The breed of chickens Russian White was bred specifically for growing in Russia. She is not demanding on conditions of detention, hardy, with well-developed immunity. Even a novice farmer can cope with its breeding, but it is necessary to follow some simple rules, which will be discussed later in the article.
Description of the breed
Chickens Russian White are egg breeds. They got their name from their pure white plumage.
The breed is not whimsical to the conditions of keeping, it tolerates the cold climate of the North well, has a strong immunity, and perfectly adapts to new conditions.
Restless temperament is one of the special qualities of the breed, but they get used to their owners and become more calm.
Origin
This breed was developed in the 30s of the 19th century. It is based on local chickens of undetermined origin and noble Leghorns.
The breed immediately became a favorite in farmsteads, and in the era of industrial development of the country - in poultry farms. Its absolute popularity lasted until the 90s of the last century. At this time, Leghorns and crosses began to enter the Russian poultry market, which had the best egg production rates, so the Russian White began to lose ground.
However, breeders are working to improve the characteristics of chickens to achieve competitive qualities. If in the past, laying hens produced up to 190 eggs per year, now it is already 200 and even 244, but this cost the loss of egg weight up to 56 g, as well as the loss of weight of the chicken itself.
Characteristics and standards of Russian white chickens
Representatives of the breed are distinguished by their strong physique. Features of the body structure can be described as:
- a slender bird with a slightly elongated body;
- the head is of medium size, proportionately developed, proudly set;
- strong neck;
- wide chest and belly;
- legs and beak are always only yellow;
- legs without feathers, strong;
- white lobes;
- in chickens, the tail is small, well developed;
- roosters wear beautiful lush tails;
- the comb of chickens is not vertical, but tilts to the side;
- roosters have a leaf-shaped comb with five teeth, the catkins are red.
Adult roosters of the Russian White weigh up to 2.5 kg, and hens - up to 1.8 kg.
An overview of the Russian White chicken breed is presented by the breeder in the video below:
Puberty, productivity
The Russian white breed belongs to the early maturing. Chickens become adults at 5 months and already begin to produce eggs, roosters even earlier.
Laying hens have a high egg production ̶ 240 eggs per year. They rush for a long time - in the 2nd and 3rd years they practically do not reduce the results, which is rarely the case even among egg breeds.
Ten layers bring 8-9 eggs per week, each one lays 2-3 eggs and then takes a daily break. Eggs are yellowish or white, elongated, their weight is from 50 to 75 g, tastier than many breeds.
Males gain weight by six months, it ranges from 1.7 to 2 kg, and at 7 months the weight grows to 2.2 kg. The meat is of medium taste, it is considered fresh.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantages of the Russian White breed include:
- strong immunity;
- stress resistance;
- rapid puberty;
- high productivity;
- unpretentiousness and adaptation to conditions of detention;
- good cold tolerance;
- a small mass of chicken allows you to save on food.
The disadvantages of the breed include:
- the white color of the feather requires cleanliness in the chicken coop and aviaries;
- eggs are not large;
- not high enough taste indicators of meat;
- fearfulness and excitability.
Breeding chickens without walking
Chickens of this breed can be kept in battery cages.
If chickens are bred on an industrial scale, it is allowed to establish cages in several tiers.
Terms
The area of the cells is calculated using the formula: 1 sq. m cages for 8 adult chickens.
In this case, you should adhere to the rules:
- Purity. The cells must always be clean. Clean and disinfect in a timely manner.
- Ventilation. A closed chicken coop must have enough fresh air. Take care of the arrangement of vents or transoms.
- Access to food. Each individual must have unhindered access to food. Install feeders of the appropriate length.
- Drinking bowls. Drinkers should always have clean water and free access to it. Refill drinkers and keep them clean.
- Temperature. The recommended room temperature is 12-19 ° C in winter and up to 24 ° C in summer. If necessary, install additional heat sources during the cold season.
- Humidity. Should not exceed 70%. The deviation is allowed by 1-2%. Watch this indicator, otherwise the bird will start to hurt.
- Illumination. Adjust the light - prolonging daylight hours is good for egg production.
If you break the rules of keeping, chickens lose productivity and start to get sick.
Cells
The cages can be purchased ready-made or built by yourself following the basic rules.
When making cages, pay attention:
- Frame. Craft from metal or wood.
- Walls. Build the back and side walls of the cage from a mesh with small cells, a chain-link mesh or plywood. The front wall is best made of metal rods so that the bird can stick its head to the feeder.
- Bottom. Make the bottom two-tier to keep it clean. Make the surface on which the chickens will be kept (floor) from a net with fine meshes so that the bird can stand on it.
- Pallet. Attach a slate, plywood or polycarbonate pallet to the bottom, under the mesh floor. Poultry waste products will be collected here.
The pallet should be kept clean and cleaned thoroughly every 15-20 days.
- Egg collector. Attach the lower base at an angle to roll the eggs. At its lowest point, equip a mesh collector at a distance of 22-24 cm with open access to remove eggs.
- Feeder. Attach to the front wall of the cage. Should be the entire length of the cage.
- Sources of light. If there are no windows, equip point light sources near each cage.
