The first birds that humans could tame were hens. This happened more than eight thousand years ago. The reason was the mating fights of cocky roosters. The productivity of wild birds was very small, the main goal of domestication was cockfighting. Thoroughbred chickens with good productivity appeared much later.
The concept of breed and cross
A distinctive feature of birds - high variability - gave impetus to the breeding of chickens with a narrow direction of productivity. Currently, there are more than 700 varieties in the world. In addition to the breeds, there are a huge number of crosses. These individuals do not fit this definition - thoroughbred. Breeds of chickens are numerous groups of birds that inherit economic and useful qualities. Leggorn chicks hatch from the eggs of leggorn chickens , 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, not like their parents. It is unprofitable to get offspring from them, because “children” will not possess the qualities of their parents.
The hybrid bird is superior in productivity and vitality to purebred parents. Hybridization allows for a short period to significantly increase production. However, it must be borne in mind that without the original high-quality thoroughbred chickens, it is impossible to achieve the heterosis effect in the obtained lines.
Thoroughbred chickens fully inherit the qualities inherent in the original breed. Appearance, level of productivity, plumage color, character, fitness for living conditions are inherited. This is purebred breeding.
Breeding
When choosing a breed, they are guided by the purpose for which the bird is acquired. To get a quick seasonal result (summer), it is better to breed cross chickens. During the spring-summer-fall they will have time to grow, give eggs and "ripen" for slaughter for meat. With year-round bird keeping, preference is given to breeding chickens. High economic returns and the ability to update the parent herd will provide a small farm with fresh dietary products on an ongoing basis.
Breeding thoroughbred chickens includes several important points:
- Formation of the parent herd. Having determined the breed with which you plan to work, you should think about buying a bird. It is better to take adults from trusted breeders, hens will immediately be carried. For ten or twelve chickens, one cock is enough.
- Organization of the feed base. Proper nutrition is one of the main factors in obtaining products. It is necessary to provide for grain, nutritional supplements, green mass in the diet, and if possible grazing.
- Selection of eggs for hatching. Eggs with a damaged, fragile, or uneven shell are not suitable for viable offspring. Two yolks, the irregular shape of the egg is also a reason for rejection. Each hen is given at least once a year to masonry. Eggs are taken from the most productive layers.
- Selection of repair young animals. The peak egg production in chickens occurs in the second year of life. To maintain production at the proper level, periodic updating of the herd is required. Young growth is selected healthy, mobile, corresponding to pedigree signs.
- Creating comfortable conditions. Chickens need to fulfill their task of producing products, and not fight 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.
Content
Thoroughbred hens do not require specific conditions for maintenance. Everything is as for ordinary poultry:
- chicken coop (if necessary - with heating), equipped with perches and clean nests;
- fenced area for walking, preferably with grass cover;
- constant free access to clean water;
- balanced two meals a day.
Decorative breeds also do not require special conditions for their maintenance. Only some breeds (for example, phoenix - because of the very long tail) need more careful care.
Classification
The long work of breeders and the ability of the bird to change led to amazing results. Today you can see an amazing variety of breeds, from small ones weighing only 300 grams (Malaysian seram) to huge 7-kilogram individuals (Jersey giant). The color of the feathers, their structure, length, shape and size of the crest, body structure, meat yield, egg production, leg length and so on - all these features distinguish the breeds from each other.
Thoroughbred chickens (photo in the text) are classified according to several indicators. The main is the direction of productivity:
- Egg
- meat-and-egg;
- meat;
- fighting;
- decorative;
- vocal (a relatively new breed category).
Egg
This group appeared a little later than the others, since in conditions of primitive housekeeping the maintenance of highly specialized birds was inappropriate. Characteristic features of egg breeds are:
- low body weight - about 2.5 kg;
- physique resembles wild chickens;
- precocity
- weak instinct of incubation;
- plumage is dense;
- white shell;
- the backbone is light;
- egg production - 200-300 eggs per year;
- weight of chickens at birth - 30-35 grams;
- the crest is well developed, usually leaf-shaped, erect, has 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 chickens begin to rush 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 pieces, the best breeding farms achieve 220-250 eggs, and the record is 365 pieces per year. The industrial production of eggs involves the maintenance of poultry for 17-18 months. Particularly 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 environment, feeding, living conditions, hereditary qualities. Heritability coefficient is 20-25%.
