption of meat from birds and animals that once lived, but for now, it is worth considering the situation as it is. Now chickens are grown in huge quantities both for meat and for egg production. Absolutely everyone knows about the cruelty of handling birds and animals of large corporations, but households usually treat the same animals and birds as their own pets, who are fed, cared for, loved and caressed about. And this is what this article will discuss, or rather, about one specific breed of chickens, which has recently become increasingly popular.
Liven chicken is a special breed that was incredibly popular fifty years ago due to its large size and the size of the eggs that it carried. And if you want to see such chickens and such eggs in your own farm, then you should read this article more carefully. Here you will find all the necessary information, starting with the cognitive history of this breed and ending with what Liven chicken eats and how it can be bred. All these data can be useful to you if you really set yourself the task of breeding this breed of chickens and getting the famous huge chicken eggs.
Origin of breed
How did the chicken of Lebanon come about? Why does she have such a name? The fact is that now breeding chickens are specialists who cross breeds in such a way as to achieve the desired goal. However, in ancient times, professional breeders did not exist, and the peasants were engaged in the breeding of new breeds. They were not graduates, but in principle pursued the same goal. They wanted the chickens to gain weight quickly, lay as many eggs as possible and stay healthy for a long time. As for this particular breed, it appeared in Tsarist Russia, in the Livensky district of the Oryol region. That is why she received such a name. That is, Liven chicken is called so because of the place where it was bred and gained its fame. Naturally, such performance did not go unnoticed, and the Lebanese breed began to spread further in Russia. Meanwhile, Lebanon County has become one of the key areas responsible for relations between Russia and the UK. After all, it was from there on the Misty Albion that large striking chicken eggs were delivered, which were in incredible demand. However, people who know how to breed chickens may ask: why for a long period of time this breed could not be found anywhere? Unfortunately, the answer to this question is rather sad.
Fate of the breed
For a long time, chickens from Lebanon chintz were a real source of large chicken eggs, but everything changed in the sixties. Then new breeds began to appear, which were more productive than the Lebanese breed. Do not misunderstand the situation, the Lebanese chickens lay eggs in large numbers, and even in the winter, when many breeds stop doing this. But chickens such as leghorns have even greater productivity, so people have chosen them. As for the Lebanese chickens, they began to be massively destroyed. As a result, in the sixties this breed became virtually extinct. And only recently in private households began to find hens that, according to the description and characteristics, correspond to the breed described. From this moment, painstaking work began to restore the breed, which is now gradually regaining its former popularity. So we can safely say that the chickens of Lebanon chintz successfully escaped complete extermination thanks to those individuals who survived in private households after the mass destruction of the sixties.
Appearance
Liven breed of chickens has not the most common appearance. The fact is that these chickens are much larger than most of their relatives, while their physique can be called full. In addition to size, against the background of the remaining hens, plumage distinguishes them. Most often, there are Lebanese chickens with chintz plumage, so many people even call them Lebanese chintz. Chickens have small scallops, and their crests are extremely rare. Scientists estimate that crests occur somewhere in three percent of cases. These chickens have four toes, in rare cases there are those that have five toes. It is also worth noting that sixty percent of chickens are with feathers on their feet. As for the appearance of chickens, they also have a rather unusual feather color, which begin to grow by the 13th month of life. Well, the beak of these birds is quite ordinary, painted in the color of the sun. The neck of these chickens is quite massive, the roosters have a rather impressive "mane". In addition, roosters also have a larger crest than chickens, but its size almost never exceeds five centimeters. Also, roosters have a short, but quite impressive tail. Another distinguishing feature that the Lebanese breed of chickens has is a light hump on the back. This means that the back cannot "bend" down, the hump should always be grope at the pure representatives of this breed.