Breeding chickens with walking
Breeding Russian white chickens with walking provides for the division of the territory into 2 zones:
- chicken coopwhere the bird will fly and spend the night;
- poultry yardwhere chickens can walk and feed freely.
At the same time, the ratio of areas is observed: 1-2 parts ̶ the area of the chicken coop, 3 - the area of the walking yard.
Breeding chickens with walking is the preferred option for keeping. This makes laying hens more comfortable, which has a positive effect on egg production.
Poultry house
Building a poultry house includes the following structures:
- Walls. Can be used for the construction of chipboard, plywood 5-12 mm or boards.
- Insulation. The chicken coop is isolated from external weather factors, wild birds and animals with walls, in one of them provide a door. In the walls, close up all the cracks and holes so that there are no drafts.
- Canopy and roof. Install a roof over the bird habitat and a canopy over the exit so you can hide in adverse weather conditions.
- Nests. The number of nests depends on the number of chickens. Install them along the walls. Put straw inside.
- Stairs. To make it easy for laying hens to climb into the nest, place a small ladder or board at least 15 cm wide near each of them.
- Perches. They are installed above the floor to a height of about 0.5-0.7 m at the same level or with a gradually rising ladder so that the chickens from the upper perches do not stain those that sit on the lower ones with droppings. Build them from strong wooden poles with a diameter of 2-3 cm so that the paws of the chickens do not freeze and it is convenient to cling.
Fasten the poles firmly, they must not rotate.
- Litter. Choose a large one, lay it in a thick layer. It should be changed frequently, as the white color of the nib can get dirty.
- Feeders and drinkers. Bring feeders and drinkers into the house for the winter to prevent water and feed from freezing.
Poultry yard
Surround the poultry yard with a high fence - Russian whites fly well.
When constructing, consider:
- Fencing frame. Construct a frame around the walking area using timber or solid welded pipe.
- Fencing. Pull the mesh over the outside. Mesh cells should be less than 5 cm.
- Laz. Leave a special hole from the hen house to the walking yard for free movement of chickens.
- Arrangement of the territory. Make sure that puddles do not stagnate on the territory of the yard, there are no objects and plants dangerous for chickens. You also need to make sure that chickens do not walk where there is a lot of dust.
- Feeders and drinkers. In the warm season, install feeders and drinkers in the walking yard. Cover them with a canopy to keep rainwater out of the feed.
Bird feeding
Chickens of the Russian White breed need to be well fed, and especially - from six months to a year, when they begin to lay eggs and productivity is formed.
The diet should be supplied in sufficient quantities:
- Fats. Provide energy. They can be obtained from corn and oats.
- Proteins. "Building" material for full growth. Most of all are found in legumes, meat and bone meal.
- Carbohydrates. Provide well-coordinated work of internal organs and metabolic processes. Contained in whole grains.
- Vitamins. Vitamins A, B, D must be supplied without fail. A lot of fresh vegetables and herbs.
- Minerals. For egg shell formation. Contained in additives such as ash and eggshells.
It is desirable to provide the possibility of foraging in an open area.
Feeding Russian White chickens is possible according to 2 schemes:
- Purchased ready-made feed:
- compound feed;
- mash;
- vegetables.
- Self-prepared food:
- wet mash of potatoes and vegetables;
- corn;
- fresh vegetables and herbs.
To improve digestion, poultry should have access to containers with sand, pebbles or shells.
The hen should eat 120-140 g of dry feed or 170 g of liquid feed per day for 3-4 meals. This mode will keep the chicken from getting fat and producing enough eggs.
Distribution of feed per day:
- Morning. It is best fed with whole grains.
- Day. Wet mash, include more mineral and vitamin supplements in the feed.
- Evening. Juicy food, greens.
Optimal diet table for 1 individual per day:
Ingredient | Weight, g |
Corn | 50 |
Protein feed, mash | 10 |
Juicy feed, greens | 30 |
Vitamin and mineral supplements | 15 |
Bone flour | 2 |
Breeding chickens
The breed has a poorly preserved incubation instinct, so they are hatched out in incubation conditions or eggs are laid under the cough of other breeds.
For incubation, it is customary to choose elongated white eggs of at least 60 g. They are stored for no more than 2 weeks in a cool room.
Breeding Russian White chickens in an incubator is no different from other breeds. Read about incubating chicken eggs here.
Russian White Chickens are distinguished by their survival rate (94-99%) and health.
They are characterized by the following indicators:
- a day after birth, the weight of the chick reaches 44-46 g;
- downy cover is yellow, sometimes white without splashes;
- in 2-3 weeks, the sex of the chicks becomes distinguishable - the combs of the cockerels become larger and redder, and in the hens the combs become yellowish-pink;
- during this period, the down is gradually replaced by a white feather;
- 30-day-old chicks weigh 650 g;
- the maximum strength of growth is observed by 6 months;
- very active from the first days, but shy.
Care
After hatching in the incubator, the chicks are transferred to a cardboard box at the rate of 13-14 chicks per 1 sq. m.
Correct care:
- Heating. Place a heating lamp above the box and maintain a temperature of 30 ° C below it.
