Chickens of the Milfleur breed immediately amaze farmers with their miniature size. Poultry of this species belong to the decorative group. Chickens are small with lush plumage. Feathered beauties constantly participate in exhibitions and win prizes.
Origin story
For a long time, breeders have been working on the development of unusual crosses that will have unique performance indicators, and will also take a rightful place among ornamental birds. Scientists sought to make Milfleur chickens small in size with beautiful feather color. The reason was one - not every poultry breeder had such an area where he could raise standard-sized birds.
According to numerous historical references, Milfleur appeared in Holland in the 16th century, the same period is considered the beginning of the spread of chickens. As for the name of the breeder, history hides this fact, it is only known that he was a bird lover, not a scientist. However, the result of his work to this day surprises poultry farmers.
Translated from French "De mille fleurs" means "a thousand flowers", the plumage of these decorative birds is adorned with a thousand multi-colored shades. Milfleur dwarf individuals at that time were a curiosity, every poultry breeder wanted to breed chickens at home. The cost of the birds was high, but it hardly stopped anyone.
Characteristics and features of Milfleur chickens
Birds adore this breed as it is renowned for its ease of maintenance and good performance. Milfleur chickens cannot be classified as meat or egg groups; the breed is focused on the decorative purpose of poultry.
Appearance
The main advantage of birds is decorativeness, justified by the peculiarities of the variety of color shades of feathers. In nature, you can find various types of bird pigmentation: tricolor, white-black, white, black, porcelain, blue, etc.
In addition to interesting plumage, chickens have other unique characteristics: a proud posture, a small head and the presence of feathers on their legs. Despite their miniature size, chickens have dense plumage. Aristocracy is provided by posture and unusual color.
Character
The birds are miniature, but their character is not shy or oversensitive. In nature, they are called "staunch soldiers". Representatives of the Milfleur breed have a rather strong disposition. If necessary, the birds will be able to protect themselves.
In general, individuals are very calm and peaceful, they are not afraid of people and do not touch them themselves. Representatives of this decorative breed can be grown in your yard.
Males of Milfleur are distinguished by a special behavior, they love layers and chicks. They never offend them, they always stand up for the family if the enemy begins to molest the individuals.
Males begin to eat only after the females are invited to the feeder.
Productivity
The breed does not belong to the meat group because of its miniature size. Poultry farmers claim that bird meat is tender and juicy, but there is very little of it. The maximum weight indicator for a rooster is 0.8 kg, for a hen - 0.5-0.6 kg. Poultry meat is often bought for expensive restaurants, despite its high cost.
Varieties
Nature has gifted people with three main species of Milfleur birds. The first order is blue, with golden feathers on their back. Second and third order birds are orange or brown. Identical spots are located on both sides. Varieties of feathered tail feathers differ. Orange birds have an orange tail, while brown ones have a black tail.
Incubation instinct
The maternal instinct is inherent in purebred breeds, crosses and hybrids have lost it in whole or in part. Milfleur females turned out to be an exception, they are excellent "mummies", and as mentioned earlier, cockerels are wonderful "daddies".
The hen does not leave the nest even to drink or eat. The small size of the birds gives them the opportunity to hatch no more than 10 eggs, so if you need to get more chicks, it is better to use an incubator. After the birth of the young, the female will raise both her chicks and incubators.
Poultry farmers use Milfleur brooders to incubate pheasants and other exclusive domestic birds. When a hen hatches offspring, she needs more nutritious food, be sure to install drinking bowls with clean and fresh water. How to make a drinker with your own hands is written here.
Swatches sit on the clutch in the warm season, the Milfleur laying hen will not leave the nest and will even incubate 1 egg. One of the distinctive features of birds is the ability to sit in the nest three times in 1 season.
The offspring are born healthy and strong. Chicks from birth have excellent immunity. The survival rate of babies is over 96%.
Poultry farmers are sure that keeping Milfleur hens is more profitable than raising regular chickens, since the incomes significantly exceed the costs.
Sexual maturity and egg production
Due to the weight of the chickens, which does not even reach 1 kg, the birds differ in quite acceptable egg production rates. During the 1st year, a hen is able to bring about 120 eggs, the weight of one is 30 g.
