Growing chickens - one of the most popular areas of poultry. Chickens are raised to produce meat, eggs, fluff, and feathers, and even chicken products are used as fertilizers. A modern farm or farmstead may contain several different species of birds, which makes it possible to reduce losses in egg production during the molting period and to simply receive aesthetic pleasure from the diversity of the population. In modern poultry farming, meat, egg, decorative and fighting breeds are distinguished. The most interesting in breeding are those that combine different directions. Hamburg breed - one of these.
Origin
In the poultry industry for the name of the breed is used classification by geography. Hamburg - indicates that the main efforts to consolidate the breed signs were held in Hamburg.
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German breeders set a goal - to create a bird with high productivity, which can live in adverse climatic conditions. For this purpose were used:
- Dutch hens - as the most adapted to the northern climate;
- German snow-white Ramelslohers for their precocity and high egg production;
- Chinese Cochin Meat Reference;
- black oviparous Spanish;
- pheasant chickens - for their interesting plumage.
The crosses obtained as a result of breeding carry up to 220 eggs per year, while the young chicken rushes from 4 months and will carry about 170 pieces a year. The resulting spectacular coloring of feathers became known as the moon or mossy. Birds are not afraid of low temperatures and in winter they practically do not reduce egg production..Important!Chicken eggs contain a lot of useful substances, including amino acids necessary for the body. But after 7 days, the egg begins to dry out, and amino acids -disintegrate. Therefore, the egg is only a healing 7 days. Then it just becomes culinary.
External characteristics
Distinctive features of the breed:
- a rounded body of slightly elongated shape with powerful muscles;
- chest convex, rounded;
- the stomach is volumetric, tightened;
- a small head is adorned with a large, fleshy, spiky-shaped ridge tapering to the back of the head;
- medium sized lobes;
- earrings are round, pink, small;
- the area near the ears is marked with white spots;
- neck elongated. Neck feathers fall on the shoulders;
- the peculiarity of the cross is a bluish beak and paws;
- eyes of a brick or red-brown shade;
- the tail line is expressed very brightly in both chickens and roosters;
- the tail of the rooster is decorated with long braids;
- shins covered with feathers.
Color
There are 6 standard colors:
- completely black with a greenish tint on feathers;
- white and silver;
- the most common is lunar: black-gray down, white feather base with black droplet-shaped dots;
- brown-gold with a black tail and black speckles on a feather base;
- brown and gold with black strokes.
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The black
Black color purchased from the Spanish. The difference is that the outflow on the feathers is Spanish gray, and in Hamburg hens - green. The crests of the cockerels also differ - in Hamburg, it is fleshy and spiny. 
White
White color is inherited from Ramelsloer. Color has no blotches. White Hamburg is distinguished from ancestors by the shape of a comb and a lighter shade of the paws.
Important!Roosters are very responsible for their territory. Its center is considered to be the habitat of the pack. Morning rooster crow - this is finding out the location of possible rivals. Rooster crows can be heard at a distance of more than 2 km. Despite the fact that the Hamburg Rooster is very peaceful, his passion for flying can push him with a more aggressive rival.
Silvery white striped
The basis of the color - the specific color of individual feathers and their location on the bird. White feather decorated with black edging at the top. Located next to the wing, such feathers create the effect of rectangular stripes on a white background.
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Golden black speckled
The feather base color - golden. Individual feathers in black. The pen has an elongated shape with a border that looks like a drop of black color. These feathers are symmetrically located throughout the plumage.
Golden black striped
The feather base color consists of down and feathers golden brown. Part of the feathers has a black edging. Located side by side, they form longitudinal stripes of black color on a golden background.
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Productivity
Hamburg chickens are not very large. The weight of the rooster does not exceed 3 kg, hens - 2-2.5 kg. Chickens begin laying at 4-4.5 months. During the year the young hen will carry up to 170 eggs. Normal breed productivity is about 200 eggs per year. Egg weight - 45-55 g. In dwarf chickens, eggs weigh about 35 g. There is also a dwarf variety of Hamburg chickens. Their weight:
- 600 g for chicken;
- 800 g - for the rooster.
Did you know?The largest number of eggs laid by a layer of Leggorn breed named Princess Te Cavan - 361 eggs in 364 days.
Advantages and disadvantages
Breed advantages:
- adaptability to northern latitudes;
- stable egg production, even in winter;
- chickens ripen quickly - yes 4 months;
- high performance, including the dwarf variety;
- can coexist peacefully with other birds and breeds;
- cockerels are calm and peaceful;
- high decorative properties;
- Feel good on any diet;
- viable, rarely get sick.
Breed deficiencies:
- the chickens do not incubate the clutch; therefore, breeding of the breed requires other species or an incubator;
- the breed needs open space for walking;
- birds fly well, so when breeding at home can freely fly to other areas;
- love to relax in the branches of trees.
Did you know?For the first time the problem of what appeared earlier - an egg or a chicken, was considered by Aristotle. And he believed that these objects existed in parallel.
Hamburg chickens will be a useful decoration for your farm: they will not only decorate it, but will also bring quite tangible income. And the ability to live in cold latitudes and unpretentiousness in the diet will be additional advantages in their breeding.
