Description and photos, main characteristics and indicators of popular breeds of chickens

Of all poultry, chickens are considered the most unpretentious to care for, so even an amateur poultry breeder can breed them. However, before buying chickens, it is important to determine the specific purpose of their rearing and the choice of breed. Both egg, and meat, and decorative representatives have many advantages, therefore it is important to familiarize with their characteristics in advance.

Egg hens (layers)

Hens bred for the sake of egg production are distinguished from the others by their high mobility and ease. The feathers fit snugly together, the comb and the earrings are clearly visible. The average weight of the hens, regardless of the breed, usually does not exceed 2-2.5 kg, so that they all look very graceful. When organizing good breeding conditions, about 300 eggs per hen are produced annually.

Breed, of course, affects the performance indicators, however, it is important to follow the rules of feeding, learn how to make feed for laying hens at home, what is the rate of feed for laying hens for a day, what vitamins the laying hens need for egg production.

Araucana

This American breed of chickens is the popular egg direction, however, due to the good taste characteristics of meat, poultry are often bred precisely for the purpose of its production. The main distinguishing feature of these birds is the ability to carry blue eggs, and when combined with the rest of the breeds, different variants of shell color appear: some poultry farmers even talk about bright red specimens. Araucans are rarely found in the Russian Federation and other CIS countries.

The main characteristics of the breed are:

1. Egg production: 200-250 eggs per year (weighing 60-65 g each).
2. Weight indicators: at the age of one year, chickens weigh about 2-2.5 kg, roosters - from 2.5 to 3 kg.
3. External features: the presence of beards, sideburns and pea comb. Birds have four fingers on their feet, and eight colors are recognized as standards for feather color: black, white, silver, blue, red-brown, wheat, dark yellow, and wheat blue. Some other shades are also considered valid, as long as the requirements for the color of the plus and fingers remain. White and bluish colors must be complemented by gray-slate metatars, as well as a white shade of the feet and underside of the fingers.

The beginning of reproduction of araukans accounts for 5-6 months of their life, and the maximum productivity indicators can be expected from them not earlier than in two years.

Learn more about the Araucan breed.

Ancona

This breed was obtained by crossing the local aboriginal Italian hens of white and black flowers. They received their name in honor of the port of Ancona, next to which the breeders lived during their breeding. In general, all representatives of the breed are rather large, with a rectangular body, but these are not their main distinguishing characteristics.

Additionally, it is worth noting such features:

1. Egg production: 120-180 light eggs from one layer per year (for incubation, it is desirable to select specimens weighing at least 50 g).
2. Weight indicators: females - 1.8-2.2 kg; males - 2.2-2.8 kg.
3. External features: A unique color in which white dots stand out on a gray or black base. The body is located a little under the slope (relative to the ground line), but the dense arrangement of feathers well masks all the bends, and it no longer seems so angular. The spinal part of the ancons cannot be called large, but at the same time you cannot call it narrow. On it fall long cervical feathers of gray or black color. Scallop and earrings are slightly elongated, rounded, and the beak is bright yellow. A female's comb can hang to one side, but in males it is always vertical, with 4-6 teeth. Some representatives of the breed earlobes may be black, while the rest are white.

Important! A significant drawback of the Ancona breed is the almost complete absence of the parental instinct, which is typical of many egg breeds. If the breeder wants to independently breed the birds, he will have to buy an incubator, otherwise the percentage of hatchability of chickens will be very low.

Dominant

This breed appeared thanks to the efforts of Czech breeders, and is often found in domestic farmsteads. In addition to high productivity, these chickens are famous for very good health, thanks to which they either do not get sick at all, or are quickly cured with standard drugs.

Today, the Dominant breed has several subspecies, among which the honorable place is occupied by the D 100 (birds with black plumage) and the D 104 with a light color and increased resistance to extreme conditions of housing. Despite the fact that there are about 12 subspecies of the breed, they differ only in color among themselves.

Main characteristics:

1. Egg production: 310-320 brownish testicles per year, 60-70 g each (the first egg chickens are demolished at the age of 5-6 months).
2. Weight indicators: up to 2.0-2.8 kg of hens and up to 3.2 kg of roosters.
3. External features: voluminous, rounded torso, with well-defined muscles, wide dorsal and chest parts, fleshy tibiae. The abdomen is low, the paws are medium, widely spaced. On the head, the brightest and most expressive part is the eyes, the iris of which has a beautiful orange hue. The color of the front part is red, however, as is the color of the earrings and upright leaf-like comb. Wings - small, tight to the body and covered with thick plumage. As for the color of the feathers, the most popular is black, but you can find white, pockmarked and brown dominants.

Czech layers are deservedly calm and docile, and the only disadvantage in their habits is constant loudness: the roosters are singing all the time, and the chickens are clucking.

Leggorn

Chickens of this breed are of Italian origin, but in the 19th century they were transported to the United States and began to cross with representatives of other breeds to obtain ideal indicators of productivity.

Learn how to contain white leggorn breed layers.

Back in Europe, the improved Leghorny returned at the beginning of the twentieth century and almost immediately gained wide popularity. This is not surprising, one has only to look at the main characteristics of the representatives of the breed.

1. Egg production: 200-250 white or brown eggs per year (one weight about 60 g).
2. Weight indicators: chickens - up to 2.5 kg, roosters - up to 3 kg.
3. External features: small size of the body, with a rounded chest and a broad back. The head is medium, with a bright red leaf-like comb and orange eyes. Legs - short, tail - small. In young chickens, the skin is yellow, but with age it changes color to the familiar body. With regard to the color of plumage, the white color is considered traditional for the breed, although the possibility of brown chickens is not excluded, which is explained by the popularity of brown shell eggs.

Interesting! The hens' egg production is directly affected by a comfortable position during sleep, therefore, when constructing a roost, it is necessary to take into account the need to completely grab the poles with chicken legs.

Loman

Lohman Brown is considered one of the most successful breeds of the egg direction. They are relatively unpretentious in the choice of food and conditions of detention, but they carry quite a lot of eggs.

The history of the breed originates in 1959, in Germany, where breeders for several decades tried to get the perfect layer, characterized by high rates of productivity. They still managed to achieve their goals, because today Lohman Brown is characterized by very good performance in all understandings.

The main characteristics of the breed are as follows:

1. Egg production: 310-320 eggs per year, 60-72 g each (the maximum productive age of chickens reaches 2-3 years, although they begin to nest at 5-6 months).
2. Weight indicators: females - 1.7-2.2 kg, roosters - about three kg.
3. External features: Red-brown color, which in the chickens is slightly lighter than in males, has a dense, light plumage, sometimes with rare white patches. Also found subspecies of white color. The head is small, with a medium-sized leafy red comb. The front part is red, but somewhat lighter than the crest, the gray-yellow beak is narrow and relatively short. Wings - well developed and tight to the body. Chest - wide, belly - tight.

Lohman Brown is a rather docile and trusting bird that gets along well with other representatives of the chicken world.