Egg production
Liven chickens, the description of which you have already read, also have quite impressive egg production, and this parameter is very interested in almost every person who would like to breed this or any other breed of chicken. In this case, this setting is quite impressive. It is worth starting with the fact that puberty and, accordingly, the ability to carry chicken eggs reach the age of eight months. With puberty, they give at least 150 eggs per year, which can seduce any household owner. It is worth noting that in the spring months, that is, from March to April, chickens lay the largest number of eggs. Their productivity in these three months can be up to half of the total annual number of eggs laid.
What are the eggs?
Well, now you know what the Lebanese chickens themselves look like, the description was provided above, but not only they themselves need a characterization. A lot of people immediately become interested in how the eggs of these hens look, about which there is so much talk. Are they so impressive that the British bought them from Russia? A young chicken about a year old lays eggs of a slightly less elongated shape than in the case of most other breeds. Such an egg weighs about sixty grams, and its size exceeds the size of a matchbox. The color of these eggs is also unusual: it is neither white nor yellow. Rather, it is a cross between standard white and yellow colored eggs. As for the composition, it can also please. About thirty percent of the total weight of the egg falls on the yolk, and 12 percent on the shell. As you can see, the protein content is dominant, but that's not all. The so-called dense protein in these eggs is contained in much larger quantities than in eggs of other breeds, which makes this breed even more attractive. What else can be said about what are the chickens of Libyan calico? We have already studied the description, characteristics of the chickens themselves, their eggs and egg production, so it is time to move on and pay attention to other equally important aspects.
Breeding and selection
What breeding conditions does the Lebanese chicken breed require? Reviews of people who are engaged in breeding, report that special conditions are not necessary, because this breed of chickens is not overly demanding. In most cases, chickens that are born are strong, hardy and tenacious, so the percentage of survival on average is kept at a very high level. It is also worth noting that feeding chickens is extremely simple. You will have to give them a little more time in the early days, but already quite quickly they will be able to eat the same thing that adults eat. So, if you follow the basic recommendations, then you can safely breed chickens of this breed even at home.
As for selection, everything here is a little more complicated, because you need a professional's hand. Liven chintz breed of chickens, photos of which you could see on thematic sites and in specialized newspapers and magazines, is a good object for selection. Experts have determined that with the right approach, you can even increase the egg production of chickens without mixing them with other breeds that differ in a more impressive rate. However, one should not forget that breeding and selection are two completely different processes that should not be confused with each other.
Breed today
Now you have a much clearer idea of what the hens are. Photos and descriptions of this breed are presented in the most accessible and simple form, however, this is far from all the information that you will learn today from this article. For example, you should know about the current situation of the breed in order to understand whether you should contact it or it will lead you into a dead end. As mentioned above, in the modern world, this breed is much rarer than before. However, experts are working to revive it, although there are doubting critics who suggest that this breed is not the one for which it is impersonated. They believe that this is just a subspecies of another more common breed. The amateur will not be able to answer this question, so you will either have to choose another breed for breeding, or take a word. If you choose the second option, then you will not be disappointed, as the Lebanese chintz calico breed of chickens, whose characteristic is impressive, has an optimal ratio of meat and egg quality. First, sexually mature individuals reach six kilograms of weight in the case of roosters and 4-5 kilograms in the case of hens. The average life span of a chicken is about six years, but it can fluctuate. As for egg production, this parameter has been significantly increased by breeding to date. If earlier such a chicken laid about 150-200 eggs per year, now this figure can reach 300 eggs per year. It is also worth noting that a couple of years ago there was not only the Lebanese chintz chickens breed, the characteristics of which are now accepted as the standard of the breed. Then it was possible to find Liven chickens with black plumage and a golden crest, as well as chickens with golden plumage and a black crest, but during the selection they were not as impressive as the chintz counterparts, so you can now find such chickens quite rarely.
