Shorthair chickens

Breeding of domestic chickens is common throughout the globe. For several decades, breeders have been breeding breeds that differ in certain characteristics of productivity or appearance. One of the most popular for home maintenance is shaggy-footed chickens.

Shaggy chickens

What causes the demand for such birds? The fact is that some breeders do not seek to achieve high egg production or growth of chickens. Their goal is to add diversity to their economy, and chickens with shaggy paws are so beautiful that from the first days they will be able to decorate the poultry yard.

History

Today, more than 800 breeds of chickens are known, which are representatives of certain areas of productivity. Some are egg-laying, some – active weight gain. Decorative representatives of birds are no less popular. Breeding of the latter gives its fruits, but their volume is several times less than that of productive birds.

You cannot call shaggy hens rare. The fact is that the first attempts of breeders to breed such unusual breeds were recorded in the 19th century.

Despite the beginning of the breeders’ active work, many consider Silk Chinese Chicken to be the breed that inspired them.Even Aristotle in his writings wrote about birds, which instead of feathers were covered with cat hair. Historically confirmed fact is dated to the middle of IV century BC

In total, farmers breed more than 100 species of exotic birds. Those with shaggy paws make up a third of this amount. Domestic farmers should be aware that only a few breeds can survive in our climatic conditions.

Breeds of decorative chickens

Shaggy chickens with their unusual appearance attract the attention of many people. Not only experienced breeders are interested in them, but also ordinary animal lovers. Today on the domestic market one can find such varieties of chicken breeds with shaggy legs:

• Kokhinhin ;
• Sultanka;
• Brahma ;
• Ushanka;
• Faverol ;
• Siberian leg-foot.

Each breed has its own external features that highlight her among the rest of the feathered representatives. Such chickens, despite their decorative affiliation, are able to give the breeder, with proper care, average egg production. So, the Brahma breed gives up to 120 eggs per year (each egg has a weight of 55-60 g). And Ushanka – up to 180 eggs (58-65 g each). That is, the farmer who starts such chickens receives not only decoration, but also a valuable productive bird.

High productivity indicators among shaggy hens can also affect live weight.At home, with proper care, the Faverol breed can be a real find for a person. The live weight of such birds often reaches 5 kg. Kokhinhin has the same indicators.

Kokhinhin

Kokhinhin is a breed of chickens with shaggy paws, bred in Indochina in the 9th century. Such a bird is one of the founders of modern breeding. Having entered the territory of Russia in the 19th century, individuals of Kokhinhin became one of the most popular in domestic farms. Such chickens in suitable conditions can be distinguished by good endurance, as well as productivity in the winter. The photos of laying hens of this breed more than once graced the most popular farming magazines.

Breed chickens Kokhinhin

Before you get a livestock from Konkhankhin you need to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of this breed. In addition to the beautiful appearance of the farmers are attracted:

• unpretentiousness in food;
• the ability to get eggs in winter;
• big weight of carcasses;
• lack of need for long walking.

There are also disadvantages of this breed. The most important of them is the high price in the market for one head. In addition, when breeding at home, these birds quickly lose their breed characteristics. Also, Kochenkhins have a slow ripening of chickens.

Such chickens with unusual legs are massive, therefore they belong to meat breeds. The head is small, the eyes are convex, and a scarlet rough tuft flaunts on the head.

The plumage can have a different color. It depends on which variety Kokhinkhin itself. There are black, white and two-tone and even brown colors of these birds. The most exotic species is the striped type of birds. Such a breed has a black and blue coloring, it is because of it that these birds are so popular.

Siberian leg warders

Siberian leg warders were bred in Russia. There is no exact historical confirmation of exactly when the discovery of this breed occurred. Due to wars, revolution and famine, in which the country was immersed in the first half of the 20th century, the representatives of these birds were completely destroyed.