Important! The structure of the body of the chicken described breed allows to determine its approximate age, which is important if we consider the ability to active laying only for 80 weeks. Young birds are always slender, with less convex belly and thighs, and as soon as these parts of the body begin to round off, it means that they grow old and can no longer produce a large number of eggs.

Pushkin Hens

Like the Ancons, the representatives of this breed got their name in honor of the place where they were bred. This happened approximately in 1995 in the city of Pushkin (Leningrad Region), although the breed was officially recognized only in 2007. The representatives of the egg and meat-and-egg purposes have become the “parents” of modern birds: white leggoron and black-and-white austlororp. Today, this breed is represented by two main subspecies: one is bred in St. Petersburg and is characterized by increased egg production, and the second is in Sergiev Posad and is positioned as a more stable species.

Check out the detailed description of Pushkin hens.

The main breed characteristics are hidden in the following:

1. Egg production: about 220 eggs every year, but sometimes there are values ​​of 290 pieces (in the first year, productivity is greater than in all subsequent ones). The weight of one egg is 58-60 g, the percentage of fertility is 90.
2. Weight indicators: 1.8-2 kg (chicken), 2.5-3 kg (rooster).
3. External features: head extended, bulging orange eyes, curved down beak of a light beige color. The typical striped and motley color of the hens is also noticeable, and the roosters are white with darker spots on the body. Feathers are tight to the body, have a white down base. The skin is spotless and completely bright. The neck is relatively long and easily visible. The shape of the body resembles a trapezoid, and the back seems to be slightly lowered toward the upright, high tail. Powerful back supplemented with long, slightly downcast wings. The legs are long.

Important! Since Pushkin's chickens are considered a relatively new breed, there are no strict requirements for their exterior, but irregular body shape, hunchback back, the presence of pure black feathers, gray and yellow poduh will be the reason for the rejection.

Russian white

The oldest egg breed among those already represented. Breeding Russian white breeders began to engage in 1929, using white leggorn and Russian local outbred birds.

In the future, there have been many changes, but today we have excellent chickens, with the following characteristics:

1. Egg production: about 200-230 bright eggs per year (weight of one - 55-56 g). The first egg of a hen is given at 5 months of age.
2. Weight indicators: 1.6-1.8 kg - females and 2-2.5 kg - males.
3. External features: middle head with a comb, bright pink color. In females, it hangs slightly, and in males it is strictly vertical and has 5 well-defined teeth. The beak is yellow, very strong. The lobes are white. The thickened neck is mediocre in length and rises above the broad sternum. The hull is elongated and wide, with well developed wings. Feathers tightly pressed to the skin, yellow legs - without feathers. Tail - moderate length. The color of all the feathers is white, only in very small chicks the pubescence is still yellow.

Learn how to keep Russian white chickens in your compound.

The main advantage of breeding Russian white is its aesthetic appearance and undemanding care.

Check out the most egg breeds of chickens.

Meat and Egg

Meat-egg chickens are a universal solution when choosing a bird, because besides a large number of eggs, you can also get a lot of meat, which has a very delicate and attractive taste. Consider the most famous meat and egg breeds.

Avicolor

Most often these chickens can be found on Ukrainian farms, although they are bred in other countries.

One of the main advantages for which the birds are so fond of local farmers, are their high productivity and excellent hatchability (hens are good hens):

1. Egg production: about 300 pieces annually (50 g each).
2. Weight indicators: males - 2.5-3 kg, females - up to 2.5 kg.
3. External features: red color with the possible addition of black and white feathers. It is possible to distinguish the rooster from the hen by color from the first days of the chickens life, since the males are always light. Adult representatives are real burrs, with a massive, cylindrical body. The neck is medium, but it stands out well against the background of a wide shoulder area. The head is rather large and set high, and in females the front part has no feathering at all. Crest - a large, vertically located. It has 5-6 teeth. The wings are pressed tightly against the body, and the red feathers from the tail (they are distinguished by white patches) are slightly bent down. A distinctive feature of roosters is that the abdomen is drawn in, which in comparison with the forms of chickens makes them slimmer and fitter.

If we talk about the nature of the representatives of the breed Avicolor, then these are calm and friendly chickens, without any problems enduring close proximity to other breeds. Birds are characterized by increased tolerance and can easily coexist even with geese or ducks.

Learn all about breeding chickens avikolor in the farm.

Australorp

Another old breed of chickens, which appeared around 1890 in Australian lands.

The English orpingons and white leggornes became the "parents" of the new birds, thanks to which the breeders managed to get early ripening individuals with high productivity and good appearance:

1. Egg production: 150-180 eggs per year, but "clean" representatives can increase these figures to 200, and sometimes up to 300 eggs, 55-62 g each. The first eggs of the chickens are born at the age of 135 days, and after two years of age, the figures fall. Good productivity is maintained even in winter.
2. Weight indicators: roosters - about 4 kg, hens - 2.9 kg.
3. External features: black plumage with a greenish sheen in adults and grayish-white pubescence on the belly in small chickens. On the head of a medium size a leaf-shaped comb rises, with expressive brown eyes under it. On the front, the plumage is completely absent, the short beak is black. Neck - not very long, but well feathered. The body is rounded, the chest part is deep and convex. The middle, relatively wide tail, is at a 45-degree angle to the back. Feet - dark gray, slightly lighter below.

Read also what care the Australorp breed requires.

The main signs of "sewage" Australorp breed include the presence of feather pillows on the back, tapered body, long tail, yellow sole and dull feathers ebb.

Did you know? Record on egg production of the breed was made in 1922, when six chickens gave 1857 eggs per year, that is, approximately 309 eggs per chicken.

Adler

Adler Silvery is a breed of chickens of meat and egg type, which appeared in 1965 at the Adler poultry farm. Breeders managed to bring the bird, well adapted to climate conditions, with cold winters. In addition, Adler chickens are excellent at dealing with stressful situations and are distinguished by their high viability, both in terms of the survival rate of the chickens, and in the good immunity of the adult bird. The main characteristics of the breed:

1. Egg production: 180-200 light brown eggs per year, 60 g each (the productivity of chickens depends on their weight: the smaller it is, the more eggs can be obtained).
2. Weight indicators: females - 2.5-3 kg, males - 4-5 kg ​​(in adulthood).
3. External features: beautiful silver color plumage, with a dark edging on the edge of the wing. The constitution of the hens is neat, correctly folded, with a medium neck and pretty copper eyes. Scallop - proportional to the body, beak - medium size, yellow (the same as the legs of the bird). The tail is not very big, rounded. The size of the chicken is a bit more modest than the size of the male, it looks more elegant in comparison with him. The reason for culling chickens of this breed is considered to be a very long tail and large scallop, as well as an excessively long and thin neck.

The character of the Adler hens is calm and friendly, the bird is not aggressive. Keeping in cages is possible, but undesirable, since for free-flowing development, free-range walking is necessary for the chickens: this way the bird will find more food. If chickens are created with good living conditions, they can be bred both for personal needs and on an industrial scale with the same productivity.

