Description and characteristics of 14 subspecies of Dominant chickens and their content
One of the best breeds among chickens is the Dominant. Cultivation and care are not difficult. The species is distinguished by an increased ability to carry eggs. Each variety of this breed differs in appearance, egg color, productivity. To maintain the health and performance of poultry at a high level, care must be taken to ensure optimal rearing conditions.
The history of the breed
The Dominant chicken breed belongs to the egg and meat group, bred in a Czech laboratory. It is a mix of several types of chickens, including Sussex. Breeders note that this type of chicken is characterized only by positive qualities.
Chickens are distinguished by attractive, bright appearance with variegated plumage and high productivity. Each hen produces up to 312 eggs in one year. Young hens begin to lay eggs from 5 months.
New crosses (cross breeds) are characterized by high immunity, therefore they rarely get sick. In addition, they steadily endure the effects of adverse factors.
Appearance and varieties
Description:
- Chickens have lush plumage, so they seem large.
- The scallop and earrings are small, reddish.
- Roosters have a comb of bright crimson color.
- Legs are strong, short, yellow in color with lush plumage.
- The wings are of standard size, flattened to the sides.
- Feathers can be of different colors.
- The weight of one individual at the age of 5 months is 2.5 kg.
Each subspecies of Dominant chickens has its own distinctive features.
Speckled D 959
These are chicken crosses - hybrids that are characterized by a large list of positive qualities. The speckled appearance D 959 has a calm character. The plumage is bright, variegated, lush. Small comb and reddish earrings. The weight of adult females is 2.5 kg. Laying hens bring up to 322 eggs per year. The mass of one copy is 62 g.
Partridge D 300
Highly productive crosses differ in egg production. The head of chickens is small, the comb and earrings are red-scarlet. The feather cover is thick, golden brown, short legs are strong. Laying hens produce up to 302 eggs with beige or white shells annually.
Tricolor D 301
The hybrid belongs to the egg group of chickens. Birds give 304 eggs annually and gain body weight up to 2.2 kg. Scallop and earrings of deep red color. The iridescent plumage consists of golden, brown and red shades.
Black D 109
Dominant chickens DS 109 are black. The scallop and lobes are deep red. A chicken is capable of producing up to 290 brownish eggs per year. The weight of an adult chicken is 2.3 kg.
Black D 149
The breed is distinguished by high productivity, up to 305 eggs with brown shells annually, weighing up to 64 g. Chickens are distinguished by their rich black plumage, with white stripes on the breast. The male has a brighter color. All over the body there are white-yellow blotches.
Sussex D 104
Chickens of this group are distinguished by good productivity and early egg production. They have an egg and meat purpose. The body of chickens is dense, the head is small. Pointed crest and reddish earrings. The main color of the feathers is snow-white. There are noticeable black blotches on the wings and breast. The tail is composed of black feathers. The chickens have a calm disposition. Laying hens produce up to 322 eggs annually.
Sussex D 304
Chickens of this species have a plumage of a snow-white shade. The feathers on the tail and on the head are black. Each layer produces up to 268 white-shell eggs per year. The weight of one specimen is 63 g. The weight of layers in 1.5 years is 2 kg.
Leghorn D 229
The birds are snow-white in color. The scallop is soft, rolls to one side, red. The productivity of crosses is high. The female lays up to 322 eggs per year. The weight of the bird is small, 1.6 kg.
Red D 853
A variety of chickens are distinguished by their red-burgundy feathers. Laying hens produce up to 285 eggs annually. Birds of this variety are unpretentious, have a calm disposition, and take root well in new conditions.
Amber D 843
The plumage of birds is amber-brown. Up to 311 eggs are produced by one layer each year. The weight of one egg is 63 g, the shell is brown. The mass of chickens is not more than 1.6 kg.
Blue D 107
Chickens of this breed have an exotic type of color. The head, back and neck have a bluish tint in combination with black and blue. All other parts of the body are gray. The red comb is firm and does not bend to the side. A chicken is capable of laying up to 302 eggs annually. The weight of one egg is 62 g. An adult chicken weighs 2.20 kg.
Brown D 102 and D 192
The body of the bird Dominant 102 is covered with lush plumage of brownish-brown color. In roosters, the color of the feathers is lighter. White color predominates, with brown blotches. At 2 years old, the body weight of the animal is 1.6 kg. Each year, each hen produces up to 318 eggs weighing 64 g of white-cream color.