Despite such low meat and egg performance, layers are popular with poultry farmers, and they are bred not to obtain a product, but for aesthetic pleasure.
How do they handle the cold?
Another feature of these dwarf chickens is that they tolerate frost and cold better than all bantams. However, as soon as they wander in the snow - the massive plumage of the paws gets wet and immediately freezes. The birds easily walk around the courtyard at a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius, the main thing is that there is no snow, mud and ice.
In order for winter egg production not to decrease, birds need a warm and cozy chicken coop. The temperature in the poultry house should not fall below +17 degrees Celsius. The walls of the room are insulated with special materials, such as eco-cotton wool. The material must have thermal insulation characteristics, and also poorly absorb water. It is important that the walls of the house cannot be gnawed by mice or rats, which will definitely try to get to your chickens in the fall.
How to get rid of rats in a chicken coop, learn from this article.
Care features
Dwarf birds are afraid of the cold, but Milfleur chickens live quietly in the northern regions. Poultry farmers are sure that the main difficulty in keeping is the need for quality food. Birds do not need a large area to live, but the chicken coop must be treated and disinfected.
For the treatment of birds Milfleur, it is better to use aerosol preparations. The body of the bird is completely processed, you cannot only direct the sprayer to the head. During the treatment of the poultry house, individuals are taken out of it for about 10 hours so that they do not inhale chemicals.
House requirements
For the 1st family, 1 sq. m chicken coop, its parameters: 1.5x2 m. The air temperature is of particular importance, it should vary: from +15 degrees to +24 degrees Celsius. A higher indicator will lead to water depletion of individuals of the Milfleur breed, they will need more water, and they will start rushing less often.
A temperature indicator below +15 degrees will make the individuals feel uncomfortable, they will spend energy on creating and maintaining heat, egg production will significantly decrease.
In the poultry house, perches must be installed, they can be arranged with a ladder. Birds of Millefleur can and love to fly, so they can be perched at different heights, they themselves will choose where to rest.
The plumage on the paws must not be contaminated, otherwise the individuals will lose their decorative and well-groomed appearance; for this, the poultry house should be constantly kept clean. It is better to make the flooring from clay, cover it with straw or hay on top. You can also use dried leaves or sawdust.
We recommend reading the article on how to make a chicken coop yourself.
Artificial lighting and ventilation are installed in the poultry house. Chicken droppings contain a small proportion of ammonia, which damages the respiratory system of birds. The lighting device is fluorescent lamps. Ventilation is installed supply and exhaust; it can be supplemented with a fan.
A convector or infrared heater is used as a heating device. In the poultry house, feeders and drinkers are required, they must always be clean, otherwise the birds will refuse to eat. Tanks are divided into three types: for water, for wet mash, for dry food. How to make your own feeder, read here.
Puff lice and other pests are dangerous to individuals of Milfleur, so that the birds can calmly clean themselves of them, special trays with ash are installed in the chicken coop, ash can be poured onto the floor - it is useful for the paws of chickens.
Walking yard
Decorative birds should be outdoors. For 10 layers and 1 rooster, it is enough to build a yard of 3-4 square meters. m. Birds of Millefleur love to fly, they like to consider something unusual for them, they want to communicate with other birds. To prevent the birds from flying away and eating your entire crop, you need to cover the chicken coop with a net.
It would be nice if the walking yard was portable - it can be rearranged and moved around the yard. For poultry to walk comfortably, set up a patio on grass, sandstone, or gravel. If you put it on a different area, the chickens will immediately stain the plumage on their paws.
Do not forget about the canopy, it plays a huge role in the construction of the yard. The shelter protects the chickens from bright sunlight and heavy rain. He also hides birds from other wild birds and animals.
The chicken coop and outdoor patio are installed on a hill so that sewage does not flood the room. If this is not possible, then wood or other even material can be laid on the ground under the chicken coop, which will save the room from water.
The diet
To get rid of the possibility of illness in Milfleur chickens, it is necessary to ensure normal and healthy growth. The main factor influencing the development of birds is the availability of a balanced and high-quality diet. In summer, the menu includes fresh herbs. Chickens are fed with various mixed feeds and mixtures of grain crops.