Amrox

All members of this American breed have an unusual white-black plumage, which merges from a distance into one color. Амрокс вывели в 1848 году, но официально признанной она смогла стать только через 100 лет. Среди основных достоинств кур выделяют их универсальность, быстроту появления пёрышек и высокую приспособляемость к условиям содержания.

Основные характеристики:

1. Яйценоскость: 180-200 яиц ежегодно (масса одного - 56-60 г). Lay their first egg laying at the age of 5-6 months.
2. Weight indicators: males - 4 kg, females - 3-3.5 kg.
3. External features: loose white-black plumage, thanks to which the already massive chickens look even bigger. In females, the width of dark stripes is twice as wide as that of roosters, so they appear darker. On a small head there is a fleshy bright red comb, with the same red lobes on the ears and ear rings (in females they are not as bright as in males). The chest is wide, the body is powerful and strong, and from under it you can see the same massive yellow legs. The tail is lush, wide, long feathers stand out well in its shape, resembling a sickle. Small chickens are completely covered with black down, and the light part is visible only on the abdomen. On the head of the females, a small but distinct bright spot stands out. In males, it is either completely absent or has blurry outlines. Beak and metatars of hens are darker. With the beginning of the appearance of the feathers, the stripes on the wings are already clearly visible. In some cases, a dark scurf may be observed on the legs.

The alternate arrangement of thin white and black stripes made it possible to call Amrox "hens in vests."

Learn how to breed amrox.

Barbezier

Another good meat-egg breed of chickens, which has gained wide popularity among domestic farmers. Barbadier is a French breed, the standard of which has existed since the beginning of the XIX century. On the territory of Russia, Ukraine and other neighboring countries, it appeared only in the early 2000s.

Main characteristics:

1. Egg production: Chickens start to nest at about 5.5 months and give about 160-200 eggs per year (one weighs up to 90 g).
2. Weight indicators: males - 4.5 kg (height 70 cm), females - 3.5-3.7 kg (height 65 cm).
3. External features: completely black color of glossy, close-fitting feathers, and for roosters there is a green outflow of plumage, especially in the tail section. Large scarlet comb - simple, leaf-like, which can reach 8 centimeters in height and 14 cm in length for roosters. Legs - powerful, four-fingered. The eyes are distinguished by yellow-brown irises.

The reason for the rejection of birds of this breed are disproportionate build, small indicators of size and weight. In addition, a marriage is considered to be any other color that differs from completely black.

Learn more about the characteristics of Barbadier breed.

Barnevelder

The Dutch breed, which originated in the XIX century as a result of working with the lines of kohinhins, brahms, rhode islands and fighting Indian chickens. Its formation was completed at the very beginning of the 20th century, when in 1910, the official level of barneweders began to be considered a breed.

Learn how to grow barnevelder chickens in your hen house.

1. Egg production: about 180 large eggs per year, weighing 80 g
2. Weight indicators: roosters - 3.5 kg, hens - up to 2.75 kg.
3. External features: Chickens only appear to be large and have a fairly compact size, even with a protruding chest and broad shoulders. The relatively short wings are set high and fit snugly to the body. The head is small, with orange eyes clearly visible on it. The comb is reminiscent of a leaflet and, together with the earrings, is highlighted in bright red. The color of the plumage makes the barnewelders different from the rest of the chickens: both in the hens and cocks, the red-brown feathers have a black edging, and from the inside a well-marked green tint is complemented by another black stripe. The tail of the males is completely black, but in the females it is lacy, with black plumage at the end. Variants of blue and black feathers are acceptable, instead of red-brown, and also a silver-bordered color has just recently appeared.

Important! Chickens practically do not fly, therefore, when organizing a walk, a rather low fence is sufficient. The females of this breed are excellent hens.

Viandot

The Wyandot chick breed appeared in the middle of the 19th century in North America. The birds owed their name to one of the northern Indian tribes, whose colors prevailed in the plumage of the first representatives of the breed. In the course of a long breeding robots, in 1883, silver vandots appeared, which in 1911 entered the territory of modern Russia. In our time, there are more than 15 species of breed, but all of them differ only in color. The main characteristics of the breed:

1. Egg production: up to 170 yellow-brown eggs per year, weighing 50-60 g each.
2. Weight indicators: up to 2.5 kg of chicken and 3.5 kg of rooster.
3. External features: compact body, medium-sized head, with a short and convex beak on it. The crest of cocks is medium in size, pinkish and elegant, tight to the head. The eyes are red-orange in color, round and rather large. The earlobes and catkins on them, stand out well, smoothly rounded down, without wrinkles and folds. The neck is strong and does not bend back, so that the bird seems even more majestic. The body is much longer than wide, which makes the bird figure seem a bit squat. The back is wide, and its line goes up in the lumbar region. The chest and abdomen are wide, well developed. The legs and metatarsus are long, with straight and well-spaced yellow fingers. Chickens are almost all like cocks, except a little smaller in size. The most common color of this bird is silver, with roosters in most cases silver-white with a black pattern. Each feather on the head or chest has a black border. On the wings of such strips should be at least three.

Due to the thick plumage, Wyandot breed chickens are not afraid of frost and are well carried even in winter, for which they are valued by many poultry farmers.

Galan

Breed of Russian origin, which in our time is less common, and then mostly in private farmsteads. For the first time Galanas or, as they are also called, black bearded chickens were presented at exhibitions only in the last decade of the last century.

Specifications:

1. Egg production: about 200 pieces per year (the weight of one brown egg is 60-65 g). For good fertility eggs for 4 chickens should have 1 cock.
2. Weight indicators: roosters - 3.8-4 kg; chickens - 2.8-3 kg.
3. External features: the presence of a small arcuate barb at the bottom of the head. The head itself is small, but wide, with a bright red scallop without a spike. The eyes are brown, large. Neck - full, medium. The dorsal part is wide, but closer to the tail plumage begins to narrow. Highly set chest convex and rounded. The body appears broad and massive, with a straight tail. Comparatively small wings are tightly attached to it. The color of plumage is black, with a greenish tint.

The defects of the breed include the presence of feathers on the legs, a light ring on the neck, a short body, too high or low-set body, an underdeveloped belly. In addition, the reason for the rejection is the presence in the color white.

Find out which breeds are the biggest.

Dominic

The Dominic breed served as the basis for breeding popular Plymouth chickens, but after the appearance of the last chickens in the 1870s, it quickly lost relevance and began to revive only 100 years later. Today, there are about 1,000 such chickens in the United States, but in the rest of the world, birds of a derivative breed are more common.

Main characteristics of Dominic chickens:

1. Egg production: about 180 eggs per year (egg weight - about 55 g).
2. Weight indicators: roosters - 3.2 kg, hens - up to 2.3 kg.
3. External features: compact body, pink large comb, dense plumage, large rounded earrings, long beak of light yellow color, powerful dorsal part, short neck, small wings, large paws and a highly raised tail. Color - black and white (the white base of the feathers is complemented by a black border).

