Breeds of chicken meat and egg direction: an overview with a photo and description

Chickens are one of the best species of livestock for agriculture. For hundreds of years, people have successfully raised these animals, getting not only eggs, but also tasty, juicy meat. Moreover, hens are also used in the textile industry - because of their fluff.

Any farmer makes every effort to make chickens more useful for his farm. And, today, the science of selection has reached such heights that it can offer the world a mass of breeds of these “chicken friends”.

Let's look at the most popular breeds of chicken meat and egg direction, and also determine their advantages and disadvantages.

general description

Meat and egg hens are universal. They cope well with their main task - laying eggs, and are also suitable for slaughter, and cooking meat dishes. Each species has its own characteristics: appearance, egg production, weight, as well as conditions for proper maintenance and care.

But, regardless of the particular breed, they all have common advantages that distinguish them from the rest:

• Such chickens are large, I have a strong body, developed muscles. The mass of these birds, in most cases, varies between 4-6 kg .;
• Due to the high weight, such birds cannot fly for a long time, which greatly simplifies the process of feeding, care, breeding;
• The vast majority of such breeds are very hardy, persist in common diseases, and are unpretentious in food;
• Such chickens are often called common user, because they are simply ideal for the household. Many of these breeds were bred by crossbreeding.

Benefits

Why do many farmers prefer this breed of chickens? We will analyze their main advantages:

• The most significant advantage is versatility. Such chickens are in no way inferior to varieties intended for egg laying, and also, due to their high weight, they are also grown for meaty carcasses;
• Also, as was written above, these breeds cannot fly due to their heavy weight. And they, unlike laying hens, are not so active. These factors seriously simplify their content, in part - to create the most favorable living conditions;
• Another advantage is their profitability. They are unpretentious to the conditions of detention, to feed. So, at the lowest cost, they bring maximum benefits;
• Growth speed is another important plus. For example, when in the brood there were more roosters, then they can be sent for slaughter after only 5 months;
• Quots, however, are characterized by an increased rate of maturation. They can also begin to hatch eggs after 5-6 months, when ordinary breeds are just beginning to develop;
• Strong immunity, and attractive appearance also make them profitable. After all, no one wants to breed senile, weak chickens that require almost sterile living conditions.

disadvantages

Of course, after reading all the advantages, you might think that these birds are almost perfect. But, in reality, not everything is so beautiful. Meat and egg breeds also have some disadvantages.

Firstly, it is worth considering the fact that many of these chickens fledge rather slowly at a young age. Therefore, they should be watched much longer, kept in the greenhouses of their chicks.

Secondly, only a few hens are able to maintain their “productivity” for a long time. So, the maximum period of their egg production is about 2-3 years.

Rating of the best meat and egg breeds of chickens

Many farmers often face the problem of choosing a specific chicken breed, and this is not strange, since today you can find just a huge number of all kinds of breeds.

But, according to reviews, you can build a rating of those birds that are most often found on farms. Let's look at these breeds, find out about their characteristics, and determine which breed is worth choosing for your household.

Top 1 Kuchinsky Jubilee

The most popular breed among all meat and egg chickens. To get it, breeders worked for almost several hundred years. Probably every resident of our country is familiar with this bird.

It was registered in the register only in 1990. Then this event was almost a turning point in the poultry industry. And all due to the fact that this chicken was able to make healthy competition with foreign ones.

The main parameters of the Kuchinsky anniversary:

• The feather is painted in bright red color, in hens it is slightly lighter, has a black border. The physique is quite powerful, muscular, the most well developed brisket, back and stomach;
• The eggs begin to lay in 150 days, and for the whole year you can get about 250 eggs of 50-70 grams. The color of their shell is brown-pink. Chickens have a weight of up to 3.5 kg., Roosters - up to 4-5;
• The birds are quite calm, get along well with other breeds. They take good care of their offspring, and can even give shelter to foundlings, if there is a need;
• The breed is resistant to cold, does not get sick, tolerates any weather conditions. It belongs to the type of frost-resistant, therefore, it is grown to a greater extent in the northern part of Russia.

