Among the many existing breeds, species and subspecies of chickens, it is quite difficult to choose what suits you exactly. Therefore, you need to navigate not by name, but by the type of direction of productivity.
After all, this is exactly what you will breed your domestic birds for. For example, the most popular direction is meat-meat, which allows you to perfectly combine the high egg production rate of chickens and the excellent qualities of the chicken they produce. Among such breeds, the Adler silver chickens, which have long deserved the love of poultry farmers, are quite famous. If you are also interested in this breed, then we have already prepared a detailed description of its main characteristics.
What are the features of Adler hens: breed description
Appeared on this breed in the middle of the last century thanks to the persistent efforts of scientists breeders. Those representatives of the breed that we can meet today are carriers of the genetic data of five previously popular and highly productive breeds of chickens at once: White Plymouth, New Hempshire, May Day, Russian White and Jurlov. However itself selection was carried out in several difficult stages:
- Males of May Day chickens crossed with hens of Russian white breed. For two generations, the resulting hybrid individuals crossed exclusively with each other.
- F2 hybrids have become carriers of such qualities as good egg-laying and high viability. To improve their meat quality, chickens were mated with New Hampshire breed roosters.
- The resulting hybrid form F3 was again mated "in itself", and already from the obtained individuals were selected those who have the best characteristics of the exterior and meat precocity.
- F5 chickens were mixed with White Plymouth rooster cocks, and the resulting individuals were mated again with each other.
- Among the four-bred individuals obtained as a result, the best ones were again selected according to the criteria of productivity, which were crossed with the last Yurlov breed.
The resulting chickens and became the ones we call today Adler silver.
The advantages and advantages enjoyed by Adler Hens
The breed has quite a few advantages, which made it so popular and famous until today. Among them are the following:
- the ability to maintain in the economy of Adler silver for 3-4 years. Usually, even the best laying hens and hens are allowed for meat immediately upon reaching the age of 1.5 years, since it is believed that the older the chicken, the harder it is for the meat.
However, this breed does not apply at all, since age does not affect its meat qualities. At the same time, for several years of keeping a hen, he will surely please you with a large number of eggs and may even be able to sit through several generations of new offspring;
- in relation to egg-laying, this breed can be considered the most precocious, since the first eggs of the hens usually begin to lay at the age of six months. It should be noted that most other breeds at this age do not fully have time to form an adult plumage;
- for representatives of the breed is quite simple to care. This is due to the fact that the Adler silvery is not very whimsical, they will calmly eat any type of food, while gaining weight is good and not worsening the laying of eggs. Also, they do not need to equip special housing conditions, since the breed is quite hardy.
Chickens are able to independently adapt to weather conditions and gradual seasons.
A good quality for chickens is that they are able to quickly and easily adapt to new climatic conditions. In this regard, wherever you acquire representatives of the described breed and wherever you intend to contain it in the future, they can easily adapt to any climate.
The behavior of the chickens will not even react in any way to the fact that they were transferred to a new place, or the adaptation will take place in 2-3 days. This feature is very well contributed to the spread of Adler silver throughout the CIS.
Among other things, you should pay attention to the poultry farmers very calm temper Adler silvery curia. They can quietly coexist with other breeds and with other animals, very friendly respond to any actions of the host, if they already have time to get used to it (at first they can be a little bit shy). Lesions of various diseases in them almost do not occur, which contributes to good immunity.
Today the breed is actively used in breeding new breeds of chickens. Adler silvers are not only good carriers of meat-caricating characteristics, but are also able to pass them on to other generations. Also, their heirs show good adaptability and calm temper.
Cons breeding of the breed: what are the disadvantages characteristic Adler silver?
Among such a large number of positive qualities to find the shortcomings of the described breed is very difficult, although in fact they are. The great difficulty in breeding this breed is that in the process of such a long process of breeding, its representatives partially lost the incubation instinct.
Therefore, if there is at least one among your darlings who is willing to incubate eggs, it should not be allowed for meat, but should be kept solely for the purpose of obtaining new generations.
Of course, such complexity is easily overcome by detours: by throwing eggs of Adler silver broods of other breeds or hatching with an electric incubator. Both of these methods are quite effective and will not be difficult for you, but they will allow you to get representatives of the most beautiful breed.
Other features and distinctive features of the described breed
Learn chickens and roosters of this breed can be very simple, at least by the color of their plumage. They have a Colombian tone, inherited from the May Day and Jurlov breeds of chickens.
However, day-old chicks, like other breeds, have a yellow gun. Tail feathers or braids, as well as tail feathers on the wings are black in color. It is also worth noting that the Adler silver plumage is very tight to the body, which allows maintaining a stable body temperature.
In general, these birds have an average body size, rather compact in their constitution. Their bodies are rather long and deep, and their backs are wide and straight.
The position of the spine, or rather, the spine of the back, in Adler's hens is actually parallel to the ground, although it drops a little to the tail. The belly and chest are fairly well developed, and the chest is not only deep, but also quite full, which is a very important feature of the meat breed.
The backbone of the hens, although it can not be called rude, but they have enough strong and enduring, allows individuals to move a lot. Thanks to the long wings, which in the usual position fit snugly to the body, if necessary, these chickens can rise into the air for a few seconds.