Important! Dominic layer hens do not stop to rush even in the most severe frosts, which is a significant advantage over many other breeds.

Kuchinsky anniversary

Russian breed of chickens, entered in the register in the 90s of the last century. The “parents” of the first birds were the Russian White, Rhode Island, White Plymouth and Australorp.

Main characteristics:

1. Egg production: 180 light brown eggs per year (60 g each).
2. Weight indicators: males - about 3.8 kg; females - 2.8 kg.
3. External features: soft and soft skin on the front, smooth earrings, large oval lobes. The males on the neck formed a real mane of feathers, descending on the shoulders. Wings - short, well adjoined to a wide long body. Chickens are traditionally smaller than roosters, but they all have a reddish brown color with a double black edging, speckling or delicacy.

To ensure a good level of egg production, 13-14 chickens should have at least one rooster.

Learn more about the Kuchinskaya Jubilee Chicken Breed.

Legbar

Representatives of this breed will like those poultry farmers who are interested in unusual chickens. Legbars do not just have high egg production, but also give eggs with an unusual blue shell. Their ancestors were partridge leggorn and striped Plymouths.

Main characteristics:

1. Egg production: 200-210 blue eggs per year from one individual (55-60 g each).
2. Weight indicators: males - 2.7-3.4 kg, females - 2.0-2.7 kg.
3. External features: in males, the bands on the plumage are much brighter than in the chickens. A beautiful crest, resembling a feather cap, distinguishes a beautiful crest from other breeds of females, while a large erect crest with 5-6 spikes is clearly visible on the head of the males. No less noticeable feature of the birds are white catkins, characteristic of all representatives of the breed. The color of the plumage may be cream, gold or silver, although the last variety of color is becoming less common.

Legbar - calm and balanced birds, characterized by mobility, calm disposition and excellent health. In many ways, they are very similar to the Araucan breed.

Learn all the most important things about Legbar Chickens.

Maran

One of the ancient breeds of chickens, which appeared in 1895.

The main characteristics include the following:

1. Egg production: about 150 chocolate-colored eggs per year, 65-70 g each.
2. Weight indicators: layers - up to 3 kg, roosters - about 4 kg.
3. External features: red-orange eyes, a short tail located at a 45-degree angle, dense plumage, light legs and a well-feathered outer part of the thigh. The body is elongated, the head is small. Roosters have big earrings. The color of the plumage varies from black with a copper tan to silver and pure white, although in most cases it is the first variant that is encountered. Roosters may have golden spots on the sternum.

Among the advantages of the Maran breed is high resistance to various ailments and unpretentiousness in terms of care.

Learn more about the features of Maran chickens.

Master Gray

This French breed of chickens (although according to some data birds were bred in Hungary) is a hybrid, which received its name due to the gray-white color of the plumage. Breeders completely coped with their task and brought out a productive bird, ideal for small private farms. Today, the Hubbard company, with centers in several countries, is engaged in the preservation and mass breeding of these chickens.

The main characteristics of the breed:

1. Egg production: over 300 light brown eggs per year, weighing about 65 g each.
2. Weight indicators: chickens - up to 4 kg, roosters - up to 6 kg (lean meat, with good taste).
3. External features: large body, massive legs with yellow metatars, white-gray plumage, with kositsami on the neck and a clearer pattern, which is dominated by dark color. Scallop and earlobes - small, bright red.

Master gray chickens begin to rush at the age of 4.5 months, and they can be sent for slaughter after 1-1.5 years.

Moscow black

Proceeding from the name, it is easy to guess that Russian scientists were engaged in breeding the breed, namely the specialists of the Moscow State Farm "Solnechnoye". To obtain a highly productive bird, characterized by high precocity and viability, representatives of the New Hampshire, Brown Leghorn and Jurlov vocal breeds were used.

The main characteristics of the breed:

1. Egg production: about 200 medium (60 g) eggs per year.
2. Weight indicators: roosters - 3-3.5 kg, chickens - 2-2.5 kg.
3. External features: body elongated, of regular shape, with well developed muscles, broad head and chest part, middle neck, small erect comb, curved black beak, orange eyes. The earlobes can be either red or white. The wings are of medium length, the tail is well developed. The legs are of medium length, widely spaced (they are darker in chickens than in roosters). The head is wide, the chest is convex. The Moscow black chicken has a very dense dark plumage, due to which it is not afraid of harsh winters. Roosters are a little brighter than chickens, because their mane, shoulders and lower back are decorated with a golden color. Chickens in color are slightly more modest than roosters: black, with copper-golden plumage in the neck.

The positive characteristics of the breed include a calm disposition, and good resistance to a variety of chicken diseases.

New Hampshire

This breed appeared in the early twentieth century (the breed standards were registered in 1935) in the USA, and its representatives were brought to the territory of the former Soviet Union only in the 1940s.

Read the detailed description of the New Hampshire breed.

Main characteristics:

1. Egg production: in the first year, about 200 eggs are carried, starting from the third - about 140 eggs a year.
2. Weight indicators: chickens - 2.1-3 kg, roosters - 3.25-3.75 kg.
3. External features: the red leaf-like crest is not completely adjacent to the head, the body is located horizontally, has a smooth arcuate lift in the direction of the tail. The wings fit snugly to the body, the plumage is wide and dense, with obligatory brilliance. In males, the neck and head are distinguished by a reddish-golden hue on a brown background, but the mane is always lighter and there is a vertical, bar-like pattern on it. The wings and back are of a dark red-brown color, the tail is pure black, black with a green tint or dark chestnut. Feathers of females are light and uniform in color.

Important! The combs of New Hampshire chickens are susceptible to frostbite, which is why it is very important to take this feature into account when setting up a chicken coop.

Orpington

A rather old English breed of chickens, the breeding history of which dates back to the 1870s. In those days, many breeders considered it extremely unstable and did not take it seriously, but later breeders fully appreciated all the advantages of these birds.

The main characteristics of the breed:

1. Egg production: 140-160 yellow-brown eggs per year, 65-71 g each.
2. Weight indicators: 4-5 kg ​​males and 3-3.5 kg females.
3. External features: relatively large, highly elevated body with well-developed muscles and few, close-fitting plumage. Posture is vertical, and the head resembles the head of a bird of prey. Roosters traditionally have more chickens, but the latter look more stocky, with a smooth bend in the head-back-tail line. The highest point of the tail of females is close to its tip. For the rest, the external features of the hens are very similar to the cocks: low and wide chest, wide back, small wings, tightly pressed to the body, wide belly. The comb of roosters is characterized by 5-6 teeth, it is simple, standing, not very wide and located on the back of the head. The iris of the breed can have both orange and black color, which directly depends on the color of the plumage itself.

The color of the orpington feathers can be very diverse, ranging from black and white, to porcelain, black and white, red, partridge, birch and yellow, with a black border.

Important! To achieve maximum productivity of the breed, you will have to feed them hard. These chickens eat quite a lot, and yet still grow slowly, which is considered a significant disadvantage.

