Our ancestors were real good fellows when they taught chickens to the yard!
Starting from the usual village courtyard, in all agricultural regions, they will prove to you that this is a very, very profitable business.
Chickens are not only year-round fresh non-GMO meat to the table, but also eggs.
If you want to start breeding chickens, and you don’t know what breed to choose, then Zagorsky salmon chickens are exactly what you need.
They are: choosy for food, if necessary, they can find food under their feet, hardy, with strong immunity, tenacious, calm, good-natured.
But first things first. Next, we will write out and decompose all the most valuable information about Zagorsk salmon.
All you really need to know about the Zagorsk salmon breed or a description of the breed
This breed of chickens was bred on the basis of hybrids of four breeds. Rhode Island and Jurlov, New Hampshire and Russian Whites were crossed. Then F1 crossbreed crossed with the Jurlov and Rhode Island roosters.
The birds of the original breeds used for crossing were distinguished by a high level of viability and productivity. Initially, breeding of this breed was carried out according to the type of closed population.
Before the start of breeding Zagorian chickens, the task was to obtain birds that would have: high vitality, good egg production, good meat and fodder qualities, which would have the ability to use high voluminous fodder. This task was fully accomplished.
At its core, this category of chickens refers to the common-use meat-meat type.
Zagorsky salmon chickens are characterized by a rather impressive size.
Next, we present the exterior characteristics of the Zagorsky salmon breed of chickens, which, in turn, will help you focus on the breed standard with proper control of the breed:
- The head of salmon hens has a rounded shape, small, medium size;
- The beak is slightly bent, saturated yellow;
- Eyes are yellow-red;
- The comb is either rose-shaped or leaf-shaped, of medium size;
- The neck is of medium length, slightly thickened;
- Earrings are mostly medium length, red;
- Ear lobes are red;
- The chest is deep, broad, convex;
- The back is wide and flat;
- The body is wide, deep, long;
- The pectoral muscles are well developed;
- The belly does not hang down, elastic;
- The skin is saturated with yellow color;
- The tail is small, not fluffy;
- The wings fit snugly to the body;
- The legs are yellow, of medium length, do not have plumage.
Two varieties can be distinguished for the color of the plumage: the salmonids, in which the crest has a leaf-like shape and the white ones - a rose-shaped crest.
It is worth noting that this breed of chickens is characterized by a pronounced sex difference in the color of the plumage. And it can be seen almost immediately after the appearance of the feather cover: the steering, as well as the flight feathers of the hens have a light brown color, and in roosters - close to black.
The back, wings, neck of the chickens are light pink, and the chest is salmon or white. In roosters: on the back a large number of feathers of black and dark red color, the wings are covered with dark red feathers. Tail, chest, belly - black.
Zagorsky salmon have sex differences not only in external signs, but also in indicators. The average weight of a rooster is from 3 to 3, 6 kilograms, and hens - from 2, 5 to 2, 7 kilograms.. To date, this breed of chickens, bred and in the collections for genetic reserves, and in individual farms.
The most compelling advantages of this breed of chickens
Zagorskaya salmon breed is characterized by picky in content. This can be said in relation to the usual subsidiary farms, and in relation to large bird farms. The advantages of the breed are:
- Strong immunity: compared to many other breeds, this esophagus is said to be unkillable;
- Unpretentiousness: "where I went, I could find it there" with such words one can often characterize the breed of the Zagori salmon;
- Endurance: picky in matters of content, can live in ordinary chicken coops.
- Lack of aggressiveness, good-natured, even character;
- The bird can be used as a hen, it has not completely lost the instinct of procreation;
- High and stable egg production.
Another important advantage of growing Zagorsk salmon chickens is the possibility of using hybrid meat broilers for creating forms. It should be noted that you can use and roosters and chickens.
How profitable it is to breed broilers, probably, there is no need to detail. Broilers in a very short time (up to 80 days) reach a large weight (up to 1, 5 kilograms) and have very good meat quality.