The most popular type of chickens is D 192. Plumage color is brown. The female lays up to 307 eggs per year, which have a brownish shell.
Red striped D 159
The hybrid has a reddish-brown tint of feathers. Laying hens produce 312 eggs every year. The weight of one specimen is 61 g. The body weight of an adult chicken is 2.1 kg.
Red striped D 459
The color of the feathers is variegated, red-brown. The tail is composed of broad gray feathers. The scallop of the red striped variety GS 459 scarlet is tilted to one side. In a year, it will be possible to collect up to 311 eggs with a brownish shell. The weight of one egg is 62 g.
Temperament
The temperament of chickens of the Dominant breed is livable, calm:
- all individuals are active;
- loud clucking is characteristic;
- chickens are not pugnacious, they coexist well with other species of birds;
- fearfulness of chickens is noted;
- they experience stress when changing habitats, but adaptation occurs quickly.
All these features do not affect egg production in any way. Individuals behave best in an open area, without fences. But they get along quite well in a closer room with other varieties of chickens.
Productivity and egg production of chickens
The breed characteristics indicate that the egg production of chickens is very high.Each female is capable of laying up to 322 eggs annually. Dominant chickens lay eggs with brownish, snow-white, brown and even greenish shells. The peak performance of chickens with white and colored eggs falls at the age of animals equal to two years.
How to choose?
In order for dominant chickens to please with high performance, you need to make the right choice:
- Individuals should only be bought from trusted sellers.
- Individuals of the same age are selected. It is best to take chicks that are 12 days old.
- Good, healthy individuals are active, constantly rummaging in the ground, running around the chicken coop.
- You should choose young animals with a smooth, soft to the touch comb and lush, even plumage.
To choose the best varieties of chickens to grow, you also need to familiarize yourself with the basic characteristics.
How do I know the gender of a chicken?
The sex of the crosses can be determined already at two days of age. Males are distinguished by light plumage and white specks on the head. Chickens have dark feathers and there are no specks on their heads.
In other varieties of chickens, sex is determined by the characteristics of the plumage. In females, plumage appears on the sixth day, and in males, much later.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantages of the Dominant chicken breed include the following characteristics:
- early maturation and early onset of egg production;
- large eggs, their weight reaches 72 g, with excellent taste;
- rush every day with proper nutrition;
- fast weight gain;
- calm, easygoing character;
- quick adaptation to new conditions;
- poultry of this breed can be kept in both confined and free space;
- do not require special care.
The variety of this breed also has disadvantages:
- layers like to look for hidden places to lay eggs;
- maternal instinct is low;
- chickens begin to peck eggs if the room is cramped.
Conditions for keeping chickens Dominant
Egg production and quality of meat largely depend on the conditions of keeping poultry. Therefore, it is important to consider some recommendations for caring for chickens.
House requirements
The interior of the chicken coop must be kept clean and dry, but there are other requirements:
- you should take care of the walls, roof and floor of the chicken coop in winter;
- it is better to make the floor of wood and arrange a litter of peat or straw;
- lighting should be dim;
- nests are installed at a great distance from each other;
- the room should be spacious (4 birds per 1 sq. m);
- in the chicken coop there should be separate feeders, containers for wet food and water.
Since chickens of this breed fly poorly, it is not required to build a corral with a high fence. In summer, it should not be too hot in the chicken coop, and drafts should not be allowed.
Walking yard
For walking, an aviary should be installed, best of all on the east or north side of the building. There must be good lighting and a lot of greenery. Thanks to walking, the poultry are enriched with vitamin D, and the taste of meat improves. Birds have the opportunity to get food on their own: they constantly nibble the grass, look for bugs and worms.
Installation of feeders and drinkers
The interior of the chicken coop is not complete without drinking bowls and feeders. In summer walking, these accessories should also be required. Feeders are of two types: bunker and periodic. In the latter case, the food is poured into the container in the required volume several times a day. Bunker feeders assume a constant presence of feed in the container.
The volume of the trough and drinker should correspond to the number of hens. Each individual should have 13 cm. It is important that all animals have free access to food. Otherwise, weak birds will be left without food.