Redbro

The history of the breed begins with the British Isles, where its first representatives were obtained by crossing the English Cornish and the Malay fighting cock. However, despite its English origin, the largest production of breeding these chickens are in the United States and France.

Redbro chickens are found throughout the world, particularly in Russia and Ukraine. There are two varieties of such chickens, which are designated as Redbro C and Redbro M. Characteristics of the productivity of representatives of each species differ somewhat.

The main characteristics of the breed:

1. Egg production: from 200 (Redbro C) to 250 (Redbro M), with a single egg weight of 55-60 g.
2. Weight indicators: roosters - up to 4.5 kg, chickens - up to 3.5 kg (most of the maximum weight of the hens are already gaining by the age of six months).
3. External features: a large breed of chickens, with a well-marked head, thick legs, well-developed metatarsus, dense plumage, leaf-like or stalked comb. The earlobes and the comb are bright red. The color of dense plumage is red, sometimes turning into red-brown. Some farmers also talk about the existence of white birds, but they are not a clean cross.

Important! Before the first molt, the representatives of the breed are very similar to ordinary chickens, which is often used by unscrupulous vendors, giving ordinary birds for redbro.

Характер представителей породы - спокойный и покладистый, все птицы очень миролюбивые и редко вступают в конфликты с курами других пород.

Фокси чик

Кросс венгерского происхождения, получивший своё название благодаря характеристике перьевого покрова (в переводе "фокси чик" означает "лысый цыплёнок"). На сегодняшний день эта разновидность пернатых входит в десятку лучших европейских кроссов кур по показателям продуктивности.

Основные характеристики породы:

1. Яйценоскость: до 250 светло-бежевых яиц, по 65-70 г каждое.
2. Weight indicators: roosters - 5.5-7 kg, chicken - 3.5-4 kg (juicy meat, but not fat).
3. External features: thick and fluffy plumage, bright color (from fiery-red to bright red). The head is large, with a straight, leaf-shaped comb of red color located on it. Eyes - orange, slightly bulging. Beak - yellow, medium. The body of the hens is low, but tightly folded, with a wide chest and the same belly. The wings fit snugly to the body, legs - not very long, but powerful, yellow color. A small tail is located in relation to the body at an angle of 45 degrees.

This cross is characterized by almost one hundred percent bird survival. Chickens grow quickly and gain weight, and at the age of 20 days they are almost half a kilo.

Holland

Holland is a breed bred in the 1930s in Holland. Such breeds as white leggorn, red rhode island, haul and already described New Hampshire were used in breeding.

Main characteristics:

1. Egg production: 150-200 eggs per year (45-60 g each). Chickens start to be born at the age of 6-8 months.
2. Weight indicators: roosters - 2.1-3.5 kg; chickens - 2.1-3.5 kg.
3. External features: red earlobes (sometimes with a white center), a single, six-pointed scallop of red color (it hangs almost completely on one side of the hens), double standards of plumage. The "white" representatives have no black blotches, and the "striped" white base is completely covered with black stripes. Chickens are always darker than cocks. Feathers of hollands dense, of medium thickness, with sufficient pubescence.

According to external data, striped representatives of this breed often resemble Plymouths.

It is interesting to learn about the distinctive features of meat and egg breeds.

Meat Chickens

Chicken meat are valued not so much for high egg production rates as for tasty meat, and eggs can be considered as a kind of bonus for breeding. Let's look at the most famous breed of meat direction.

Brama

Many poultry farmers probably heard about this breed, because thanks to their impressive size and rather high productivity, these birds managed to gain wide popularity all over the world. The presentation of gray chittagong (the first name of the breed) took place in 1850, and already at the beginning of the 20th century these chickens were widely distributed in Russia.

Breed features:

1. Egg production: 120 cream eggs per year, 60 g each.
2. Weight indicators: females - about 3.5 kg, males - up to 4.5 kg.
3. External features: the color varies from light to dark tones, but the collar of the roosters always remains contrasting: in white birds it is black and in black birds it is white. Representatives of the breed are distinguished by their magnificent posture, with a broad and dense chest and a highly set body. The crest on the head is a pod-shaped, without pronounced teeth on the end. Feet completely covered with feathers, and this is one of the main features of bram.

The lack of representatives of this breed is considered yellow bloom on feathers, white color of the mane and tail.

Familiarize yourself with the nuances of keeping chicken Brama.

Hungarian giant

These chickens are very similar in appearance to the representatives of the master gray and Magyar breeds, which is why even experienced poultry farmers may confuse them.

The main characteristics of the breed include:

1. Egg production: 150-200 eggs per year, with an average weight of one egg 45-60 g (layers begin to lay eggs at the age of 4-5 months).
2. Weight indicators: roosters - more than 5 kg; hens - within 4.5 kg.
3. External features: a massive body with a very lush plumage of red-brown color (the back and line along the wings are darker), the tail of roosters can be completely black. Fluff plumage makes the body more rounded, chest - full and powerful, the tail of roosters - medium, placed with a slight deviation from the vertical line. The tail of the hens is of small size, located almost perpendicular to the back. The wings of the birds - tightly pressed to the body, legs - relatively thin, without feathers. The crest on the small head is poorly developed, and in the hens it is practically not expressed.

It is better to buy eggs for further incubation directly in Hungary, since the local markets for the most part sell hybrids, and it will become more difficult to get breed traits from future chicks with each brood.

Learn about the content of the Hungarian giant breed.

Hercules

Breed of Ukrainian breeding broiler type, all of which are more suitable for breeding in the southern regions of the country.

Unpretentious care makes these chickens suitable for novice poultry farmers, and The main characteristics include:

1. Egg production: 150-200 eggs per year, 45-60 g each.
2. Weight indicators: males - about 4 kg, chickens - about 3.3 kg.
3. External features: well developed muscles of the thoracic, volumetric abdomen, middle tail. The small head of the Hercules breed is supplemented with a leaf-shaped, bright red and large comb, with long and well visible ear rings. Beak and legs are yellow, eyes are brown. The standard in the color recognized white, gold, silver, motley and cuckoo colors.

When breeding Hercules breed it is very important to monitor the proper feeding of birds, since they are prone to obesity.

Pay attention to other details in breeding hercules.

Jersey giant

Representatives of the breed are really real giants in the chicken world, because with proper feeding and keeping the lines clean, roosters can reach 7-8 kg during the first year of life.

Learn how to breed Jersey giants in the personal economy.

1. Egg production: about 180 eggs in the first year, 60-62 g each.
2. Weight indicators: roosters - an average of 6-7 kg, chicken - about 4.5-5 kg.
3. External features. There are only three acceptable colors in the plumage of the Jersey giants: black, white and blue, and their color corresponds to the beak and plus (black and white representatives have black beak and slightly yellowish metatarsus, and blue ones have yellow beak with dark veins). The most common is black plumage with a green sheen. The legs of the chickens are gray, the soles are yellow.