So a few examples of creating hybrids - large meat broilers, as a result of successful crossings:
- If the father chooses a representative of the breed Kuchinsky Jubilee or Cornish, and the maternal basis is the Zagorskaya salmon;
- Father from Zagorsky, and mother from New Hampshire or from the Plymurt breed;
- Father from Zagorsky salmon, mother - Adlerian silver chicken.
The result will please with excellent taste and impressive carcass. The benefits of this type of work are obvious.
If we talk about the shortcomings of breeding Zagorsky salmon, then they simply did not. Is that haughty curiosity, they always have time and will be able to taste your garden.
What distinguished the breed of chickens from Zagorsky salmon?
A characteristic feature of birds of the Zagorsk salmon breed is polyformism from an early age. Daily fluffy chickens can be easily distinguished in chickens and cockerels: the "girls" on the back have a "sexual trait" - pink-gray blotches either in the form of specks or stripes, in "boys" the color is light yellow without pigmentation.
Already on the third day, a thoroughbred color begins to form in the chickens: mating gray-black feathers appear in the males, and pink-cream in the chickens. On the tenth day, the color differences between the sexes are so pronounced that it is difficult to make a mistake when determining the sex.
It is interesting! The same color, which is indicated in the name of the breed, is only of the individual "female" - they have a characteristic salmon color in the breast. The plumage of cocks is colored black or red.
Zagorsky Salmon has one more valuable difference: they grow very fast and gain weight quickly. And roosters and in general beat records, for three months can reach in weight of 1,7 - 2 kilograms.
Do Zagorsky salmon chickens really justify their title of hens? How high is the productivity index of this breed?
Live weight is characteristic of chickens of general user breeds, this factor is also characteristic of the Zagorsky salmon. In addition, they can be characterized by high vitality, egg production (almost no different from chickens with an egg-thrusting direction), high egg weight, high fodder qualities and the ability to consume a large amount of bulky feed.
During the experiments at the Research Institute of Poultry, the average egg production was 165 eggs per head. If the result was taken from individual breeding nests and groups, then the average egg production per head was 172.5-180.4 eggs.
The white record-laying hens carried 227 eggs each. The record-laying chickens painted in salmon carried 216 eggs each.
The eggshell has a brown color and high density. The weight of one egg at the initial stages of egg-laying (approximately 34 weeks) is equal to 45-47 g, and at 52 weeks of life it is 60-62 grams.
In an ordinary chicken egg weighing up to 50 grams, contains about 40 names of the most useful substances that are necessary for the human body. If you breed this breed of chickens, then you can still think about the "chicken business" and the income.
Zagorsky salmon chickens have always enjoyed and are in great demand among the population. This factor can be explained by high reproductive qualities, as well as good productivity.
Fertilization of eggs is at least 91%, and hatchability is at least 75% -80%. A fairly high rate of preservation of young animals - 93%, among adult chickens - 92%. This group of chickens almost never let their hosts down either in productivity or in character.
In seven-month-old chickens, the live weight can reach 0.85 kilograms, in roosters in the same period - up to 1 kilogram. The live weight of adult hens is 2.7 kilograms, while for roosters it is 3.7 kilograms. Sexual maturity in chickens begins at 150–180 days of age. The peak of egg production occurs at 29-32 weeks of life.
If you choose eggs on the shelves of stores or on the market, then undoubtedly, eggs of Zagorsky salmon chickens will be recognized. They are huge compared to other eggs. And, of course, their light brown color will also be taken into account for this indicator.
How to properly care for the Zagorsk salmon? Discover all the secrets of inference.
In the hen house
Whether you are a breeder with experience, or an amateur, we are happy to rejoice you: there are no particular subtleties in the content of this breed! Absolutely! Zagorsky salmon completely unpretentious, tolerate hard frost, even sitting in the snow, can feel very comfortable, almost like on a spring lawn.