The most famous breeds: Leghorn, Andalusian Blue, Loman Brown, Haysek White, Haysek Brown, Minor, Italian Partridge, Hamburg, Russian White.
Meat
Thoroughbred meat chickens are characterized by low mobility, large body weight, and phlegmatic behavior. Characteristic features:
- body weight up to 7 kg;
- the body structure is disproportionate with a wide chest, compact, set horizontally;
- plumage is loose;
- start racing in 180-210 days;
- egg production up to 150 pieces;
- egg mass - up to 70 g;
- well-developed instinct of incubation.
Young growth is well-fed, feed costs per 1 kg of growth are on average 1.59-1.75 kg. Cross-breeds 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 grow hybrid poultry. The content of poultry in conditions close to natural improves the taste of meat.
Common meat breeds: white cornish, pomfret, sussex, faverol, white plymutrok, kokhinhin, langash.
Meat-egg
This group of breeds is most widespread because of its versatility - good egg production is combined with a decent body weight. Obtained by crossing egg and meat breeds, with further breeding "in themselves." Signs of the breed:
- body weight up to 4 kg;
- egg production up to 200 pieces;
- egg weight - 55-70 grams;
- fawn to brown shell color;
- expressed instinct of incubation;
- rush in winter and tolerate better cold than egg breeds;
- the first clutch in 150-180 days;
- high taste qualities of meat.
Popular breeds include: Australoplus, Moscow White, Orpington, New Hampshire, Jubilee Kuchin, Rhode Island.
Decorative
Decorative birds are a real decoration of the compound. Small size, unique coloring features or plumage quality - all this is the tendency of chickens to mutate. She led to a separate direction of breeding birds. Decorative breeds have their “ancestors” among ordinary farm breeds, often being their smaller copies (dwarf kokhinkhin).
Decorative individuals do not bring a lot of eggs and meat. Their main purpose is to please the owner with their appearance. In many countries, such chickens are kept as pets. Between them, exhibitions and fairs are held and the most beautiful representatives of the breeds are determined. Nevertheless, in addition to beauty, eggs can be obtained from them, and a carcass weighing up to 2 kg is quite suitable for a home table.
The most famous: dwarf wyandotte, curly, silk, paduan, Dutch black-and-white, bentamka, sebrite.
Fight
Fighting thoroughbred chickens represent the oldest group. The “professional” features of using roosters (only males participate in battles) were reflected in their appearance:
- legs are strong, long;
- almost vertical high body posture (individual individuals reach 90 cm);
- wide set of legs;
- light skeleton;
- temper lively, cocky;
- strong beak;
- developed muscles;
- exceptional stamina;
- powerful spurs.
It is useless to fatten the representatives of fighting breeds for meat, too lively and agile nature will not allow “feeding” the meat. Egg production is low - usually one egg per week. In addition to their direct purpose - fights (this applies more to Asian countries) - they are grown as a decorative bird.
Popular fighting breeds: kulangs, Malay, Indian blue and black, fighting English, azil, Moscow fighting.
Vociferous
Voiced were allocated in a separate group recently. While it is represented by one breed - yurlovsky vocal. These thoroughbred chickens have excellent egg production, up to 160 eggs, weighing 90 g, the shell is strong, brown. Males reach 4.5 kg, hens - 4 kg, excellent taste of meat. The universal breed (previously it was assigned to the meat-and-egg group) is popular with poultry lovers. Appreciated not only for economically useful qualities, but also for beautiful vociferous cockerel singing.
The choice
In the entire history of mankind, almost 1000 breeds have been bred, more than in any other livestock industry. Unfortunately, 32 of them are lost forever, another 286 are on the verge of extinction. Among modern breeds, there are common breeds with a multi-million population (rhode island, new hampshire), and there are unique breeds with 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 found in apartments).