Description and features of keeping chickens of the Super Harko breed
The description of the Super Harko egg and meat breed of chickens includes characteristics of behavior, nutrition and productivity. It is a hybrid bird species that looks like the Harco chickens. Scientists of the Hungarian company brought them out. The birds are suitable for keeping on private farms and poultry farms.
Description and characteristics of the breed
A detailed description and characteristics of the breed include external data, character, brooding instinct, meat indicators and egg production.
Appearance and physique
The Hungarian company Tetra has developed the Super Harco breed. Birds are practically indistinguishable from other black breeds. The color of roosters and hens is black, with a green tint. Light brown feathers are visible to the neck.
The constitution is massive, males are larger than females. The chest is wide, the neck is short and large. Paws are long, without pubescence, have four toes, yellow or gray. They help them stay on the roost.
The nature of the birds
The nature of the cross is quite calm. They are in good contact with other animals. Tame, they are not afraid of the owner. They easily tolerate stressful situations, this does not affect the productivity of eggs. If you need to live in a cage or move to a new place, they quickly adapt.
Important! Super Harco tolerates being close to other breeds and bird species well.
Incubation instinct
Many chicken breeds lose their brooding instinct. Because of what incubators have to be used. For industrial purposes, this is even beneficial, since the chickens lay fewer eggs during the perching period.
The Super Harco retained their hatching instinct. Chickens hatch their eggs, then try to raise and raise chickens.
Meat indicators
Super Harco is suitable for growing for meat. At the age of 2 months, males weigh 2 kg, and females 1.7 kg. By 6 months, they gain weight 2 times. Up to 1 year, maintain a weight in the region of 4 kg.
To obtain meat, it is recommended to kill chickens after 1 year of age. Further, they do not gain weight.
Laying level
The first clutches begin at 21-22 weeks of age. On average, each egg weighs 65 g. One hen lays 220-225 eggs per year. This figure is very high. If the chickens are kept only to obtain eggs, then they need to be provided with a separate diet. Birds stop laying eggs when they reach 2 years of age. Therefore, it is recommended not to keep them longer than 1 year.
The quality and quantity of eggs depends on the conditions of keeping and the quality of food.The better these indicators, the more eggs the chicken will lay.
Pros and cons
The Super Harko breed of chickens has its positive and negative aspects. The advantages include:
- high egg production rates;
- meat productivity;
- developed roost instinct;
- pickiness in food;
- docile and calm character;
- frost resistance;
- immunity to many chicken diseases.
Of the shortcomings, only the fact that the process of plumage in chickens takes longer than in other breeds is noted, therefore they have to be kept warm longer.
Features of the breed
Super Harco can be kept in a chicken coop or cage. It all depends on the area of the room and the number of individuals. In both cases, certain conditions must be met.
In the chicken coop
Despite the high frost resistance, the air temperature in the hen house should not fall below +10 ° C. You should take care of this in advance, insulate the walls with foam plastic or glass wool. There should be at least 7 cm of straw or sawdust bedding on the floor.
Drinking bowls with water and cups of food should be in an accessible place. You need to keep order in the chicken coop, remove droppings, ventilate the room. Treat the walls once a month with a solution of potassium permanganate.
Important! A chicken coop can be bought ready-made or made by hand, the main thing is to correctly distribute the place. Equip perches, feeders, heating, ventilation.
In a cage
This option is suitable for keeping a large number of chickens in a small area. The Super Harco breed is suitable for cages. The level of egg production will not be affected, and the birds will also begin to gain weight by consuming less feed. This is due to the small mobility.
Conditions are created in the cage with an average humidity of about 50-60%, a temperature of 25-27 ° C. Feeders and drinkers should always be within reach. Also, the cage is regularly put in order: they remove the droppings, make a layer of straw.
If the goal is to raise birds for meat, then they are placed in a cage from 1 month of age. If for laying eggs, then they need to be taken as often as possible so that the chickens do not start pecking at them.
Diet
For young chickens and adults, the diet is different. This is due to the habituation of the chicks to the new food. Adult birds need to saturate the diet with all the necessary components.
For young animals
In the first 10 days after hatching, chicks should be fed with well-ground food. Provide constant access to clean and fresh water. Chicken mixes consist of:
- egg white;
- cottage cheese;
- croup;
- chopped greens.
Up to 10 days of age, birds can eat only liquid and warm food. From 1.5-2 months of age, chickens are gradually transferred to a balanced feed. For Super Harko, choose food marked "For meat and egg breeds."
Compound feed is made from crushed cereals, legumes, legumes, oil crops. They are enriched with special mineral compounds that are necessary for the development of chickens.
The nutrition of young animals must be carefully monitored, their future productivity depends on it.
For adult chickens
In an industrial setting, adult chickens are fed with specialized feed. They consist of:
- bone meal;
- chalk;
- meal;
- grain crops;
- mineral complexes.
At home, poultry farmers prefer to prepare their own formulations. Super Harkos eat any food. Mixes are prepared based on a mixture of wet grain crops and vegetables. They also add:
- cucumbers;
- zucchini;
- green onions;
- fruits;
- berries;
- nettles;
- decoctions of chamomile.
Breeding subtleties
Young hens ready for breeding and one rooster are selected. They are housed in a separate chicken compartment. Observe the behavior of chickens. As soon as she begins to hatch eggs, then you need to restrict access to the roost for other chickens and roosters.
Possible diseases
Super Harco has a very strong immunity. They take root well in a new place. The survival rate of chicks is 95%. The immune system protects birds from bacterial and viral infections. They tolerate winter well, especially when optimal conditions are created.
In rare cases, chickens can get sick. This is due to non-observance of the rules of care, insufficient nutrition, and frequent draft. They become infected:
- typhoid;
- coccidosis;
- salmonellosis;
- plague;
- psittacosis.
To fight the disease, you need to study the symptoms and treatments. In severe cases, you can contact your veterinarian.