Did you know? Initially, the breed was called "Giants Black", in honor of their creators - the Black brothers. They were derived as a replacement for turkeys, and therefore reach such an impressive size.

Dorking

Chickens of this breed are better known for very tasty and tender meat, albeit with low egg production. The ancestors of the Dorking were the aboriginal chickens of the city of Dorking (England) and local breed representatives of the end of the XIX century.

1. Egg production: no more than 150 pieces per year (the weight of one egg is 45-60 g).
2. Weight indicators: chickens - up to 4.5 kg, roosters - about 6 kg.
3. External features: five toes (the fifth is on the back of the foot and “looks” up), a well-marked six-pointed single scallop (in some species, a pink color may be noted). The head is large and wide, and the neck, which is densely covered with feathers, is almost invisible. Beak - relatively small, bent down. The main standards in feathering are silver-gray, gold, motley-blue, dark red, striped, cuckoo and white.

Dorking is not the best option for beginning poultry farmers, as they require very careful attention and good housing conditions.

Find out what you should pay attention to novice poultry farmers when breeding chickens.

Cochinquin

Cochinquins were bred in Indochina and registered as a breed at the beginning of the 19th century. On the European territory they appeared in 1843 and have managed to gain considerable popularity to this day.

1. Egg production: low - 100-120 eggs per year (50-60 g each).
2. Weight indicators: females - up to 4 kg, males - about 4.5 kg of live weight.
3. External features: powerful body, high-set wings, saddle-shaped plumage, smooth, upright crest with identical teeth. In addition, the representatives of the breed are characterized by elongated, strong hips and a wide-set body. Against the background of thick plumage, the tail often seems shortish. The earlobes and beard are bright red. Feathers should be black in color with a greenish tint, although a purple hue is allowed. There are also white, blue, fawn, partridge cochinquin.

All members of the breed are not distinguished by increased demands on conditions of detention. They withstand temperatures well and can do without walking.

Check out the most unusual breeds of chickens.

Mechelen cuckoo

One of the most popular breeds of meat direction. Its name comes from the ancient Belgian city, although it will sound different in different languages. So, in the territory of pre-revolutionary Russia of the 17th century, Mechelen hens were called Cuca de Malines, but today only Malin remains from this long name.

Find out what makes Mehlena cuckoo breed chickens different.

In breeding, such famous hens as Flandres cuckoo, brahma, Chinese, Shanghai, and representatives of some other breeds were used. All of them left their "imprint" on the characteristics of Mehelen chickens, which today are expressed in the following:

1. Egg production: 140-160 eggs per year, weighing 60 g each.
2. Weight indicators: roosters - 4-5 kg, chickens - 3-4 kg (tender meat, with a fine-fibrous structure).
3. External features: stocky, dense physique, because of which chickens do not have a special agility and can not fly. Wings - short, tight to the back and parallel to it. The body is located horizontally. On it the back, a sternum, a humeral belt are well allocated. The tail is short, with even the roosters. Legs - thickly opereny from the outside, and the inside is completely bare. The most common color is striped or speckled, although there are purely white, silver, black or even blue varieties of Mechelen chickens. The bird's head is rather mediocre, with a red face and a small simple crest, the rear end of which is located horizontally to the body. Earrings and earlobes - fiery red, elongated. The iris is orange-red.

Important! Rapid weight gain of chickens occurs during the first 6 months of life, after which the appetite decreases and the males can be sent for slaughter.

Javanese chickens

Today it is difficult to say exactly where this breed originated, but the first mentions of Javanese chickens date back to 1853. According to some reports, this is an American breed that has fallen on our territory from North America, but this statement is not fully confirmed.

Whatever it was, but today we have poultry with many positive characteristics:

1. Egg production: 150-200 eggs per year, 45-60 g.
2. Weight indicators: roosters - 4.5 kg, chickens - an average of 3.6 kg.
3. External features: rectangular shape of the body, well-developed muscular tissue (visible on the rounded breast, on the sides, hips and legs). The abdomen of the hens is more pronounced than that of the roosters, the plumage is dense, with a beautiful tint. The standard provides for two possible colors: black + agate and mottled with a light blotch on each feather. There are also pure white Javanese chickens, but for the most part in America.

All members of the breed are unpretentious in the care and quietly do without walking, which makes them very advantageous in breeding.

Examine the rating of breeds of hens meat productivity.

Decorative hens

Compared to any of the chickens above, ornamental breeds are much less common. They are meaningless to use as a source of eggs or meat, but they can become a real decoration of almost any exhibition. Decorative chickens are very close to the fighting breeds, but have their own characteristics. Consider the most popular ones.

Appenzeller shpitschauben

This Swiss breed in domestic breeding is much less common. It appeared as a result of efforts of breeders who tried to get a bird with an ideal V-shaped ridge, a well-marked tuft and relatively high rates of egg productivity.

1. Egg production: about 150 eggs (weighing up to 40 g).
2. Weight indicators: males - up to 2 kg, chickens - up to 1.5 kg.
3. External features: The color of a bird can vary from pure black to blue, gold and silver. The last representatives are not hard to recognize, since the black border is perfectly visible against the background of the white base. Two subspecies of the breed are distinguished: the spitschauben itself (“protruding tuft”, resembles a hat in appearance) and the appenzeller barthyuhner, in which the feather bead is occupied by a feather beard and a pink comb. All representatives of the breed are distinguished by an elegant physique and a long neck with a small head. Against the background of the whole body, the tail may seem rather large, with almost vertically protruding feathers. The mane is thick, the plumage is dense.

Appenzeller shpitskhauben does not have high requirements for conditions of detention, and the calm nature of the birds helps to get along with other representatives of the chicken world.

Learn how to choose a chicken coop when buying, or build one yourself, how to make heating, ventilation, lighting in it.

Ayam Chemani

You definitely will not confuse representatives of this breed with any other, because starting from the paws and ending with the comb, these are completely black chickens. They came to us from Indonesia, where many indigenous people still use them for ritual purposes, endowing them with supernatural power.

The main characteristics of the breed include:

1. Egg production: about 100 light brown eggs, weighing 50 g each.
2. Weight indicators: roosters - about 1.8-2 kg, chicken - 1.2-1.5 kg.
3. External features: the main one is the completely black color of the body, not only the plumage, but also the meat. Even the bones should have a black color, not to mention the comb, earrings and tongue. The head is small, the comb is straight, leaf-shaped. The body of chickens is narrow, of medium length, with wings closely fitting to it. Tail - fluffy, with long braids.

Ayam Chemani - shy chickens who shy away from a person and try to minimize contact with him.

It is interesting to get acquainted with the best Russian breeds of chickens.

Gudan

In addition to the fact that some French dishes are distinguished by their decorative qualities, other birds also have good productivity, thanks to which they can be bred for the sake of eggs and meat.

