Hens of various breeds can be bred at poultry farms and in homestead farms. Both poultry of the meat direction of productivity and egg are popular among Russian farmers. Broilers are bred in many poultry farms, in villages and in summer cottages. One of the best meat breeds at the same time is considered to be bromah.
The procedure is purely technologically complex enough - breeding chickens at home. For beginner farmers, it may seem difficult to feed this bird, as well as to receive young animals or care. Brahma is an unpretentious breed. And if you want to get acquainted with such a fairly profitable business as raising chickens, you can start with it.
Breed history
Brama was bred in America in the 19th century on the basis of an Asian bird imported from India. The farmers crossed these powerful bore-legged chickens with the Chittagongs, Kokhinkhins and fighting Malaysian. The breed was presented in 1850. Initially, it was called the gray chittagong. But in 1952, one of the farmers presented such a chicken to the Queen of England. In honor of Indian ancestors, the poultry breeder called it Brahmaputra, which subsequently transformed into an abbreviated "brahma."
general description
This breed is appreciated by farmers not only for its excellent meat productivity, but also for its original appearance. The characteristic features of brama can be attributed, for example:
- fluffy and very dense plumage;
- strong yellow beak;
- the head is very small, compared with the body, in size;
- red lobes and yellow eyes;
- the presence of fluffy plumage, including on the legs.
The body of light Bramah has a very strong and muscular constitution. Many other breeds of meat-producing hens (Dorking, Kokhinhin, etc.) are significantly inferior to her in this regard.
Unacceptable disadvantages
Like any other breed, the brama have their own characteristics that characterize the purity of blood. Inadmissible defects in these hens are considered such signs:
- small stature or squat figure;
- short back or narrow chest;
- Hawkish heel;
- body shape of a kokhinkhinka;
- weak pubescence of the middle front toe;
- white lobes;
- loose bushy tail;
- the presence of the toe on the crest.
Breeding chickens at home for beginners may seem relatively difficult. However, subject to the choice of a purebred, good shrimp for the farm, half of the success of the enterprise to its owner will be guaranteed.
Varieties
The color of Brama chicken can be very different. Most often on farms get divorced:
- fawn pomfret with a golden plumage, a black tail and a necklace on the neck of the same color;
- light with silver-white plumage, black tail and necklace;
- dark with black and gray plumage and pattern.
Dark and light shrimp as breeds were approved in 1874, fawn (buff) - in 1924. In the 60-70s of the last century, two more varieties were officially recognized - yellow-black and partridge-ribbon. Even later, partridge-blue coloring was approved.
Bright Brahma: Description
Most often, this breed of breed is bred by farmers. Bright Brama is also called Colombian. The plumage of such chickens, according to standards, should be completely white (with the exception of the necklace and black tail). If, instead of silver, the bird has a yellowish tint, it is recognized as defective. A green glow should also be present in the necklace and tail of such hens.
On the metatarsals and fingers of such hens there are black stripes. Of all the varieties, light brama is distinguished by the most arrogant posture. The breasts of these hens are powerful, their backs are short, and the wings are not too large and are firmly pressed to the body.
A distinctive feature of this light Bramah is a fairly light skeleton. The body of these chickens has a square shape. In this case, the legs of a light brama are thick and very well pubescent.
Productivity indicators
One of the undoubted advantages of chickens of this breed, in comparison with many modern ones, is that they retained a very strong maternal instinct. Light chickens bring their own chicks out and look after them just fine. A chicken of this variety can bring up to 140 eggs per year. Usually farmers collect 120 pcs. in the first year and about 100 in the second. Subsequently, egg production, as in most other breeds, begins to decline in light brahms. The color of the eggshell of a bird of this variety is creamy. They are quite large in size (about 60 grams).
Weight of laying hens of this breed gain 3.5-4 kg, males - 4-5 kg. Chickens (light pomfret) are yellow or fawn. Young light-colored Brama develops rather slowly.
This variety, like all other representatives of the breed, belongs to the group of late-ripening. Also, some of the disadvantages of light bramas are considered not too high taste qualities of meat. These hens are gaining weight well. However, their meat has a rather rough structure and is not particularly juicy. But at the same time, it is believed that you can still use it not only for cooking soups, but also for main dishes.
