Czech breeders bred a special egg-laying, resistant to viral diseases, unpretentious breed of chickens. She got her name from the company "Dominant", where she was received.
Source breeds
Who is the "dominant"? This is a specially bred egg breed of chickens. It was created according to a certain pattern, crossing the well-known breeds “Cornish”, “Leghorn”, “Plymutrok”, “Rhode Island”, “Sussex”. Even some similarities with these breeds can be noticed.
The Leghorn breed is characterized by very high productivity, the Cornish breed - with a large amount of meat with a small amount of feed. Chickens of the universal breed “Plymutrok” - large, stocky, variegated, “Rhode Island” - have dense plumage, “Sussex” - differ in different colors of chickens of hens and males.
External features of the breed
Outwardly, the “dominant” breed is distinguished by a large massive body and magnificent plumage, which makes it seem larger than it actually is. Visually even more stocky it is made by short light yellow legs. With a large body, the head is small, a scallop, earrings and a bright scarlet face. The earrings are round, small even in males, but in chickens they are very small. The wings fit snugly against the body.
Breeders bred the breed not only highly productive, but also featuring a beautiful exterior. Therefore, the "dominant" consists of twelve colored hybrids. According to the owners, the most beautiful variety of the breed is the "blue dominant".
Breed characteristics
Since the “Czech dominant” is chickens, primarily egg-laying, their main characteristic is productivity. It is (of course, with the right content) 300 eggs per year per hen. A large dominant egg can weigh about 70 g. This is a rather large figure, usually an egg weighs about 55 g. By the way, eggs of all colored hybrids are about the same brown.
Another important characteristic of the “dominant” is that one individual eats about 120-125 g of feed per day. That is, during the year, only 45 kg of feed is needed per chicken. At the same time, the laying hen already weighs 1.6 kg at 18 weeks (4.5 months), and reaches 72 kg by 72 weeks. A rooster weighs about 3 kg by one and a half years, depending on the conditions of detention, of course. Hens “dominant” have high immunity, almost do not get sick, their survival rate is 94-99%.
At home, no one weighs chickens and eggs. Few people count eggs. According to reviews, only the number of livestock or the number of birds killed for various reasons is recounted (for example, neighbors in a cage were pecking, a dog strangled).
Testing of egg production is carried out at the independent International Certification Station in Ustrašice in the same Czech Republic. The test lead time is 74 weeks (one and a half years). During testing, the number and average weight of eggs from one laying hen per year and the cost of feed per egg are determined.
Based on the test results, the main characteristics that distinguish the “dominant” breed were determined.
Breed description
Chickens of the “dominant” breed have practically no shortcomings. These are ideal laying hens, carrying about 300 eggs per year from the first year of productivity. High productivity persists for another two to three years, then goes into decline.
“Czech dominant” - chickens are unusually hardy, can survive in different conditions, do not require special care neither in heat, nor in frost, nor in high humidity, nor in drought.
Chickens of this breed are unpretentious in food. Their body can get all the necessary substances even from the lowest grade feed. In addition, during a walk, they independently produce feed and missing nutrients.
Dominant chickens have an interesting distinguishing feature. Their gender can be determined immediately after hatching by the color of the fluff. Those that are darker will be laying hens, lighter will be cockerels. Even babies easily tolerate colds and temperature changes.
Strong immunity saves the "dominant" even from infectious diseases. True, with timely and proper treatment.
High survival (over 94%) allows them to survive to the age of 10 years. This is hens deep old age. Layers continue to lay eggs, although productivity drops to 15%.
Breed feeding
The breed's characteristics are remarkable, but to get high productivity you need to make sure that the feed contains enough calcium and protein.
Who is the "dominant"? Hardy and egg-laying, but chicken. And you need to feed the bird of this breed with ordinary chicken feed. These are grains (barley and wheat), corn, sunflower meal, boiled potatoes and carrots, yeast, pumpkin, millet, chalk, bone meal, greens. You can add feed. Chickens will get fresh grass themselves.
Proteins are found in meal and cake not only in sunflower, but also in soybean and rapeseed, in bone and fish meal, and waste from dairy production.
Calcium is found in eggshells, fodder chalk, small shells, crushed bones.
Breed content
Until late autumn, hens can walk in small enclosures. Since they do not fly, then the fence can not be made high. The bird spends the night and hibernates, like hens of other breeds, in poultry houses with thick litter of hay, straw, sawdust, dry leaves.