When choosing a thoroughbred breed, you must also consider the following important characteristics:
- the head of Adler hens is round, small, wide. In this case, it is quite proportional to the body. When choosing an individual, pay attention to the presence of
- red smooth ear lobes, as well as the curved form of the beak, which usually has a yellowish color;
- the crest is red in color, of medium size, has a leaf-like shape and consists of a heel of uniform teeth;
- the color of the eyes is reddish-copper, they are round in shape, slightly convex;
- the face of chickens and roosters is usually red and smooth, the earrings are round and red;
- the neck is of medium length, covered with a uniform mane;
- legs are short, medium, with slightly protruding shins and well developed muscles, which can be felt when palpating. Widely set, powerful enough and stable;
- the tail of small size, round, close tightly, with short, but strongly curved braids.
Outwardly, it is also easy to distinguish the chicken from the rooster: the first one has a much lighter and more graceful head, and the comb has smaller sizes. Also, the rooster has a larger total body weight and a larger tail.
Please note that overly long tail braids and a generally too large tail, as well as an over-developed comb, which due to its large size hangs down on its side, are considered unacceptable defects of the Adler silver breed of hens. Chickens of this breed are rejected and according to such signs as the statement of the entire body is too high, and also the neck is too thin and long.
Performance breeding and content of Adler silver curia
Until recently, the described breed has always occupied the highest positions in terms of productivity, since it can simultaneously rejoice with a large number of meat and eggs. But It is worth noting that in recent times a big feature of the Adler silvery is the steady tendency to reduce the weight of individuals.
Of course, as compensation for the reduction of meat products, egg productivity increased significantly. In general, the average weight of a breed usually has the following indicators:
- a chicken at the age of 1 year can weigh from 2.5 to 2.8 kilograms;
- at the same age, the rooster achieves a mass of 3.5–3.9 kilograms.
Starting to lay eggs at the age of 0.5 years, in 12 months the usual layer usually brings not less than 170-190 eggs, and record holders even pass the threshold of 200 pieces. The shell of eggs is usually painted in cream color, which is also a criterion of the described breed. The size of the eggs is quite large, their weight is 58-59 grams.
It is possible to increase the meat qualities of Adler silver chickens by mating them with broiler roosters - the White Cornish breed. As a result, the offspring obtained from such a crossing inherit precocity, which makes it possible to receive carcasses weighing 1.3 kg or less in 70 days. The good news is that the quality of such chicken is very high. However, subsequent regeneration of offspring lose such high rates of productivity, and they lay very few eggs.
How to breed thoroughbred representatives of the breed: valuable information and instructions
We have already noted above that a significant drawback of Adler silver chickens is a dull maternal instinct. Therefore, knowledgeable poultry farmers recommend purchasing an incubator with these chickens. Fortunately, the eggs of these chickens are fertilized very well, with the result that the average chick output is 95%. Also, due to stable immunity, good endurance and adaptability, the indicator of bird safety is high: for young stock it is about 98%, and for adults - 86%.
It is important to note the large role of the rooster in breeding offspring and the maintenance of the entire herd. He very much helps the owner by carefully watching the hens' choice of place to lay their eggs and teaches them to do it in the same place. Also, Adler breed roosters very gallantly lead themselves during the distribution of food and begin to eat only after the hens are fed up. They also delicately manage with the younger generation, competition can only arise between the roosters themselves.
It is possible to breed these birds both in open-air cages, and in cages, the chicken will not feel a special difference. You can equip for them whole cell batteries, which will significantly reduce the cost of space.
Adler hens lay eggs from 6 months, although they can start a month earlier. However, it is better not to stimulate such activity, since egg-laying significantly squanders the vitality of the birds, reducing their productive life. It is best to breed laying hens by the end of spring and early summer. Under warm summer conditions, it will be much easier to grow them, because it will have to be done without the participation of the hen (unless, of course, you laid eggs under the hen of another breed).
In the same case, if Adler breed chickens were born a little earlier, it is best to adhere to special programs when raising them:
- limit the amount of feed consumed by chickens, so as not to provoke too rapid growth of individuals;
- If possible, reduce the number of daylight hours to match the light day in June-July.
Feeding for chickens is usually used classic: boiled, and after and dry, cereal from millet or corn, boiled eggs, dairy products, pastures on green fodder.
Features of the diet of adults Adler silver breed of curia
Although these hens are not whimsical for food, a good host knows that it is still best to give the most nutritious and healthy food. After all, the more diverse and nutritious the diet, the more vital energy the birds will receive, and at the same time show the best indicators of productivity. Thus, in the diet of adult Adler hens It is recommended to include:
- vegetables and root vegetables (both boiled and raw);
- mineral complexes that include such essential components as calcium and iron;
- proteins that have a positive effect on the formation of muscle mass of birds and, as a result, on meat productivity in general;
- cereals, the number of which should be predominant.
Important aspects of the content of the representatives of the described breed
In the event that birds are kept in large houses, where they can walk on the floor, special attention should be paid to the moisture content of the coating. Although chickens do not produce much waste, however, with a large number of individuals, the floor can get wet very quickly. It is very important that the humidity does not rise above 25%. To do this, you need to regularly clean and clean the house, as well as make laying the hens.
Experienced poultry farmers even note the fact that constant friendly communication with Adler silver hens has a positive effect on their productivity. After all, a calm and friendly disposition is a visiting card of the breed, and if these features of the birds are maintained and in every possible way tried to create comfortable conditions for life, they will surely thank you with a large number of eggs and delicious chicken.