Chickens
This breed is valued by farmers, among other things, and for the fact that you can keep it in the yard with any other fowl. In nature, these chickens are calm and balanced. The rooster bright Brama does not fight with representatives of his own breed, nor with any other domestic bird. Layers of the white-silver variety can calmly and without quarrels eat from the same trough with chickens of any breeds, turkeys, quails, etc. This brama is tamed very easily, even in comparison with representatives of other varieties.
Endurance indicators
In relation to the conditions of keeping the chicken, bramah light is considered relatively unpretentious. This hardy bird adapt well to almost any climatic condition. The quality of forage for bramah also does not impose any special requirements. It is not necessary to heat the shed with this bird in winter. In the cold season, these chickens practically do not reduce egg production.
They contain brahm most often by the floor method. But at the same time too much walking for them is not required to equip.
How to make a barn for a light variety
The poultry house for white-silver pomfret is suitable for ordinary (2-5 chickens per 1 m 2 square meter). It is not necessary to install heaters in it, as already mentioned. However, to insulate the shed for this bird, of course, is worth it. Most often, such structures make frame-shield. At the same time, mineral wool is used as insulation. You can also build a barn from used sleepers or foam concrete.
In the poultry house itself, the Brama breed is light, as for chickens of any other breed, it should be established:
- Perches . They are usually made by their poles with a section of 40 mm and installed at a height of 80 cm from the floor.
- Jacks. The dimensions of these structures must be such that the chicken fits freely in them. Entrance to the nest should not cause any difficulties for layers. It needs to be made wide enough and high. For better egg laying, nests should be stuffed on the wall next to perches at the same level.
- Drinking bowls . Under water in the house you can use any containers - buckets, old pots, etc. To avoid overturning, drinkers should be slightly buried in the ground.
- Feeders . This equipment is usually knocked down from two boards so that in cross section the structure resembles the letter V. A rotating pole is installed above the feeders on short supports. Its presence prevents the chickens from jumping inside and scattering food.
Also in the barn should be installed several basins with ash and a container with small pebbles. The floors in the chicken coop should be made boardwalk. So that the light bramas do not freeze in winter, they are covered with a thick layer of sawdust or straw.
Walking
A small enclosure should be made next to the house so that hens can walk on warm days. This will have a positive effect on the health of the bramah. It is best to collect the walks on the east or west side of the house. This will provide a sufficient amount of sun and at the same time the presence of a shadow in which hens can take refuge in the heat.
In the summer, feeding troughs and several drinking bowls are usually carried out in the field. You can fence the enclosure with a chain link (height - 2 m). Like other representatives of the breed, light bramah does not require a lot of walking. However, the aviary for this bird should still have a larger area than for a dark or fawn pomfret. These hens are somewhat more massive and active.
Feeding Features
Since light bramas belong to the breed of the meat direction of productivity, its diet should include a sufficient number of products containing proteins. Grains (best wheat) are given to these hens at least twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. For lunch, chickens can be offered a mash of whey. For the preparation of such food, it is allowed to use nettles, tops of carrots, beets and radishes, any root vegetables (except for green potatoes), zucchini, eggplant, fruits.
In order for the bird to get all the vitamins and minerals it needs, a little premix intended for meat chickens or broilers should be added to the mixers. Sometimes bramas are fed and boiled potatoes. This product contributes to the rapid weight gain of the bird. However, using such a product, as in the case of, for example, broilers, is as careful as possible. During overfeeding with boiled potatoes, light gore, and especially young animals, may cause intestinal inversion.
Chicken Breeding
Brama chickens are bred, as already mentioned, on their own. If necessary, up to 20 eggs can be placed under one layer. But of course, a large number of young growth is easier to get in an incubator. Bramah chicks are brought out using such equipment using standard technology.
Brahma bright: reviews of farmers
The opinion of the owners of household plots about these chickens was simply excellent. They lay eggs regularly, and gain weight in comparison with the amount of feed consumed. To some of the breeds of the breed, farmers attribute the fact that such chickens can simply crush eggs when they are chickens. Therefore, some homeowners advise newcomers to use an incubator to expand the population. Well, or lay the eggs of brahma under the hens of other breeds.
Many farmers consider puberty to be a certain disadvantage of the light variety. If other forms of this breed begin to lay eggs by the age of 9 months, then silver-white can “wait” sometimes up to 10-11.
As for the nature of bright brahms, farmers have only the best reviews. Roosters of this species, as noted by some summer residents, for example, can calmly sit together in the same "pen" and at the same time not pay any attention to each other.