Birds are viable, even if there are no conditions for walking. But in order for chickens to receive the necessary vitamins, including vitamin D, it is better to provide them with a place for walking in the fresh air.
According to many owners of dominant chickens, in close cages, birds fight, pecking the weaker to death. Therefore, do not neglect the generally accepted norms of the area of ​​a room for one individual.
The egg production of the “dominants” is, of course, high, but the basic rules necessary to maintain that indicator cannot be violated. Lighting plays an important role here. Therefore, the house will need artificial lighting in the fall and winter to extend daylight hours.
Judging by the reviews, experienced poultry farmers insulate the house and hang lamps in it, because unpretentiousness, of course, is good, but productivity is still important.
The main types of breed
Who is the "dominant"? How to correctly determine the characteristics of the breed, if it has many species that differ in the color of plumage? Inexperienced poultry farmers can not cope with this task. Therefore, it is better to buy poultry for breeding in specialized farms in order to avoid cheating.
The most popular are:
- "Dominant sussex D 104", reminiscent of the original breed, only productivity is much higher - 300 eggs per year;
- "Dominant black D 109" gives 310 eggs per year from one hen;
- The “dominant blue D 107” is distinguished by the fact that it adapts remarkably in harsh weather conditions with productivity even higher than that of the black “dominant”;
- “Brown dominant D 102” can produce more than 315 eggs per year.
For cultivation in large poultry farms, experts advise using "D 102" or "white D 159"; on a personal compound or in a small farm - "gray-speckled D 959", "D 109", "D 104", "D 107".
The digital code is a variety, and the letter “D” is a breed of “dominant”.
"Dominant is black"
The breed with the designation "D 109" is unpretentious to climatic conditions and content, popular in cool Europe and sultry Africa, Asia and Latin America. Layers easily tolerate climate change. Productivity confirmed at the International Station. The males are distinguished by a white spot on their heads; in layers, the head has a dark color.
One layer can lay a little less than 220 kg of eggs per year. The feed consumption per egg is 151 g. These data allow even an inexperienced farmer to draw up a business plan and calculate the cost of eggs. It is easy to understand that this is a profitable business, knowing the selling price and the profit that the “dominant” breed can bring. The breed description always includes the calm, friendly nature of poultry. “Black D 109” is no exception.
Farmers' reviews confirm the remarkable characteristics of the breed, but good nutrition and favorable conditions help to maintain the livestock and its high productivity.
"The dominant is brown"
"Dominant D 102" is used in intensive poultry farming. This variety is popular in Asia and Africa, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Slovakia, Poland and Switzerland. She feels great in the unpretentious conditions of farms. Strictly speaking, only the dominant 102 layer is brown, the cockerel is white.
The feed consumption per egg is slightly less - 149 g. For one adult, you need only 122 g of feed per day.
"Dominant blue D 107"
Many poultry farmers love the “dominant” variety (reviews confirm this) for the spectacular color of their plumage. But this is not her only merit. In the extreme climatic conditions of Africa in industrial poultry farming, it shows remarkable resistance and productivity. It adapts perfectly to household plots in the UK, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Switzerland, Latin America and Asia. It is distinguished by good immunity.
2.6 kg of feed is consumed per kilogram of egg mass. The eggs are usually medium in size with a strong brown shell .
"Red striped D 159"
This plumage has a very beautiful plumage of this species of the dominant breed. At the same time, high productivity remains - about 300 eggs per year. This hybrid is grown mainly in personal plots. Layers operate quickly, males - much slower.
In terms of feed consumption for one individual and one egg, the indicators are approximately the same as in other varieties. Therefore, in the household they are chosen by lovers of bright colors.
"Speckled D 959"
Another hybrid with very interesting, perhaps the most unusual speckled plumage - “speckled dominant D 959” is very similar in characteristics. The dots on the feathers are arranged in a specific order.
It is grown in almost all countries of Western Europe, in Latin America and Asia.
High egg production - more than 310 eggs - is confirmed in the International Certification Station.
This hybrid is ideal for industrial breeding. It easily tolerates climate change and transportation.
But, like many varieties of the breed, "D 959" is not suitable for meat. A young laying hen at the age of 18 weeks already begins to lay eggs, and weighs no more than 1.5 kg.
So who is the “dominant”? These are friendly, unpretentious, with beautifully painted chickens, which are great for keeping on farms and in a private garden. They do not require large expenditures for maintenance and feeding, but are characterized by very high productivity and longevity. They carry eggs not only for home use, but also for sale. The implementation of dominant eggs is a highly profitable and affordable business even for beginner farmers.