The ornamental chicken breeds

In the environment of poultry is popular not only highly productive meat and egg chickens, but also decorative. For many years breeders have spent on improving the exterior signs of the chickens.

Many species of birds productive type and gradually evolved into a decorative, and some individuals have become extremely athletic.

Decorative breeds of chickens

Decorative chickens in the majority of Eastern origin. To create a breed of non-destination one of the first was China, India and Japan. Later unique breeds of chickens settled in Russia and Europe.

Despite the fact that decorative chickens do not give birth to productive factors, they are useful in the household. Decorative chicken begin to lay eggs about nine months. During the year, it is possible to obtain approximately 100 eggs. But, of course, the main advantage of these birds in the other. Some of them have unusual pictorial color, the other – the original form of the beak, the third – a miniature “oversized” relatives, the fourth had a particularly long tail.

Decorative breeds of chickens, common in Russia:

• Bentamy;
• La araucana;
• Chinese silk;
• Sibrayt;
• Dutch belohorcova;
• Gate;
• Pavlovskaya;
• Faverol;
• Russian crested;
• Ayam Cemani;
• Phoenix.

The article presents some of them

Bentamy

Bantama is one of the largest representatives of the decorative rocks. This tiny bird has a relatively high productivity and effective appearance. There are several varieties. The breed has good health, low maintenance and great for breeding in the backyard.

The first description of the bantams dates back to the year 1645. Their homeland in the basic version is Japan.

Reliable information about the details of breeding these birds do not have, but there is a theory that they were formed through artificial selection. The progenitors of the bantams are considered wild chickens. It is from them that the breed has inherited a strong immunity to different infections and a great maternal instinct.

A characteristic feature of these birds is their size: the hens do not exceed 650 g, males – 1kg.

Breed standards:

• small head with rozovidnym or foliaceous crest;
• elegant, elevated body;
• wide, long, almost reaching to the ground wings;
• short legs.

The kind of the breed of bantams

Depending on the color, these chickens are divided into several varieties.

The main species are:

1. Peremoga. Has white plumage and thickly feathered legs.
2. Nanjing . Has a yellow – orange plumage and bare feet. This is the oldest type. Roosters have luxurious tail and a black spot on his chest.
3. The Dutch chicken of bentamy black body and white tuft.
4. Beijing chicken can have a different color: black, white, mottled, multicolored. The legs are short and hairy.
5. Sibrayt. Chickens with grey plumage and Golden or silver color. A feature of the species is the black border on the edge, which gives elegant look.
6. Bryanka of Padua – most precious kind. The plumage of this bird has a silvery or Golden color.
7. Chabot – the smallest representative of the breed. The color of the pen variety: wheat, white, Kuropaty, yellow, blue, black, porcelain, Golden-black, tri-color.
8. Hamburg. The bright red crest on a background of black or black-white color.
9. The Altai of bentamy print, mottled beige, walnut or brown pen. On her head was a small tuft
10. Barnaul. Rozovidnym features a large comb and long earrings

The breed – La araucana

A distinctive feature of the breed – the unique color of eggs from red-blue to greenish. For this reason, chickens called “Easter”.

These amazing birds have a unique appearance. Araucanians from the German type there is no tail.

For breeding animals are selected strictly regulated standard:

• the presence of a small head with distinct long sideburns pen, Gorkovenko scallop and little red earrings in the ears;
• reddish-orange eyes, round in shape;
• medium length beak is slightly bent down;
• short, stocky body, broad, straight back, broad chest, moderate length of neck and no tail.
• strong legs without feathers, on each foot and 4 fingers.

Males of this breed are larger than females.

Based on the color of the plumage, Araucana there are 13 varieties: silver, gold, white, blue, black. The adult female has a weight in the range of 1.5-1.7 kg, a male may reach 2 kg. But there are dwarf species .

The breed was first mentioned in 1526, but it is proven that these birds have been bred much earlier. According to one hypothesis – the unusual color of the eggs is the result of crossing with a wild pheasant. But this opinion has no scientific confirmation. Eggs original color obtained due to the presence in the oviduct of laying pigment biliverdin.

Chinese silk

Representatives of this unique breed of chicken with their short legs, and lush silky plumage resemble rabbits. On the head, legs and tail of birds of feather balls.

Leather, comb, beak, and even the bones of birds black with a different tint from brown to blue. The weight of the decorative rooster does not exceed 1.1 kg. Productivity feathered -100 eggs a year.

Birds of this breed have the following features:

1. Wide, reminiscent of the structure of the cube case. Short and strong back,turning into a full belly and short neck.
2. A small black-and-blue face, round head, strong beak bluish. The feathers of the tuft are directed backwards, eyes dark brown, and the crest of rozovidnym, short, warty.
3. Wings Chinese silk chickens are short, loose, loose fitting .The back side of the legs covered with feathers. Has 5 well-developed toes.