But, like any bird, at least a minimum of care, yes it does. Therefore, we do not recommend paying any attention to the conditions of keeping this breed. Of course, they should be provided with a cozy chicken coop, feeders, roost, regular walking. The room should be insulated.
It is worth noting that Zagorsky salmon tend to take off high, so it is desirable that the walls of the chicken coop were high. Banal necessity is the observance of sanitary and hygienic rules.
The floor in the hen house should be filled with either clean sand or sawdust. He should always beat dry. As it gets dirty, change it. Required from time to time carry out general preventive measures: disinsection, disinfection, deratization.
It is worth noting that even this “hardened” rock with a lack of care reacts with a decrease in the level of productivity. Regular maintenance of sanitary and hygienic standards is a prerequisite, at least, for eggs to be clean.
An important aspect for the development of immunity, and for the physical form, and to enhance the metabolism - is walking. Walking for these chickens is a vital necessity. Keeping them in a cage is simply pointless.
Experienced razvodchiki say, and not without reason, hens, regularly staying in the sun, fresh air, give higher quality products. For example, in those chickens that used walking, the eggs are filled with a more complete set of vitamins and their incubation abilities are higher.
This type of hens is very mobile, they have the ability to find loopholes to get into the garden, garden. Their raids are inevitable. Especially often this happens when there is a lack of food and an independent search for food. That is why often among the owners there is an opinion about the punishment of Zagorsky salmon by restriction of freedom.
If you want to get the maximum benefit from keeping these birds - provide them with a "decent living."
It is also interesting to read about meat and egg breeds of chickens.
Feeding chickens, choose the right diet
Representatives of the Zagorsky salmon breed for food unpretentious. Even scraps from the table, they will be happy. Often in villages, chickens can be treated to boiled potato husks, remains of cabbage soup - these chickens will be happy for any proposed diet and will be happy to devour the whole.
And yet, it is desirable to use cereals as the main feed, of any type, including corn, since these are birds from a large breed. Corn should be given no earlier than two months of age.
Can add to food any avian feed, they are well perceived, besides, it contains all the ingredients necessary for proper growth and health. The main thing is to balance the composition of the feed.
If walking is impossible, then fish oil should be in the diet, and sand should be added to the food. It improves digestion.
Chickens should be fed grain previously crushed. Gradually introduce bran, greens, and various root vegetables into the diet. You can add chopped bones, yeast to food. The amount of light in the life of the Zagorsk salmon breed
It’s up to you to decide on the amount of light in the life of the Zagorsk salmon breed, we will only point out the pros and cons of continuing the natural daylight.
And so, if during the feeding of chickens you will include additional lightingThis will undoubtedly speed up the egg-laying process. But, the quality of these eggs will be somewhat lower, from those that will subsequently emerge at a natural light day. The egg will not be as large as if the chicken was brought later. Therefore, no exception is to minimize the time to start laying.
Light plays an important role in the life of adult chickens. Namely windows in chicken coops. Sunlight is the best disinfectant. On this basis, sunlight should penetrate into the poultry houses, and then in large quantities.
Windows should not be done high above the floor - at a height of 50-60 centimeters. Thus, the light under the windows will be enough. It is desirable that the windows were large. You can calculate their total area as follows: about 8 m2 of floor space should account for about 1 m2 of glass. For the summer, such frames with glass can be replaced with a fine metal mesh. Thus, airing will be organized.
Temperatures, how important is this factor?
Zagorsky salmon chickens must be let out for a walk. Regardless of whether there is a vegetation cover or not. The environment for walking must be natural conditions, with average daily and average annual temperature regimes, precipitation, air pressure, humidity, sunlight, etc.
Such conditions, namely temperature, are particularly useful for this breed of birds. Zagorsky salmon hens are light egg yogurt, they not very sensitive to temperature fluctuations, in comparison with heavy and large meat and egg breeds.
If the house is well insulated for the winter, and in the summer it is well ventilated and clean, then your hens will be pleased with egg productivity and high forage qualities, regardless of the yard temperature fluctuations.
