Description and characteristics of the May Day breed of chickens, maintenance and care
When growing chickens of the May Day breed, it is worth considering a number of features. These birds were bred back in the thirties of the last century. They are characterized by high productivity and versatility. This meat and egg breed has excellent egg production and excellent endurance. Thanks to this, many farmers choose it.
How the May Day breed appeared
These chickens began to be bred in the Pervomaisky state farm of the Kharkov region. They were obtained on the basis of the Yurlovskaya Vocal, Rhode Island and White Wyandot rocks. Thanks to this, the breeders managed to breed birds with high meat and egg productivity. They received the key advantages of parent breeds - excellent productivity, endurance, body characteristics.
Description and characteristics of chickens
Before breeding birds, you should familiarize yourself with their key characteristics. This will help provide them with quality care.
Exterior birds
May Day chickens have a number of features. They differ from their counterparts in size and color of plumage.
Color
The color of the feathers is considered a distinctive feature of the breed. Adult birds have white plumage with a slight silvery sheen. In this case, the tail, neck, wings have a border of black feathers. This makes the bird look very elegant.
Plumage
Closely spaced hard feathers are considered a key characteristic of birds. They are securely pressed against the body. Due to this, the chickens are well protected from moisture and wind.
Torso
May Day chickens are distinguished by their large size and powerful constitution. They are characterized by a rounded chest, wide back, small wings. The tail is small and fluffy.
Neck and head
The birds are characterized by a small head with a red crest. The beak is slightly bent down. The neck is rather short and has a black feather collar.
Productive qualities
The popularity of birds is due to their high productivity. This is a versatile breed that belongs to the meat and egg direction.
Meat
The average weight of chickens is 2.5 kilograms. Sometimes it reaches 3 kilograms. Males tend to be larger. Their weight reaches 3.8-4 kilograms. At the same time, they are rapidly gaining mass.
Egg
May Day chickens give their first eggs a little later than modern breeds.But they are characterized by high productivity. It reaches 200 pieces per year. The eggs are medium in size and weigh no more than 60 grams.
Temperament of the breed
The plus of the breed is considered a balanced character. Both chickens and roosters are characterized by the following traits:
- complaisance;
- resistance to stress;
- calm reaction to external factors;
- phlegm;
- submission to the leader.
Main advantages and disadvantages
The benefits of birds include:
- good immunity and resistance to pathologies;
- resistance to cold due to the high density of feathers;
- calm character;
- excellent maternal instinct;
- excellent survival rate of young animals;
- rapid weight gain;
- good productivity.
The disadvantages include the following:
- unstable nervous system in young animals;
- decreased productivity with a meager diet.
Subtleties of maintenance and care
These are medium-heavy birds that easily tolerate crowding. However, there is a risk of fighting for territory. To get good egg production, it is worth providing the birds with ideal conditions.
House requirements
When building a chicken coop, it is worth considering the following features:
- the building needs to be insulated;
- the house should be warm and dry;
- it is worth providing full ventilation, but trying to avoid drafts;
- for the receipt of a sufficient amount of light, it is required to make a window;
- make a dry bedding on the floor - it can be arranged from hay or straw.
In case of contamination, it is imperative to change the litter, otherwise the eggs drop in birds.
Walking yard, feeders and drinking bowls
May Day chickens are inactive. But to maintain good immunity, they need walks. At the same time, they are allowed to be released into the street in winter. For this, it is recommended to enclose the area on the south side of the barn. Walking yard should have sufficient area. There should be 2-3 square meters for 1 chicken.
If walking is organized separately from the house, it is recommended to make a canopy. Thanks to this, the birds will be able to shelter from rain and sunlight.
A sufficient number of feeders and drinkers is also important. Feeders are recommended to be made of wood. To prevent birds from climbing inside, it is worth attaching a pole in the center, which can rotate freely.
Molt and lay break
Molting lasts 2-2.5 months. In this case, the birds lose their plumage and stop rushing. To speed up the recovery process, birds need to be properly fed. Food should contain a lot of protein products. In this case, the amount of calcium should be reduced.