Different breeders have different opinions on this matter. Some people prefer to keep the temperature in the brooder at 28 or 29 ° C warm, others feel that it is too low.It is important to unevenly warm up the space of the box so that each chicken can be in a place with the optimal temperature for it.
- Litter. Cover the bottom of the box with paper and replace it as needed.
After 2 weeks of growth, replace the paper with a cloth mat that has good absorbency. Cotton or woolen fabric is suitable, which must be disinfected before use and changed as it becomes dirty. - The first walk. After a month, when the body is already stronger and less susceptible to cold, take the chickens outside in good weather. To do this, equip a separate aviary.
Feeding
Feed your chickens according to the following rules:
- Feed your newly hatched chicks with a boiled grated egg with semolina or starter feed.
Add greens, cottage cheese gradually. After 1 month of life, add vegetables to the diet.Up to 8 weeks of age, chickens are not restricted in food. Further, the amount of feed is reduced by 20%.
- After 2 months, feed the grown chicks with adults. To prepare young hens for laying, increase the daily protein intake.
- In the box where the chickens are kept for the first time, there should be warm water. Set up a drinker and keep the water at the chick's body temperature.
- The dishes from which the chicks eat should always be clean and sterile. To do this, wash it in a soda solution once a day, and then treat it with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate.
The water temperature for chickens should be 30-40 ° C.
Diseases
This breed has good health and especially immunity to internal carcinoma, leukemia and neoplastic diseases such as Marek's disease.
Still, the Russian White is prone to a number of infectious diseases:
- Salmonellosis. It is manifested by increased thirst and decreased appetite, physical inactivity, chickens fall on their side. The stool is liquid, frothy. Sick individuals are isolated and watered with a solution of Furazolidone (1 tablet per 3 liters of water) for 21 days.
- Colibacillosis. The body temperature rises, which is accompanied by thirst. Wheezing can be heard. For treatment, the drug Biomycin is used 0.01 g per 1 kg of bird weight.
- Pasteurellosis. It is manifested by a lack of movement, fever and thirst, and strong nasal discharge. The stool is liquid. Patients are isolated and soldered with Tetracycline (1-3% solution) in an amount of 500 mg / day for 3 weeks.
- Newcastle disease. Chickens refuse to eat, it is difficult to breathe, and an unpleasant-smelling mucus is noticeable from the beak. A few days after the onset of symptoms in chickens, the comb turns blue and the bird dies. There is no cure for this disease.
- Tuberculosis. It affects any organ of chickens. It is manifested by lethargy and blanching of the crest and earrings. There is no cure.
After identifying and treating infectious diseases in the hen house, disinfection is carried out.
In addition to infectious, chickens can get sick with a number of diseases associated with poor nutrition and sanitary conditions:
- Atony of goiter. Over time, the goiter hardens and sags. Death is possible.
- Gastroenteritis. The appetite decreases, the bird is lethargic, and the stool is runny.
- Cloacite. Inflammation in the area of the cloaca.
- Avitaminosis. It manifests itself in egg cracking and sluggish behavior.
Diseases of a non-infectious nature are treated by improving sanitary conditions and a balanced diet with a high content of vitamins.
Molting and break of egg production
Molting is manifested by the following signs:
- loss of appetite;
- motor lethargy;
- deterioration in appearance;
- break in egg production.
Molting in chickens is not a disease.
Provide balanced food and warmth in the house during molting. After 2 months, the chickens will start laying again.
Planned herd replacement
The Russian White family consists of 10 chickens and one male with a spare rooster.
Breed breeding features and replacement frequency:
- on an industrial scale, laying hens are kept for no more than 2 years, in private households - up to 3-4 years;
- due to the high activity of roosters, they are kept separately until families are formed;
- from crossing the Russian white with the Livenskaya chintz, Velzumer, Kuchinskaya, highly productive crosses are obtained;
- the breed needs serious breeding selection, for example, it is not recommended to leave chickens for breeding, which are very similar to Leghorns.
You can replenish or renew the herd by purchasing hatching eggs or chickens.
Tribal breeding of Russian whites is engaged in:
- Maryinskaya poultry farm, Stavropol Territory;
- the poultry farm "Mashuk" in Yessentuki;
- JSC "Adler Poultry Factory", Sochi.
Reviews
Vladimir, 40 years old. I and my friends keep Russian White chickens and are very pleased with it. I am pleased with the number of eggs that chickens carry in the first year of life, as well as unpretentiousness to the conditions of detention. The main thing is to ensure good food and cleanliness. I never wanted to replace them with another breed.
Ivan, 38 years old. The Russian white chicken is very resistant to diseases, has a high survival rate of chickens, in contrast to foreign breeds. The number of eggs is simply amazing, and egg production remains at a high level even after 3 years, while foreign breeds need to be updated every year. Of the minuses, only the taste indicators of meat can be noted, but there are much more pluses.
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The farmer does not have any problems with breeding the Russian White chicken breed. The bird belongs to the egg type, its productivity is kept at a high level for about 3 years. Not whimsical to food and living conditions, tolerates winter well. Of the minuses, poultry farmers note only the lost incubation instinct and not very good taste characteristics of meat.