Description and characteristics of Oryol chickens, breed keeping rules
Orlovsky decorative chickens are bred in Russia and undeservedly forgotten breed. These are birds of meat and egg direction, with a very interesting color of feathers and constitution. Domestic chickens are like birds of prey. Roosters have a cocky and warlike character. The thing is that fighting chickens were used to breed the Oryol breed. Laying hens are more calm disposition, moreover, they rush well.
Breeding history
Oryol chickens are an old Russian breed. This is an egg and meat variety of chickens with variegated plumage. Laying hens have an extraordinary color, calm disposition, but they lay poorly - they give only 145-185 eggs per year. But the roosters look formidable thanks to the feathers raised on the neck. And their character is cocky and aggressive.
Chickens were bred in Russia in the 19th century. At first, they were grown on Russian peasant farms. Prince Alexei Orlov-Chesmensky was actively involved in breeding this breed. Oryol chickens descended from Malay fighting and Persian chickens. The following varieties took part in the formation of this breed: Bruges fighting, Russian ushanka, Tyurinskaya.
Oryol chickens were very popular in the United States in the 19th century, and Europe learned about them a little later - at the beginning of the 20th century. However, by the middle of the last century, this breed was replaced by more productive varieties of chickens. In 1925, dwarf, ornamental Orlov chickens were bred in Western Europe. In Russia, the once famous breed was revived only in the 80s of the last century.
Description and characteristics of chickens Orlovskaya calico
Oryol roosters became famous for their unusual appearance, cockiness and upright body. Their plumage is dense and, as a rule, variegated, multi-colored. These chickens are considered decorative birds. They are mainly bred by fans of show breeds.
What do birds look like?
The Oryol chickens have a powerful body, long neck, and lush plumage. The height of the bird is about 60 centimeters. Roosters have a slender, fighting figure, the neck has a fighting bend. They protrude the chest forward. The body is almost vertical. The head is small and flat. The beak is yellowish, short, curved. Eyes with overhanging superciliary arches, color - reddish-amber.
Legs - strong, high, muscular, yellowish in color, without feather. Feathers are raised on the nape. In front, the feathers form a semblance of tanks and a beard. The tail is long and fluffy.The crest is small, crimson in color, with small bristles. Earlobes and earrings are poorly developed. Layers are more squat, otherwise they look like roosters. The plumage of birds can be bright red, hazel, chintz (red-black-white), yellowish, white, mahogany, black.
Productive qualities of the breed
Oryol chickens belong to the meat and egg direction. Adult roosters weigh 3-4.5 kilograms. The mass of layers is 2.5-3 kilograms. A chicken can lay almost 180 eggs in a year. With age, laying hens' egg production decreases to 120, 100 eggs. The mass of one egg is 60 grams. The shell is creamy or pale pink in color. Layers begin to lay at the age of seven months. The maximum weight is gained in 2 years. The meat is harsh, vaguely reminiscent of game in taste.
Character of chickens
The Oryol breed perfectly adapts to any climate, tolerates severe frosts and cool, rainy weather. True, chicks fledge slowly and require special care in the first weeks of life.
Laying hens have a calm character. They have a poorly developed instinct for incubating eggs. Previously, before the appearance of hybrids, such a feature of the breed resulted in a higher egg production compared to other domestic chickens. Roosters are strong, cocky, aggressive. It is better not to settle them together with other poultry.
Main advantages and disadvantages
Positive qualities of the breed:
- decorative plumage;
- extraordinary appearance;
- excellent survival rate;
- the possibility of breeding for the sake of eggs and meat.
Cons of the Oryol breed:
- low egg production;
- long growing period;
- chickens need special care.
Features of the content
Oryol chickens have good immunity, but the birds need to be provided with proper care and quality nutrition. Chicks require special attention in the first weeks of life.
Arrangement of a chicken coop and a walking yard
Coop should have roosts and baskets or boxes for laying eggs. The room should be light and airy. Layers do not rush in the dark. For 15 birds, the optimal size of the chicken coop is 10 square meters.
In winter, the room where the chickens are located is recommended to be insulated with heaters. Straw or sawdust can be placed on the floor. Birds can freeze when the air temperature is 10 degrees below zero. The optimum temperature for keeping the Oryol breed in the chicken coop is 18-22 degrees Celsius.