There could be several colors:

• white with some yellow;
• black;
• uniformly blue;
• yellow ( bearded varieties of this breed);
• wild painting chickens and roosters are different. The hen has a dark brown color with a chestnut tinge on the head and chest. A rooster breast is black in color, dark Golden rump and mane, black-brown head.

Silk Chinese breed has two varieties: the bearded and standard.

A distinctive feature of silk bearded chicken is a luxuriant beard, turning into tanks that covers the earlobes.

Sibrayt

Ornamental chicken breeds, Sibraim got its name from the first breeder of this species of John sibrica. It became the trendsetter for unusual hens in the medium of English aristocrats.

The breed was developed about the year 1800. The main features of birds that he tried to strengthen, was unusual, as if banded, plumage and small size. Sibrayt got new birds in 15 years. The genus of this species were Polish hens, representatives of the Hamburg breed, bentamy.

Cocks and hens come in two colors: silver and gold.

Not to buy a defective chicken need to know the main characteristics of this breed:

• small size, compact, dense body, rounded protruding in front of chest;
• short tail, resembling a lady’s fan;
• loose-fitting, drooping almost to the ground wings;
• widely spaced gray-blue legs;
• small round head, red comb rozovidnym form, smooth rounded earrings.

Ayam Cemani

Of particular interest to the Amateur poultry farmers raise chickens breed Ayam Cemani. This is the darkest among all breeds. Feathers with a green tint. Black beard and comb, skin, paws, bones and meat. The head of a bird of small size with a short black beak and leaf-shaped comb. Black eyes, neck of medium length. Chest birds are rounded enough, the body is compact, narrow, in the shape of a trapezoid. In ornamental cockerels of this breed are fluffy and high ponytail with a long, well-developed braids.

The hens are very timid. They don’t trust the person trying to contact at a minimum.

Chickens Dutch belogornoye

These birds have an amazing crest. The feathers on both sides of the head fall gently, reminding “professional styling”. However, it does not interfere with the bird to see. The front feathers of the crest is a little darker. The base of the beak has an unusual pattern, something emerges like a butterfly. It is a basic indicator of the purity of the breed:

Despite the long feathers, this extravagant hen has a dense and rather large crest. Comb this breed is missing. Beak small, toned with plumage. Beautiful curved tail with flattened feathers placed under the angle of 45 degrees. Valid color: brown, black, grey blue.

Breed Phoenix

Chickens breed the Phoenix – kind. They differ with a long tail. This bird comes from China, where it was considered a symbol of the Empire. The Phoenix was introduced in Japan, where it spread around the world.

The rooster tail can reach 10 meters. He daily increases by 90 cm, and hinders the possibility to move freely.

The contents of decorative chickens

When growing ornamental chickens should pay special attention to the microclimate in the street and indoors. Some species need heat, other it is important to protect it from excessive humidity.

In addition to maintaining the desired temperature (15-20 degrees) feathered, it is important to provide good lighting. Daylight should be 15 hours.

In the house there must be no drafts. It needs to be well ventilated.

The way of the master, depending on the species of Large birds, as well as long tail and rich plumage chickens need high perches. And for dwarf species and birds with poorly developed feathers , the roosts should be low.

In chicken housing, it is important to maintain hygiene to a luxurious tuft and tails did not lose attractiveness. For these purposes, veiled floors in the chicken coop of a thick, warm material is placed on top and the litter that the extent of contamination periodically change. For individuals who have excessive feathering on the legs the substrate must be frequently loosened. Note that in cold weather the necessary litter thicker than usual.

The coop should be protected against the penetration of ferrets and rats.

Food

Since most chickens breeds have an active temperament and love free rides, you must provide them with dog place on which to place containers for bathing.

In obtaining a viable healthy population not less important role plays the correct feeding of chickens.

The diet must include the following foods and vitamins :

• barley and oats;
• beets, carrots, cabbage;
• easily digestible proteins and vitamins such as Trivitamin;
• yeast, which are introduced by drojjevoe food;
• chalk, eggshells, shells, gravel;
• the herbal powder.

Spring chickens food should be more diverse to birds has not lost its beauty. It should include an abundant amount of minerals and vitamins, as well as sprouted grains.

An important aspect of the full development of the birds – the ability to produce pasture.

Engaged in the breeding of ornamental birds, you can face certain problems:

• decorative chickens love the heat, and not all breeds can survive harsh winter cold;
• birds need natural food;
• decorative birds need spacious room and convenient way;
• these chickens are very painful, so the maintenance of young is quite a troublesome task;
• due to weak immunity, the survival rate of chickens is not very high;
• ornamental breeds of chickens can not get along with other species.