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If the household decides to breed chickens for an egg, then it is necessary to acquire a breed, the females of which are distinguished by good egg production. The task is not an easy one, because the poultry, like the garden culture, requires a certain climate. For example, not every chicken breed is capable of carrying well in the harsh climatic conditions of the northern region. Today we will try to find out what kind of chickens layers of the breed, the most suitable for home breeding.
Features of egg breeds
Choosing the best breed of laying hens, one must be prepared for the fact that it is almost impossible to get meat from them. Males and females are characterized by low weight and early sexual maturity. The chicken begins to rush from about four months of age. If we take a female beef breed for comparison, then she begins to lay eggs three months later.
The general characteristics of egg-bearing breeds are as follows:
- A purebred cockerel weighs about 3 kg. The female's weight usually varies from 2 to 2.2 kg.
- Egg chickens are not assiduous. The bird is characterized by high activity and mobility.
- The increased appetite is explained by the demanding nutrition of the body. It is considered normal for a chicken to lay one egg in 25 hours. To restore strength and replenish lost calories, the female constantly needs food.
The egg production of a female of any breed depends on the number of eggs. This trait is laid at the birth of the chick and remains unchanged throughout the bird's life. In females of egg breeds, up to 4 thousand eggs can grow, and this is considered the norm. However, you should not expect that the chicken is capable of laying the same number of eggs for the entire time it is kept. A chicken is capable of realizing a 100% laid egg within 15 years. But until this age, the bird is not kept at home and at the poultry farm, since many individuals simply will not survive.
In the table below, you can see which breeds of chickens in the egg direction produce the most eggs.
The standard for industrial egg-laying chicken breeds is considered to be 220 eggs per year. There are, of course, champions in this direction. For example, a female breed "Leghorn" laid 361 eggs in a year.
Overview of egg breeds
When choosing the best egg breeds of chickens for home breeding, it must be remembered that the number of eggs laid by a female largely depends on the conditions of keeping the bird, as well as the experience of the owner himself providing care. Great influence on breeding chickens has a climatic factor. The bird should be chosen not only for the names of the breed. It is important to consider whether this chicken will be carried, for example, in Siberia or the Moscow region. Now we will review with photos, where there is a brief description of egg breeds, which are best suited for domestic breeding.
Lohman Brown
The female of this breed is capable of laying up to 300 eggs per year. Most often at home, this figure is 280 pieces. The mass of one egg is about 60 g.In terms of early maturity among the chickens of the egg direction, this breed takes first places. The hen lays the first egg on the 136th day of life. Full egg production occurs at the age of 180 days.
However, this breed has a significant drawback. The female's egg production is no more than 80 weeks, which is 140 days less than that of hens of other breeds of this direction. After this period, the females sharply reduce the number of egg-laying. On the poultry farm, the further maintenance of poultry is unprofitable, therefore, the old livestock must be discarded.
Laying hens maintenance "Lohman Brown"Simple. The hen easily tolerates temperature fluctuations and is undemanding to food. The cage keeping of poultry does not reduce the egg production rate.
Russian white
The name of this breed already suggests that this bird is best adapted to our climate. Chickens are characterized by calmness, although they lead an active lifestyle. Individuals grow small, have white plumage and a large ridge hanging to one side. For a year, a hen is capable of laying 280 eggs weighing up to 65 g. "Russian White" is best suited for breeding in the Moscow region and other cold regions, since it does not require special conditions for keeping. The survival rate of young animals is 95%. Poultry rarely becomes infected with common chicken diseases. The appearance of chickens is very similar to individuals of the Leghorn breed. The chicken weighs no more than 1.8 kg, the males - about 2.2 kg.
Leghorn
This breed of chickens was bred thanks to several stages of selection. This is the only way to achieve the highest egg production rates. Today the bird is in demand at many domestic and foreign poultry farms. A feature of the breed is the presence of several subspecies, but the bird with white plumage received the most recognition. A chicken is capable of laying up to 300 eggs in a year, weighing about 58 g each.
Females begin to rush at the age of 24 weeks. An adult female weighs about 1.6 kg. The weight of the cock reaches 2.6 kg. The most productive female is considered in the first year of life. Further, the egg production rate falls. At poultry farms, such a bird is culled.