Planned herd replacement
Chickens live for 10-12 years. However, breeders keep them for a maximum of 4 years. Then the birds stop giving eggs. If birds are bred for meat, it is recommended to slaughter them at 1 year. It is recommended to select young animals three times. This should be done at 1 week, at 3 and 5 months. It is recommended to remove weak and skinny birds.
Diet
May Day chickens are characterized by unpretentious nutrition. However, with the wrong composition of the diet, productivity falls, and diseases develop.
To the tribe
In this case, it is recommended to give the birds 120-180 grams of feed - it all depends on the seasonal factor and the availability of nutrients. You should definitely give vegetables to chickens. Fatty foods and starchy foods are used in a limited amount - up to 20% of the diet. It is important to provide birds with access to greenery.
For meat
Poultry that is fattened for meat should receive a large number of mash. She also needs compound feed. Birds are in need of protein food. Their diet should contain meat products, fish meal. Vitamin and mineral complexes are of no small importance. Young birds up to 1.5 months should be fed with compound feed.
Layers
Layers need vitamins. The amount of feed should be normalized.If the metatarsus turn pale during the laying period, the birds need carotene. In this case, a premix with this substance is urgently used. You can also give the birds carrots and pumpkin.
Breeding features
To create your first flock, it is worth purchasing hatching eggs. It is recommended to do this in poultry farms. The hens sit well on them. It is also permissible to use an incubator.
Breeding options for the breed
There are the following ways of breeding chickens:
- Buy hatching eggs at various poultry farms. This allows you to get 2 unrelated families. They should have 2 roosters. Thanks to this, it will be possible to get young animals of the first generation. In this case, males should be slaughtered, and young chickens should be left. The second generation will appear next year. Family ties are subsequently discouraged. Therefore, it is worth taking a replacement rooster. This method makes it possible to breed birds for 10 years without acquiring new ones.
- If you have a large house, 5 groups can be made. From four groups of chicks, 2 lines are made. The fifth is used as a backup.
- Outbred chickens can be crossed with the first purebred rooster. Offspring - with a second rooster and so on. This allows you to get almost purebred birds.
Chick selection
Chicks should be sorted. Usually, an approximate equal number of chicks are born with necessary and unnecessary traits. It is recommended to sort them for the first time immediately after birth. Then they do it after a couple of months.
In this case, it is recommended to remove such chicks:
- with white metatarsus;
- with a non-rosy ridge;
- with overly large or too red combs.
Chickens are sorted for the last time after the first molt, which allows determining the real color. The tribe requires 10 chickens and 1 cockerel.
Caring for them
The hens take great care of the offspring. If the chicks are under the care of a hen, they need a temperature of + 22-24 degrees. Chicks are fast growing. By the end of the first month, their weight reaches 1 kilogram.
Day-old chicks need special care. Moreover, they need a light source and a temperature of at least +33 degrees. Chicks should be placed in a box, plastic containers filled with hot water should be placed there, and ventilation holes should be made.
Incubation of eggs
This is a laborious process and depends on the conditions in the chamber. The success of hatching chicks is influenced by the presence of ventilation and the frequency of turning. During incubation, it is worth doing the following:
- examine and discard eggs;
- process them in potassium permanganate;
- place in an incubator;
- incubate;
- chicks will hatch on day 20-21.
Feeding
You need to feed the chickens like this:
- On the first day, it is recommended to do this 5-6 times a day.
- After 5 days, food can be reduced to 3-4 meals.
- Chickens should be given boiled eggs, herbs, vitamins.
- On the 10th day, it is worth introducing porridge, cereals, boiled vegetables, chalk, herbs, mash into the diet.
- At 1.5 months, birds are transferred to the diet of adult chickens. They should definitely be given proteins, chalk, shell rock, lime.
- Glucose and ascorbic acid are used weekly.
Frequent illnesses
These chickens are characterized by good resistance to pathologies. Infections develop in such cases:
- disregard of sanitary and hygienic recommendations;
- unbalanced diet;
- violation of the rules for crossing breeds.
May Day chickens often experience indigestion. Black tea helps to cope with this violation. It is also permissible to use a decoction of St. John's wort.
The May Day breed of chickens is characterized by excellent productivity. She is very undemanding to care. For birds to be successful, they need to provide a balanced diet. Equally important is the proper arrangement of the poultry house and walking yard.