1. Egg production: up to 150 eggs annually (weighing 45-60 g).
2. Weight indicators: males - about 3 kg, females - 2.5 kg; dwarf variety - about 1 kg.
3. External features: beautiful and very fluffy tuft on the head, hiding the comb. In general, ornamental chickens are very similar to large gudans, only smaller sizes: the chest and belly are rounded, the shoulders are wide, the body resembles a cylinder in shape. The crest does not close dull orange eyes. The comb has the same petals. There is a fifth toe on the legs, which grows upwards.

Both meat and ornamental gudans are benevolent and peace-loving birds, but if necessary, roosters can show their courage and repel the offender.

Yokohama

The exact time of the appearance of this breed is unknown for today, but the fact that its representatives decorated the gardens of the eastern grandee a few centuries ago is a fact. Notable people considered Yokohama to be the personification of the Phoenix bird and worshiped it.

Perhaps therefore another name for the breed is phoenix.

Main characteristics:

1. Egg production: no more than 150 eggs per year, weighing 50 g.
2. Weight indicators: roosters - 2-2.5 kg, chickens - 1.5-1.8 kg.
3. External features: very long tail, which can reach three-meter length. The color of the feathers is white with dots and a saddle of red color or completely dirty white (in rare cases there are silver chickens). The plumage is dense, but with the presence of fluff. There are no feathers on their feet. The body is elongated, with a convex chest part protruding forward. The comb resembles a nut, the earrings are bright red, moderately developed. Eyes can be either dark brown or red-yellow.

Important! Along with the indigenous representatives of the Yokohama breed, today they also distinguish a German species of birds, with a shorter tail.

Campin

The north-eastern part of Belgium is considered the birthplace of chickens by campin, after which the breed is named. The closest "relative" is the fayumi breed, which came to European territory from Egypt several centuries ago.

The main characteristics of campinos:

1. Egg production: 135-145 eggs per year, weighing 55-60 g.
2. Weight indicators: roosters - 1.8-2.6 kg, chickens - 1.5-2 kg.
3. External features: the small size of the body with strong, fairly long legs and inconspicuous shins (dark blue metatarsus relatively small). The abdominal part and sternum are pronounced. The crest is leaf-shaped, fleshy, with five to six teeth (it stands vertically for roosters and hangs to the side in chickens). The plumage is dense, completely white on the head and neck, and slightly below it changes to white with dark patches on the mane. The tail of the cockerels is lush, black with a deep greenish tint and feathers-braids. In other parts of the body, both sexes have the same color: a geometric pattern is present on the striped feathers.

Campines are very mobile birds that simply cannot be in one place for a long time and need regular walking.

Campin chickens, otherwise brekel, are divided into golden and silver varieties.

Crevker

Another elite breed of chickens, known to people from ancient times. Presumably the first birds were bred in the XV century, in one of the Normandy villages called Krev-Ker, which was later assigned to the hens themselves.

Characteristics of the breed:

1. Egg production: примерно 120-140 яиц от одной особи в год (вес одного яичка - 60-65 г).
2. Показатели веса: петушки - 3,5-4,0 кг, курочки - 2,8-3,5 кг.
3. Внешние особенности: крепкий увесистый чёрный хохолок на голове, который состоит из двух частей, иногда даже с отростками. Глаза - жёлтые, с отблеском, ушные мочки - слегка оперённые, серёжки - небольшие. In addition, the chickens of this breed differ silky beard, which smoothly merges with the tanks. The beak is strong and curved downward, mostly black, but there are also pink shades. Strong neck slightly tilted to the side of the tail, has a fluffy mane of feathers. The chest is broad and muscular. The back is strong. The tail is wide, with crescent-shaped feathers. The color of krevker is usually closer to black, but sometimes you can find white, blue and pockmarked chickens. With age, they appear and fawn shades.

When crossing the Crewker breed with Dorkings and Cochinquans, it is possible to obtain more enduring individuals, with enhanced taste characteristics of the meat.

Find out what the content of the Crewker breed is.

Lakenfelder

The exact origin of these chickens today is unknown, but many researchers talk about their Belgian roots. Amateur breeders for a long time crossed local breeds with others, so that they managed to get good representatives of meat and egg direction.

1. Egg production: up to 180 eggs per year, an average of 55 g each.
2. Weight indicators: roosters - 1.7-2.2 kg; chickens - 1.5-2.0 kg.
3. External features: exclusive color of plumage, providing for birds with white body, wings and back, perfectly matching with black neck and tail (in some cases, black feathers can also be found on wings). The body is light, the paws, like the beak, are gray. Combs - leaf-shaped, bright scarlet and very well stand out against the black neck. The earlobes are completely white. Well-visible and large eyes are rounded, and the iris is painted in a rich red-orange color.

Lakenfelders can serve as a real example of friendliness and mutual understanding, and in relations with a person they can also be a model of understanding. To maintain the order of 10 chickens one male is enough.

Oryol Russian calico

The breed was widely distributed in the 70-80s of the XIX century. At that time, its representatives were massively exported to the countries of Europe, where they occupied prizes at various exhibitions (the domestic society of poultry farmers approved the standard of Oryol calico in 1914).

1. Egg production: 150-180 eggs per year, weighing 58-60 g each (young chickens start to be born only at the age of 7-8 months).
2. Weight indicators: the males - up to 3.5 kg, females - up to 3.0 kg.
3. External features: an elongated body, thick yellow legs, a short, straight tail, an eagle head, with well-marked brow ridges. Scallop - in the form of a seal, there are tanks and a beard. Neck - narrowed to the base. In addition, a breeding sign is considered to be a variety of plumage color: red-motley, with black and white specks on a brown background. Sometimes you can find completely white chickens with black, black and motley, scarlet or nut colored plumage.

When breeding chickens of this breed will have to create the most natural conditions for them, with the possibility of year-round walking (they are not afraid of bad weather).

Learn about the rules of keeping Oryol breed chickens.

Pavlovsk chickens

Another ancient breed of Russian breeding, the history of the origin of which is unknown. Pavlovsky chickens were noticed only at the end of the XIX century, when the birds were practically on the verge of extinction. Today they are out of danger, and even beginning poultry farmers can breed Pavlovians in their compound.

Their main characteristics include:

1. Egg production: about 70-90 eggs per year (50 g each).
2. Weight indicators: males - up to 1.9 kg, females - 1.2-1.4 kg.
3. External features: punched body, slightly elongated and horizontally set. Feathers fit snugly to the body and cover not only the slim body of birds and paws, but also the head. At the top of the last one stands a magnificent tuft, strongly resembling a crown (it is more pronounced for roosters, slightly less for chickens). No less noticeable feature of the breed are the magnificent beard, sideburns and feather pants. The color of Pavlov's chickens can be of two types: golden with black dots and silver, with the same inclusions.

The advantage of the breed is a high stress resistance. It is not easy to scare away the hens, especially if there is a male next to them. In the pack, a leader is determined almost immediately, who by his authority tries to suppress the rest.

Familiarize yourself with the subtleties of breeding Pavlovian chickens

Polish

The Polish breed of chickens has nothing to do with the country of the same name and, according to some sources, has appeared in Asia. From there in the XII-XIII centuries. the bird was transported to modern Poland, where it continued its development. Most breeders adhere to this theory of chick appearance, but all the nuances and circumstances in this matter still remain a mystery.