The best conditions for keeping layers are considered to be cages. The bird feels comfortable in a confined space, the main thing is that there is good lighting around. Keeping chickens is beneficial due to low feed costs. The female eats only as much as her body requires, and never overeats. The only requirement is that the feed must contain mineral additives, and the drinking water in the drinking bowls must be kept clean.
Kuchinskaya jubilee
A very good breed of chickens for home breeding. The bird adapts to different weather conditions. The female begins to rush from the age of five months. Usually, at home, chickens lay about 180 eggs weighing up to 61 g each per year. However, you can achieve better egg production from this bird by improving the conditions of its keeping and the quality of the feed.
Adler silver
The name of this breed is associated with the city where it was bred. For a long time of existence, the bird has adapted to various climatic conditions, and took root in all the expanses of the post-Soviet space. Chickens rush well only in favorable conditions for them. The bird needs compulsory walking on the street. This is not only due to the freedom of space. Chickens find protein food useful for them in the ground. Under normal conditions, the female is capable of laying 280 eggs per year, each weighing up to 61 g.
Hisex Brown
Above we have already examined the Leghorn chickens. So "Hisex Brown" is a hybrid of this breed. Despite the fact that egg production lasts 80 weeks, the female manages to lay up to 360 eggs per year. In the conditions of poultry farms, as well as with proper home care, you can get quite large eggs weighing from 63 to 71 g. These qualities have made the breed very popular.
Tetra
Chickens of this breed are famous for their high and early productivity. From 17 weeks onwards, the female is able to lay. Day-old chicks can be easily distinguished into females and males by the color of their plumage. For a year, the hen lays about 330 eggs with a brown shell, with an average weight of 61 g. For a day, it is enough for a female to feed 125 g of compound feed.
Isa Brown
The breed of French-bred egg chickens has adapted well in the vastness of our homeland. During the year, the female is able to lay about 320 eggs with brown shells. The onset of egg production is observed at 135 days of age. The eggs are large, some specimens reach a weight of 63 g. The cage content of the bird is allowed, while one head per day requires about 110 g of compound feed.
High Line
Females have incredible calmness and easily adapt to all conditions of detention. Most importantly, this does not affect the quality and quantity of eggs laid. From eighty weeks of age, the female is capable of laying up to 350 large eggs in a strong shell.
Choosing layers for productivity
Breeding chickens at home, each person is primarily interested in the productivity of the breed. If this is a bird of the egg direction, it means that requirements are imposed on it for the number of eggs laid per year. Here, the Leghorns can be considered the undisputed leader. If it was possible to find thoroughbred chickens, then the chickens that have grown from them are guaranteed to lay up to 300 eggs in a year. By paying more attention to the bird and providing proper care, the laying hen can reward the owner with even better egg production. Indicators such as 365 eggs per year were observed.
The video tells about laying hens:
Italy is considered the birthplace of the Leghorns. For many years, domestic breeders have tried to increase the productivity of the breed with the help of new technologies, but the result has remained unchanged. Crossbreeding work continues to this day, however, even in its original form, layers are popular in many countries of the world.
In the vastness of our homeland "Leghorns" have taken root thanks to their very dense plumage. It protects the chicken's body from strong winds and frost. There is probably no region where this beautiful chicken has taken root.
What breed of chickens is better to refuse
In principle, almost all laying hen breeds offered on the domestic market are capable of laying eggs in farms and households in any region. The only question is how many eggs they will lay and how much care will be required for the bird. Since the matter concerned the choice, then it is better to refuse from the cultivation of "Minocoroc".
Chickens are characterized by a high egg production rate. Adults have a slender, elongated body, a long neck, and a small head with a large red crest. The feather color can be black, white or brown. The eggs are laid in a white, sturdy shell.
So, why, then, with a high egg production, it is undesirable to start a breed at home. The thing is that the bird was bred in Spain, and she loves warmth very much. In the southern regions, chickens will still be comfortable. If we take, for example, the Moscow region, not to mention the Siberian region, with a sharp onset of cold weather, egg production will drop sharply. In severe frosts, the ridges can, in general, freeze. Even if the chicken can be provided with warm living conditions, it needs a lot of walking, otherwise you can forget about productivity.
The video shows the best breeds of laying hens:
Summing up the review of the breeds, it should be noted that you need to buy from trusted producers for laying hens. Only in this way is it guaranteed that you can get a pure breed, and not a mixture.