Several decades ago, breeders were able to find several birds with shaggy nature left in nature kicked and resumed their population. Now, the breed of leg-legged has become one of the most popular in Russia, partly because of its unusual appearance. In the photo, Siberian leg warriors look more like a wild than a farm bird.

Siberian chicken breed The millipedes

The benefits of the restored populations of the millipedes indicated that the birds were in demand in the market.Each breeder who bought a livestock of “Siberian” birds can be satisfied with:

• egg productivity (up to 180 pieces per year);
• average carcass weight (2.5-3 , 5 kg);
• high fertility of eggs;
• ease of care for birds.

The chicken of this breed has a long thick beard (it also has and males). The crest on the head is small, so it is often not visible under the crest. Shaggy cover is a protection against severe domestic frosts. Its color is black with a noticeable sheen.

The fact that the birds on the market are called Siberian Shooters does not indicate their exact identity with the extinct representatives of birds. In comparison with the claimed description of the beginning of the XX century, these chickens are endowed with a pink-like crest. Modern Siberians are horn-shaped. There are also differences with the paws. The current breed is endowed with the plumage of a “spruce paw”, while the old birds did not have such a feature.

Brahma

Brahma is an American chicken with shaggy legs bred in the second half of the XIX century.

It became popular after the rulers of the United States presented the individual to the Queen of England. Already at that time, farmers noticed an unusual appearance of such individuals. The color of the birds is light, partridge shade often prevails (the full name of the breed is Brahma partridge). The body is massive, the head is small. The plumage itself has the property of expanding.In adulthood, these birds become like a big soft toy and when blowing even the lightest wind, they become like a fan.

Brahma chicken breed

Such hairy-footed birds are popular all over the world. They are also found in domestic markets. They have many advantages. Some of them:

• good immunity and endurance;
• unpretentiousness in the content;
• average productivity indicators for meat and eggs.

Chickens with legs covered with thick plumage can be attributed to meat and egg breeds . Egg production – up to 140 pieces per year. The color of the eggs is white with dark spots on the shell. The weight of the carcass is 3.5-5 kg. The net yield of this product is 50-52%. The meat itself is tasty, but there is a slight stiffness that is not characteristic of most domesticated birds.

The color of the feathers in such birds can be different. Partridge broods have a white color with black spots on the body. Brown and red feathers are sometimes found. Such birds are similar to pheasants in the structure of their bodies, as well as the crest that stands out on their heads.

Features of other decorative birds

Pavlovsky hens are one of the most beautiful decorative birds .

They were bred in the 18th century in Russia in the village of Pavlovo (hence the name).The main task of breeders of that time was related to obtaining strong individuals calmly tolerating frosts. Specialists coped with the task for all 5. Since that time, the population of these birds has grown to millions and does not decrease until today.

The appearance of the Pavlovsky hens is impressive. They have a bright dense plumage, the color of which may be different. Most often, individuals with orange-black plumage are found.

Pavlov breed chickens

It is the color scheme that determines the bird’s belonging to one of the 2 varieties of Pokrovtsy. The silvery appearance differs in the appearance of a crest on the head: it is flattened from the sides. The color of the feathers of such representatives is white, sometimes black. The gold look has a rough tuft and standard color scheme. In the general photo, these features of the appearance of the breeds are immediately evident.

In addition to their unusual appearance, representatives of this breed have no advantages for the breeder. There are many shortcomings. Patrons are choosy in nutrition, care and maintenance, have low productivity. It is advisable to contain them only for aesthetic pleasure.

Sushchess exist and newer domestic breeds breed birds. One of them is the earflaps, obtained by crossing Pokrovsky and Orlov chickens . The plumage of her representatives is brown, and the tail is black. Due to its high productivity, Ushanka is popular among domestic farmers. One female gives up to 170 eggs per year with a weight of 2.5 kg. Roosters are a little larger – they can reach a mass of up to 3 kg. The disadvantages of such birds are very few. The most important of them is the difficulty of keeping in high humidity.Often these climatic conditions cause diseases.