Molting
Dominant chickens begin molting in the autumn months.Laying hens of the Dominant breed lay eggs even during molting, but the quality of the clutch is slightly reduced. At this time, special attention should be paid to nutrition. Includes foods rich in vitamin D and calcium.
Planned replacement of livestock
Chickens of the Dominant breed, under favorable conditions, can live up to 9 years. Productivity decreases, but does not completely disappear. During the first years, the hen produces up to 324 eggs. After the 4th year of life, the number of laid eggs decreases.
A planned change of livestock is recommended after two years of animal life. By the age of three, productivity drops by 20%. You need to take care of the purchase of young individuals in advance.
What to feed the bird
Chickens are unpretentious to food. They can be given all feed allowed for poultry. But to improve the quality of productivity, you should carefully plan your menu, including only the healthy ingredients.
Chicks
Features of feeding young animals:
- For the first 10 days of life, chicks should feed every 2 hours. Cottage cheese, semolina or corn grits, boiled crushed eggs are offered as feed.
- From the 5th day, it is permissible to give greens and pharmacy vitamins.
- From the 8th day of life, chickens in the diet include a mash made from a decoction of meat and yogurt.
- From the 10th day, it is allowed to add vegetables, they begin to give crushed eggshells and chalk.
- Then, ground grain, bone meal, boiled potatoes are used as feeding.
Leftover food should be removed from the chicks area immediately after feeding. It is imperative to organize constant free access to clean water.
Adults
In order for the productivity of chickens to be high, a balanced and highly nutritious feed should be used. Adults need to be fed three times a day:
- The diet must contain wet mash, which is made on the basis of meat broth, various cereals, vegetable dishes and bran. The mash should be warmed up during the winter months.
- Protein-rich cereals are beneficial.
- In the poultry house, you need to arrange containers with shell rock, chalk, small stones.
- The daily menu should include such products as fishmeal, low-fat cottage cheese, milk.
- In the warm season, you need to provide the bird with green food in sufficient quantities. In the winter months, pharmacy vitamin and mineral complexes should be added to food.
Breeding rules
Chickens of this breed have a poor maternal instinct. They are not capable of incubation and it will not work to raise young animals with the help of quads. Chickens are impatient and find it difficult to hatch eggs for a long time.
Farmers have to buy chickens from the poultry farm. Some people prefer to take eggs for further keeping in the incubator, while others buy already hatched chicks.
You should buy chicks older than a week. At this time, the bird will already get stronger and will be ready to move to a new place. If you take day-old chicks, then there is a high probability that they will not withstand transportation.
When growing chickens, you should follow some rules:
- the chickens are housed in a clean, disinfected chicken coop;
- walls should be insulated and drafts should be excluded;
- the first days the air temperature should be kept at around +32 degrees;
- from the 10th day of life, the temperature should be gradually reduced by 2 degrees, so that by the age of one month the thermometer is +19 degrees.
Possible diseases and their prevention
Despite the fact that the Dominant breed chickens have high immunity, sometimes they can encounter diseases:
- Pullorosis disease is manifested by the loss of activity of individuals. The stomach is primarily affected. Chickens become immobile, refuse to eat, breathing quickens, and the feeling of thirst increases. The scallop becomes bluish.
- With a disease such as pasteurellosis, limbs become bent and swollen, and the body temperature rises. Birds refuse to eat, mucous discharge is observed from the nose.The scallop becomes bluish. The disease is common among individuals up to three months old. Mice and rats become carriers.
- Salmonellosis is an infectious disease. The pathogen affects all internal organs of the bird. Symptoms include loose, frothy stools, shortness of breath, and loss of appetite.
- Coccidiosis is manifested by loose stools, loss of appetite, weight loss and egg production.
It is important to notice a sick bird in time and isolate it from other, healthy individuals.
Preventive measures will help reduce the risk of contracting infectious diseases:
- nutrition should be correct, rich in vitamins of group B, D, C;
- according to the recommendations, timely vaccination should be carried out;
- vitamins and minerals should be added to the feed;
- the chicken coop should be periodically disinfected and ventilated daily;
- chicks should be purchased from trusted suppliers.
New chickens should be placed in a separate room for 12-14 days. During this time, any infection will manifest itself with any symptoms. If this does not happen, the young are calmly moved to a common chicken coop.