1. Egg production: no more than 120 pieces each year.
2. Weight indicators: males - 2.6 kg, females - no more than 2 kg.
3. External features: well-marked tuft, which is the result of the conical structure of the skull. V-shaped scallop is lost among the other magnificent feathers and more like frowning eyebrows. The earrings can be either well pronounced or almost imperceptible, and in the color of the plumage the dominant colors are white and black, with a spectacular patterned edging. The tail of Polish chickens, unlike other breeds, is not a constant feature and can be both large and small.

Did you know? In a raw egg, the yolk will always be in the central part, at the same distance from all the walls of the shell.

Fight chickens

Fighting chickens from ancient times are used by people to organize cock fighting. In some countries, this is no longer just entertainment or a hobby, but almost a national sport, so today there are quite a few species of birds in this area. Consider the features of the most popular varieties.

Azil

This Indian breed came to Europe in the XIX century and still has not lost popularity with breeders of fighting chickens. The males give in to training and are able to fight “in the ring” for many alternate fights, for which they are appreciated by lovers of such entertainment.

As for the breed characteristics, they include:

1. Egg production: only 50-60 small testicles per year (weight of one within 40 g).
2. Weight indicators: vary depending on the variety of azil hens. Thus, roosters of the cut subspecies weigh 2.0-2.5 kg (chickens 1.5-2.0 kg), while kulangs can reach 5-6 kg, although they are rarely used in battles.
3. External features: stocky and strong build, relatively short limbs and dense plumage. Like other fighting breeds, aszilam is characterized by a well-developed body musculature, a strong beak and a cocky temper. The body is short and rather wide, the shoulders are extended, and sharp spurs are clearly visible on the muscular yellow legs. Red ears without earrings. The color of the plumage can be very different, but most often it is black-brown or black-and-white, with different variations in the distribution of these colors. The size and posture of chickens is a more important parameter than drawing and color.

Despite their temperament, these chickens are very tied to the owner, and whenever possible, roosters demonstrate their advantages.

Learn in detail about the fighting chickens Azil.

Malay

Another ancient Indian breed that has been developing for a long time in the territory of European countries. Enthusiastic poultry farmers breed these chickens to preserve strong and strong birds with excellent fighting qualities.

The main characteristics of the breed include the following:

1. Egg production: no more than 100 eggs per year, weighing 50-70 g each.
2. Weight indicators: males - about 6 kg, females - about 4.2 kg.
3. External features: deep-set eyes, protruding eyebrows, strong beak, small scallop (looks like half a walnut), and an undressed face. Like all fighters, the body of the Malay hens is wide, with a convex back line and high shoulders. Wings - high, wide, tight to the body. Torso placement is almost vertical. Feathers on the body are not very many, and in some places reddish skin is seen. The color of the plumage is predominantly black, with a greenish or nacre glitter. Such varieties of color as copper, white and even blue are also allowed.

The quick-tempered nature of the Malay hens does not prevent them from being good to people, however, when caring for birds, you should not trust the roosters unconditionally: there should not be any sudden movements in the hen-house.

Old English Fighting (Bantam)

Another ancient breed of chickens, which, according to some sources, has existed for more than a thousand years. Initially, these birds were bred only as fighting animals, but in the 1850s they proved to be good participants in decorative exhibitions. Therefore, if you are only interested in fights, then it is better to give preference to the Carlish variety, while it is advisable to use representatives of the Oxford subspecies for aesthetic purposes.

Learn more about the varieties of the Bentham breed of hens.

1. Egg production: about 50 eggs a year, weighing 40 g each.
2. Weight indicators: males - 2-3 kg, females - 1.75-2 kg.
3. External features: with small dimensions, the muscles are well visible. The sternum is less developed than in other breeds of "fighters", the body is triangular, with a sloping back and an average tail. Wings and rounded shoulder blades tightly against the body. Scallop, earlobes and eyes are bright red. The color of feathering can be the most diverse: from golden and bluish-wheat, to black and white with piebald. By and large, this parameter is not very important, because in the first place there are always fighting qualities of chickens.

Did you know? Chickens lay eggs only in the light, so even if the time of egg release is suitable, but the hen is dark, the hen will wait for suitable lighting.

Sumatra

These fighters come from Indonesia and, like the previous versions, are considered representatives of a very ancient breed. Genetic ancestors of chickens Sumatra (called in honor of the island), according to some, are the jungle chickens and kampongi. The breed was brought to America in 1847, and from there it spread to other countries.

Characteristics:

1. Egg production: up to 150 eggs per year, weighing 60 g each (in a dwarf variety, the weight of the eggs does not exceed 30 g).
2. Weight indicators: males - up to 3.5 kg, females - up to 2.5 kg. Dwarf chickens weigh no more than 800 g, and males - about 1.5 kg.
3. External features: flat chest, with a bit of a belly under it. The tail plumage is long and well developed. The head is small, but differs in an unusual purple color. The comb on it is red-purple. On the legs of the males, double or even triple spurs flaunt, but the plumage is not here. The rest of the body of the feathers fits snugly to it and may have a copper, white and blue color, although most often there are black chickens with green or mother-of-pearl shimmer.

Sumatra can not always be kept in captivity, but when organizing walking you need to take into account their ability to fly: escape from a small barrage is not excluded.

We recommend to know which chickens have the worst character.

Chamo

Shamo is a subspecies of the Malayan hens that first appeared in Europe in 1953. There are three varieties of these fighting birds: large o-shamo, medium chu-chamo and dwarf co-shamo. Despite the different parameters, they all have similar features of appearance and character.

1. Egg production: up to 60 eggs annually, weighing 35-60 g, depending on the species belonging to the bird.
2. Weight indicators: large birds reach 3-5 kg ​​(depending on gender), medium - 2.5-4 kg, dwarf - 0.8-1.2 kg.
3. External features: a little elongated and broad head (on the back of my head seems to be combed, there is a small tuft), powerful eyebrows and deep-set eyes, well-developed facial muscles. The comb is a pod-shaped, but only at the beginning, further it looks more like a nut. The earrings are faint, and the red sip almost reaches the neck. The chest part is very wide and convex, forward is the bare chest bone. The long and wide back is covered with rare plumage, although there are "bald areas" on the wings. The tail can not be called wide, it is constantly lowered down. The legs, as befits a fighting hen, are muscular and have thorns. Standard color is considered to be pure black plumage or black feathers with a tinge of red, silver, pheasant-brown, porcelain or blue colors.

Well, here we come to the end of the review of the most popular breeds of chickens today. After studying the features of each direction, you can easily choose the most suitable option for yourself, most importantly, do not forget that in addition to productivity and external characteristics, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the rules of caring for the selected bird. This is the only way to grow the best representatives of each breed.

Watch the video: The 3 Best Egg Laying Chickens (April 2024).