Chickens Care
What care does the Lebanese breed of chickens require? The characterization of the chicken itself is just a description of what you might like about it. Now it's time to look at what you have to deal with on an ongoing basis. Firstly, you need to carefully prepare the chicken coop for keeping hens of this breed in it. The thickness of its walls must be at least 15 centimeters, these walls must be insulated from the outside so that the chickens can survive the winter. You should also take care of the field: it should be either wooden or insulated if it is made of concrete. The roofing also requires insulation, and you also need to check the chicken coop for gaps, since all your efforts will be in vain if there are several gaps through which heat will leave the coop. Well, and, of course, you need to provide for the availability of special heating devices in case there are especially severe frosts on the street. But at the same time, you should not forget that such a chicken needs fresh air, so your chickens should have an enclosure in which they will go out daily. For the rest, leaving is pretty basic, because, as mentioned above, Lebanese chickens, reviews of which are only positive on the Internet, are absolutely undemanding.
Secondly, to feed this breed of chickens you can use a wide variety of types of food, such as corn, oats, wheat or barley. You can also use wheat bran, millet or peas. Some even feed chickens with sunflower cake and potatoes, and there are those that contain them on a diet of meat and bone meal and fish meal. You should pay attention to the fact that chickens need an additional portion of calcium if you want the eggshell to be strong. Therefore, add either specialized vitamins or grated eggshells to the feed.
Chickens
What character does the Lebanese chicken breed have? Photos of these chickens demonstrate that this is a very beautiful breed, so you will be happy to keep it in your own farm. However, not appearance is the main criterion, but egg laying. This criterion has already been considered above, so you should also take the time to another indicator that should concern you. Liven chickens are very gentle and friendly, so they can even become real friends for your children. As mentioned earlier, they are extremely unpretentious, which attracts many breeders. Another feature that attracts people to these chickens is silence. The fact is that roosters of this breed do not sing as representatives of almost all breeds do. Accordingly, those people who are looking for silence can appreciate this characteristic. It is also worth noting that these chickens are rather passive, which positively affects the ability to hatch eggs. Liven chickens, photos of which you can study in this article, can be a great choice for your household.
Is it worth it to start?
Well, now you have studied everything that could be studied, and you know what the Lebanese chicken breed is. A description of the chickens themselves was offered to you, you also learned how the eggs of such hens look, what the composition of these eggs is, and much more. In general, you have received enough information to make a conscious and deliberate choice. So is it worth it to start this particular breed of chickens? The answer is most likely to be positive, because the advantages of this breed are very numerous, and, in fact, there are no drawbacks. These are productive chickens, which in modern conditions can produce from 200 to 300 eggs per year without any problems. If you organize the chicken coop and aviary correctly, then you can achieve maximum results, and your chickens will lay eggs even in winter. Having bought the first hens from an experienced breeder, you will provide yourself with all the advantages of a better breed. In addition to the increased egg production indicated above, modern chickens of this breed also carry much larger eggs, whose weight can reach eighty grams, and if you feed your laying hens properly, the eggs can reach as many as hundreds of grams. It is also worth noting that breeding chickens of this breed begin to lay eggs earlier than the original predecessors. Liven chintz breed of chickens (reviews of experienced breeders confirm this) begins to lay eggs at the age of eight months, however, selection allows to increase its productivity in this aspect. And modern chickens can begin to lay eggs already at the age of five to six months.
Well, it's time to take stock of the study of this breed. In the Oryol region, where this breed was born at the time, now it is in great demand and is very popular. An almost extinct species gradually multiplies and develops, so you should consider putting your hand into this process. And at the same time you will not be at a loss - the acquisition of chickens and roosters of this breed will definitely pay off in the near future. At the exhibitions of chickens held all over the world, this breed has repeatedly received the highest score, so you can be sure that it will be a great start in your career as a breeder. Naturally, the final choice is yours, but the number of advantages of this breed compared to others is so impressive that you better not waste time and start a divorce right now.
Where to get?
If you have already decided in favor of this breed of chickens, then you should think about where exactly to get the first individuals. , , . – , , . , , , . , . , , . , , . , , , - . , , , , - .