After the birth of babies, they are given compound feed for food. You can add knotweed or nettle to the food of adult chickens, but first the greens are mixed with cereals. The menu includes vegetables such as carrots and tomatoes. Once a week, the birds are given shrimp waste, they nourish the body of the birds and provide them with full growth.
Useful additives are required: yeast, fish and bone meal, salt and honey. These ingredients are mixed into the main food.
Breeding
The main disadvantage of breeding crosses or hybrids is that the offspring are born non-purebred, and each time the genetic traits become weaker. The poultry farmers did not notice the offspring of Milfleur chickens, so the young can be bred independently.
When setting up a chicken coop, the farmer should think about nests where hens will incubate their eggs. They can be made from simple boxes lined with straw or hay at the bottom. It is distinctive that not only hens, but also cockerels take part in raising and caring for chickens.
Chick care
After birth, babies are very sensitive to temperature changes, so for the first time it must be kept at the same level (from +28 to +31 degrees Celsius). For the first two days, babies are fed with boiled egg mixed with boiled millet, then low-fat cottage cheese is added to the diet so that it does not get stuck in the beak of the chickens.
At first, instead of water, you can pour chamomile broth, add greens to food: beet tops, plantain. For 10 days, the babies are fed with a special compound feed, then the individuals are gradually transferred to feed for adult chickens.
As for the amount of food intake of chickens, it is better to adhere to this scheme:
- 1 week - every 2 hours.
- 2 week - 7 times a day.
- 3-4 weeks - 5 times.
- 5-6 weeks - 4 times.
The next days the young are fed 3 times a day. In order for the chicks to be fully provided with useful microelements, the menu includes 70% of cereals, 30% - wet mash, consisting of bone and meat-and-bone meal, vegetables and herbs. If the poultry farmer does not have time to cook the mash on his own, then you can purchase special compound feed that matches the age of the chickens. Suitable for babies: "Start", "Fattening". For adults, a good option is "Finish".
Advantages and disadvantages
Milfleur chickens, like other poultry, have their pros and cons, they must be taken into account when breeding birds.
Milfleur advantages:
- decorative direction - birds will always decorate the site;
- a large number of colors;
- frost resistance and adaptation to living in cold areas;
- birds do not need a huge chicken coop;
- undemanding care;
- excellent hatching instinct;
- strong immunity;
- expensive meat.
Disadvantages of the Milfleur breed:
- low meat productivity;
- low egg production;
- feathers on paws need constant care;
- need quality nutrition.
In the video presented, see an overview of the Milfleur chicken breed:
Diseases and prevention
Milfleur chickens get sick only because of poor-quality care or the appearance of harmful insects in the chicken coop. In order to prevent the occurrence of diseases, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures in time, to regularly clean the poultry house and walking yard. The walls and perches are treated with lime mortar every spring.
A small amount of ash is poured into the enclosures on the floor, and containers with wood ash can also be installed. Ash baths allow birds to avoid contact with parasites. Once every few months, the paws of birds should be treated; for this, birch tar is used.
Reviews of farmers about the Milfleur breed
Oleg, 44 years old, process engineer, Sochi.The Milfleur breed is widespread in our country, so it was not difficult to buy it, the only thing was that I was very worried about the conditions of detention and the diet. The chickens have grown agile and active, the birds are really proud, especially the rooster. Feathers are on the legs, but chickens constantly pollute them, therefore, to keep the birds in good shape, you need to take care of them.
In fact, the individuals turned out to be unpretentious neither to the conditions of detention, nor to the food. Cocks are very caring, they really love their offspring and layers. It is very touching and cute, rarely found in males.
Julia, 44 years old, librarian, Novosibirsk.Laying hens bring about 100 eggs per year, of course, this is very little, but my family just loves to admire them. Very beautiful birds, I like the fact that despite the frosts in our region, the birds do not get sick and do not freeze. True, in winter I don't let them go outside, especially if there is snow on the ground.
Chickens weigh about 600 grams, and cockerels weigh 800 grams. Milfleur are tame and cute, in some descriptions they write that they cannot be released into the garden or garden, but I let them go. They do not dig anything, do not spoil, and in the evening, as scheduled, they stand near the chicken coop. It is simply impossible not to love them.
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The decorativeness of the Milfleur breed of chickens makes them popular among poultry farmers. The nature of the chickens is so calm that many keep them as pets.