At a temperature of 10 degrees above zero, the egg production of birds decreases.
For chickens, it is advisable to equip a walking yard. On the territory intended for walking, you need to put feeders and drinkers. You can give the birds the opportunity to walk throughout the infield. It is recommended to keep the Oryol breed separately from other birds. If it is not possible to organize a walking yard, you can raise chickens in cages.
Preparation of feeders and drinkers
For Oryol chickens, you need to build special feeders and drinkers that fit their short beak. Long groove boxes or bunker plastic feeders are used as feeding containers. In order to water the birds, use any shallow dish or a purchased siphon drinker.
Molting
Chickens shed heavily once a year. Molting occurs from October to December. Lasts 30-40 days. During molting, chickens stop rushing, they lose their appetite, which is why they often lose weight and often get sick.
Planned replacement of livestock
Oryol chickens are an expensive breed. Birds are rarely raised for eggs or meat. More often - as a decorative breed. If chickens are bred for consumer purposes, then you need to remember that egg production decreases with age. The herd is renewed every 3-4 years.
Bird feeding
Particular attention should be paid to the diet. The feeding of birds has its own characteristics, depending on age. Adults are fed 2-3 times a day. They eat 20-30 grams of grain at a time.Young animals are fed more often - every 2-3 hours. Birds wake up at 5 am, go to bed at 9 pm. Chickens are not fed at night.
Chicks
Young chicks are fed in the first hours after hatching. First, the chicks are given millet, corn grits, boiled yolk, and cottage cheese. Chickens are fed 6-7 times a day. Later, the diet is enriched with special compound feed, herbs, carrots. Fresh water is poured into the drinking bowls each time. It is useful for chickens to give purchased vitamins and minerals, medicines for the prevention of diseases.
Adults
Whole grains are not given to adult chickens. Birds are fed with crushed cereals (barley, wheat, corn, oat, buckwheat) or compound feed. Dry food can be alternated with wet mash made from boiled potatoes and steamed cereals. It is useful for birds to give cottage cheese, chalk, salt. The coop should contain sand or fine gravel. The menu of adults can be diversified with herbs (nettles, alfalfa) and vegetables (carrots, cabbage, fodder beets).
What you need to know about breeding
Adult Oryol chickens are kept like ordinary domestic hens and roosters. Laying hens have a poorly developed instinct for incubating eggs. Chicks are obtained using an incubator. The hatched chicks need special care.
Chicks develop slowly and fledge late. They often suffer from weak legs and crookedness. In the first weeks of life, chickens are kept in a room with an air temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. The coop should be roomy for the chicks to run. Chicks need to move a lot for proper development. Young animals can be released into fresh air at 2 months of age if the outside temperature is 23-25 degrees Celsius. The sun's rays contribute to the better development of young animals and compensate for the deficiency of vitamin D.
Common diseases
The Oryol breed has good immunity. However, if not cared for properly, birds can get sick. Common diseases: vitamin deficiency, tendovaginitis, gout, dropsy of the abdominal cavity, cloacitis, gastroenteritis. Sick birds lose their appetite, diarrhea begins, they move little, stop rushing.
For prophylaxis, young animals are given vitamins and minerals; during the period of illness, the veterinarian prescribes medications. Birds can suffer from ticks and lice. Ticks settle on the legs - under the scales. Creolin solution saves them. Cyodrin, Entobacterin help with lice.
How to choose a purebred bird?
When choosing chickens of pure Oryol breed, you need to pay attention to the following nuances:
- the height and structure of the hull must comply with breed standards;
- the presence of a developed nape, beard and tanks;
- long, yellowish legs without feather;
- the beak is small, bent, like an eagle;
- a small comb resembling a raspberry;
- underdeveloped earlobes and earrings;
- small flat head with powerful brow ridges, similar to the head of a bird of prey;
- color of feathers corresponding to the breed.
Unacceptable breed defects: short stature, too low weight, horizontally set body (in males), humped back. In pedigree individuals, the beak should not be straight.
Analogs
Oryol chickens are a unique breed of birds. It is quite difficult to find analogues for them. The Orlovskys are often compared to the Malay fighting breed. True, the birds look little similar in appearance, but they have a similar character.
