Characteristics and description of Hercules chickens, maintenance rules
Chickens of the Hercules breed are considered quite popular. They have an impressive mass and a powerful body. The undisputed advantage of the breed is its high productivity. Therefore, many farmers are engaged in the cultivation of birds. To achieve significant results in this, chickens should be provided with good housing conditions. At the same time, it is important to correctly equip the poultry house and feed the hens correctly.
History
Birds of this breed were bred in 2000. This happened at the Ukrainian Institute of Poultry, located in Kharkov. Chickens were obtained from broiler crosses by crossing with other breeds from the gene pool.
Description and characteristics
Chickens of this breed have a number of characteristics. Before you start breeding birds, you should familiarize yourself with their main characteristics.
External data
The birds got their name because of their impressive body weight. The birds are characterized by a strong body and a wide back. The massive body is decorated with a fluffy and large tail, decorated with rounded braids.
Chickens have a dense chest and a rounded, toned belly. The head is small, and there is no cannon on the muzzle. Small eyes have a red or orange tint. The beak is small and curved.
For males and females, scarlet combs are characteristic. Moreover, in roosters, they are large. There is a voluminous plumage in the thigh area. At the same time, there is no cannon on the limbs.
This breed does not have a standard feather color. This is due to the fact that several species of birds participated in its receipt. Therefore, chickens can have light, gray-blue, dark feathers.
Character
Chickens of this breed are distinguished by a calm character. They have a peaceful disposition and are friendly to other chickens and other birds. Therefore, conflicts and fights should not be feared.
Productivity
The breeders of these chickens note their high productivity. For birds, the following indicators are characteristic:
- egg production - 220 eggs per year;
- weight - the male reaches 4.5 kilograms, the female weighs 3.3 kilograms;
- egg weight - 65-70 grams;
- maturation - chickens begin to produce eggs at 5-6 months;
- survival rate - for young animals this figure is 91%.
Puberty and egg production
Laying hens bring their first eggs as early as 5 months. Sometimes puberty occurs at six months.The key task of poultry farmers is to provide hens with quality nutrition. Thanks to this, clutching starts faster and there are no problems with eggs.
Egg production parameters are 200-220 pieces. All eggs are large and weigh 60-70 grams. They are characterized by a large yolk, which accounts for 40%. The eggs are covered with light-colored shells.
Maternal instinct
Chickens of this breed have no hatching instinct. This is not surprising, since hybrids and crosses have long lost this feature, and Hercules is no exception. Layers are calm throughout the year.
But when hatching offspring, they become too active and even behave aggressively. This attitude towards young animals forces farmers to use an incubator.
Advantages and disadvantages of birds
The main advantages of birds include the following:
- rapid development of young birds;
- calm character;
- great weight and good presentation;
- large eggs;
- large yolk.
At the same time, the breed also has disadvantages. When breeding birds, the offspring of 2-3 generations are less productive than the parental lines.
Features of keeping chickens
In order for the chickens to develop normally, gain weight well and give a lot of eggs, it is recommended that they provide the correct housing conditions.
What should be the house?
The birds of this breed are large in size, therefore they need a large chicken coop. It is important that the birds feel comfortable. Therefore, it is not recommended to place many individuals in one area.
Because the poultry is very heavy, farmers have to make changes to the house design. You should not install perches in it, since the chicks will not be able to climb on them.
Therefore, it is recommended to pay special attention to the flooring. It is on the litter that the chickens spend the maximum time. The floor should be covered with hay or straw. It is also permissible to use peat. It is important to constantly monitor the condition of the litter. It is recommended to change it periodically.
Temperature, humidity and lighting
This breed is allowed to breed even in the northern regions. Chickens can spend the winter in the house without special heating. Even in cold weather, they can easily walk outside.
Birds tolerate snowy weather normally. Thanks to this, their immunity is further strengthened. At the same time, it is important to take into account that a decrease in temperature to -20 degrees imposes a ban on walking.
