MOSCOW WHITE BREED OF CHICKENS: DESCRIPTION AND CHARACTERISTICS, PHOTOS, FEATURES OF CARE AND MAINTENANCE

White Moscow chickens in our time - a great rarity, although it appeared a little more than half a century ago. This is one of the breeds of meat and egg direction, there are about 200 of them today.

They were bred by long-term cross-breeding experiments based on the All-Union Poultry Institute in the city of Zagorsk, Moscow Region. The breeding process for several years, beginning in 1947 and ending in 1959, has undergone such well-known breeds of chickens as the White Russian, May Day and White Plymouth.

Such a long duration of the experiment is due to the fact that scientists engaged in crossing, sought to create a special breed of chickens that could combine the qualities inherent in chickens from strictly egg and strictly meat production. They succeeded.

The final version of the long-term experience was the hens, which were given the name "Moscow White", which was attributed to the meat-and-egg direction, since the hens of the new breed were distinguished by high productivity of eggs and at the same time kept their weight.

Description of breed Moscow White

The hens of this breed have well-formed pectoral muscles, the size of the head is medium, the beak has a yellowish tint, and the comb is pale pink in the form of a leaf. Red and white earlobes stand out on the head. The neck is also medium in size.

The back is distinguished by its evenness, long, at the same time, these hens have a wide and deep-set body. The plumage of pure white has a dense structure. Legs like beak - yellow shade.

Features

Due to the density of plumage, as well as many chickens of meat and egg direction, easily adaptable to any climatic conditions. They are quite easy to maintain even in regions characterized by cold weather. Another advantage that these chickens gained as a result of breeding is a high ability to resist various diseases.

The development of muscles has a great effect on the quality of the meat of this chicken breed: like many meat-laying chickens, the taste of Moscow white chickens meat is practically indistinguishable from meat of chickens, but it is much tastier than in layers.

These chickens have a phenomenon like egg in egg. Sometimes it happens that a formed egg goes back through the oviduct and faces another, but not formed, without a shell. When they collide, they unite in one — the second becomes the shell of the first, and then the shell forms on it.

Content and cultivation

White Moscow chickens - useless chicks, it is not their habit to quail and incubate their offspring, therefore, most often they are obtained by placing eggs in incubators. However, it has been observed that the birth rate is quite high - about 97 percent.

You can keep them both in the cells and using the walking system. And in fact, and in another case, they will feel great, thanks to the phlegmatic, inherited from their ancestors of a single-profile meat orientation. For the same reason, using the free-form maintenance system, you should not build high fences for them.

In the hen house is best to maintain a warm atmosphere. This can be achieved with the help of sand poured on the floor interspersed with the husks of sunflower seeds, shredded dried leaves or chips of corn stalks. Chicken droppings will be gradually added to this mix, thanks to which the heat in the room will be preserved. In winter, you can add straw litter to the floor.

Chickens eat less than their "meat" relatives, but still more than single-profile egg breeds of chickens. But at the same time they are distinguished by unpretentiousness to food. It is possible to regulate the amount of feed depending on the level of egg production: if the chickens become worse, then they do not have enough feed. Sufficient food intake quickly restores their ability to carry eggs - this is one of the features of the Moscow white breed of chickens.

Specifications

Adults reach a weight of about 2.5 - 2.7 kilograms, males - slightly more than 3-3.4 kilograms. The first eggs they bring at the age of six months, one chicken produces about 180 eggs a year. The color of the eggshell is white, the weight is 55-62 grams.

Experiments were carried out crossing roosters of the Moscow white breed with chickens of other meat and egg breeds. As a result, good broiler chickens were obtained. So, for example, from crossing Moscow white cocks and New Hampshire chickens turned out chickens, which at three months of age weighed about one and a half kilograms.

Good waterproofing of the basement from the inside protects even if there is no waterproofing from the outside for some reason.

Where can I buy in Russia?

Unfortunately, there are few Moscow white chickens left in Russia. Only a few individuals are known to be kept in herds-collections as a genetic reserve. It is also possible that there are such chickens on separate private household plots.

Analogs

By many criteria, Moscow black chickens are very close to Moscow white chickens (egg production is 200-250 eggs per year, the female has a mass of 2.5 kg, a rooster is 3.5, an egg weighs about 60 grams).

Also among the chickens of the meat-producing direction are widely known:

Rhode Island. Egg production 150-180 eggs for 12 months. (less often up to 250), the weight of an adult chicken is 2.8 kg, the male is 3.5. Egg weight - 58-60 gr.

New Hampshire Chickens. Egg production is 180-200 eggs per year, female weight is 2.5 kg, rooster weight is 3.5. Egg weight: 58-60 gr.

Sussex. Egg production is 180-200 eggs. Chicken weight up to 3 kg., Rooster - up to 4. Egg mass: 55 - 60 gr.

Australorp. Egg production is 180–200 eggs per year. The weight of an adult chicken is 3, No. kg., The male is 4. A weight of eggs not higher than 58 gr.