Top 2 Rhode Island

This bird was brought to us from America. But, it has also become widespread in our country. Today, these hens are used by breeders to cross with other breeds, or to get new crosses.

The greatest number of these birds is observed at home - with American farmers. But, we can also meet them. Here are the key features of Rhode Island:

• The color is brown-red, a little with a chocolate tint. Feathers are lush and dense, protect the animal from adverse weather conditions. Young birds can grow feathers at 2 months of age;
• The breed is unpretentious in terms of nutrition, but is characterized by increased appetite;
• Adult roosters have a mass of about 3.5 kg., Chickens grow up to 3 kg. About 230 eggs can be laid per year;
• Rhode Island is also very calm, friendly. But, roosters can show their not the best qualities. Aggressiveness is often caused by the fact that families are not formed correctly, or the house is too populated by other breeds of chickens.

Top 3 Hercules

This bird was brought by professor Bondarenko. The famous man devoted almost his entire life to this cause. It was he who was the head of the breeders' team, and he actively participated in the breeding of the Hercules breed.

To achieve the goal, breeders used a variety of foreign breeds, and after a couple of decades they were able to achieve a result. In the year 2000. The breed gained popularity due to its increased immunity, as well as resistance to frost.

Characteristics:

• The weight of roosters reaches 5 kg., Quotes - up to 4 kg. The last for a year can lay about 250 eggs, 65-75 grams each;
• In addition to these parameters, Hercules chickens have a very attractive appearance. So, among them you can meet chickens with different colors. The most beautiful are bluish birds with glittering feathers. There are also golden, striped, black and white;
• Another plus is fast growth. Feather birds at the age of 5-6 months.

Top 4 Zagorsk Salmon

This breed saw the light with the help of domestic scientists back in 1955. She appeared in Sergiev Posad.Today, the breed is mostly used for breeding new hens of high "productivity".

How does it differ:

• Layers have pink feathers. Cockerels - black and white, with a salmon shade;
• An adult rooster weighs about 3 kg., Chicken - 2.5;
• Lay laying eggs begin at the age of six months. The eggs are large, 70-80 grams each. For a year they are able to inflict about 250 pieces;
• Even from a very early age, these birds show clear sex differences. Girls have pinkish stripes, boys are painted in darker colors.

Top 5 Plymouthrock

Plymouthrock appeared in the XIX century. The birthplace of the breed is USA. In those days, breeders managed to grow, probably, the most highly productive chicken breed, with a minimum of flaws.

The main difference of Plymouth Rock is several color options. For example, chickens with white feathers will rush better, and laying hens with a striped color are more attractive - decorative.

Options:

• For a year they can lay 160-190 eggs with brown shells;
• Pretty fast-growing individuals. Chicks fledge much faster than the above breeds;
• The weight of a healthy rooster varies between 3-4 kg., Chickens weigh up to 3 kg .;
• The main advantage is a clearly expressed instinct of incubation. In one season, 2-3 generations are able to grow.

Top 6 Pushkinskaya

Many farmers call this breed rural, because it is precisely such hens that are most often found on domestic poultry farms. Of course, this bird was bred by ours - domestic breeders.

The first work on selection was carried out as far back as 1976, during the Soviet era. But to achieve real success, it took a couple of decades. So, Pushkinskaya entered the register only in 2005.

Features of the breed:

• The most important thing is the ability to maintain performance for 5-7 years. Moreover, hens are able to lay about 300 eggs per year;
• The growth and maturation of these chickens occurs at an average pace. In mature age, individuals weigh a little - up to 3 kg .;
• The Pushkinsky are also distinguished by their unpretentiousness in care and nutrition. Young birds have a high survival rate of up to 98%;
• They have a motley, striped, black and white color. There are gray, red birds.