Illumination parameters vary depending on the age category of the birds. Chicks need 40 lux, whereas adult chicks need 7 lux.
If a rooster lives in a room with females, it is recommended to slightly increase the illumination.
Control of moisture parameters is of no small importance. It should be 50%. Wet litter, water and feed can increase this rate. Therefore, it is recommended to systematically ventilate the room and get rid of unnecessary moisture.
Walking yard
These chickens cannot live permanently in the chicken coop. They need fresh air and constant walks. Therefore, it is recommended for birds to equip a walking yard. It is important to keep it spacious. This will help to avoid uncomfortable feelings and conflicts.
In spring and summer, birds love to eat green grasses. To do this, it is recommended to plant clover or nettles in the walking yard. It is also permissible to use cereals. Building a courtyard and a chicken coop is on an elevated place. Thanks to this, it will be possible to avoid flooding of the site with sewage.
Planned herd replacement
Poultry should be kept in the yard for 2 years. It is then recommended to renew the livestock. Older birds cannot boast of high egg production and tender juicy meat.
Molting and break of egg production
Chickens losing old feathers do not look very attractive. However, this phenomenon is considered a variant of the norm and does not cause much discomfort. The birds tolerate this process normally and recover quickly.
Birds are characterized by a large number of feathers. Nevertheless, they change completely in 60-70 days. During this period, it is important to feed the chickens animal fats - for example, broths.
Some chickens do not molt. In such a situation, you have to use non-standard techniques. However, in most cases, poultry farmers do without it.
Cannibalism is considered a key hazard to birds. In such a situation, chickens eat individuals of their own breed. A proper and balanced diet will help to avoid this.
Diet of the breed
To ensure the normal development of chickens, it is important to feed them correctly. Fresh air, water, prevention of pathologies are considered the basis of a good appetite. Chickens Hercules are recommended to put a container with stones, shells and chalk.
The bird's diet varies with the season. In this case, the dishes should be complete and balanced. The growth period of chickens lasts 12 months. Therefore, in the first year, they should be given cereal-based protein feed.
Additional products include vegetables, fruits, and root vegetables. Be sure to give chickens green herbs. They can be used fresh or dried. Sources of additional minerals are insects, worms, and flax seeds. Chickens also need salt and meat and bone meal.
Is poultry breeding possible?
Chickens of this breed are obtained by crossing 4 species of birds. Therefore, it will not work to breed them on your own. In the case of crossing crosses or hybrid breeds, the chicks lose their genetic characteristics. It is possible to preserve the characteristics of the breed only in the first generation. Then they disappear.
When chicks are obtained from eggs, breed characteristics can be preserved only by a quarter. To obtain purebred birds, breeders buy hatching eggs from special poultry farms.
If you follow all the recommendations for breeding chicks, the hatchability of chicks reaches 85%. Chicks hatch very small, but their weight increases rapidly.
Diseases and prevention from them
To avoid the development of diseases, it is worth following these recommendations:
- Do not place chicks and adult chickens in the same chicken coop. Chickens have less strong immunity, so even simple viruses will negatively affect their health.
- If a sick bird is identified, it should be immediately resettled.
- The room in which the infected individuals lived is recommended to be ventilated and disinfected.
- It is important to control the composition of the feed. Quality food minimizes the risk of disease.
- Contamination of the chicken coop should be avoided. Unsanitary conditions lead to many diseases.
Possible growing problems
Birds of this breed do not cause serious difficulties or problems. They are distinguished by excellent immunity and quickly adapt to new climatic conditions and habitats.
Analogs
This breed has no real analogues. The only type of chicken that resembles Hercules is the Hungarian giant. It is characterized by good egg production and high body weight.
Chickens Hercules are very popular with poultry farmers. They are highly productive and have tasty meat.
To avoid common diseases and other problems, it is important for chickens to provide adequate care.
