Czech chickens dominant
Chickens Dominant is a highly productive breed of laying hens, whose homeland is the Czech Republic. In terms of the number of eggs, it surpasses such popular breeds as Leghorn, Sussex, Cornish, Loman Brown. However, some of them took part in its breeding. The breeders managed to achieve not only high productivity. These chickens have a beautiful, almost artistic style of color. The birds are getting great reviews. It is not difficult to find hatching eggs and chickens on the market, they are sold in any batch.
- Description of the breed
- Breed productivity
- Varieties of the breed
- Dominant speckled D 959
- Dominant partridge D 300
- Dominant tricolor D 301
- Dominant black D 109
- Dominant black D 149
- Dominant Sussex D 104
- Dominant Sussex D 304
- Dominant Leghorn D 229
- Dominant red D 853
- Dominant amber D 843
- Dominant blue D 107
- Dominant brown D 102 and D 192
- Dominant red striped D 159
- Dominant red striped D 459
- Advantages of the breed
- Features of the content
- Bird feeding
- Breeding chickens
Description of the breed
The Czech breeding school is not the most famous in the world, but it has enough scientific potential. The Czechs managed to create an excellent hybrid. The task was to breed chickens with high productivity, disease resistance, unpretentiousness in feeding and keeping. In addition, breeders tried to fix beautiful plumage in the genome. To achieve such goals, the following breeds began to be crossed:
The goals were fully achieved. The Czech dominant has become known all over the world. It was even included in the Swiss organic food program. Video, photos and descriptions of Dominant hens can be found on the website. Here are the typical signs of the breed:
- The body is massive, large in size, with a red "face".
- The head is small, the comb and earrings are bright scarlet, the cockerels have a little more than the hens.
- The wings fit snugly to the body.
- Legs are short, light yellow, covered with lush feathers, which makes the laying hens look squat.
- The plumage is multi-colored, depending on the species.
Chickens of the Czech Dominant breed can live and carry in any conditions. Even in the north, where many other layers are losing their productivity, Dominants adapt well. They have a very strong immunity, birds are not sensitive to most chicken pathologies, some diseases are only tolerated in a mild form. The study of all the symptoms of pathologies can take a long time, therefore, in case of problems, it is better to contact a veterinarian.
Breed productivity
The productivity of chickens of the Dominant breed is very high. Even with poor feeding and unfavorable conditions, they continue to lay eggs well. In addition, cockerels and hens weigh quite a lot, which is not typical for the egg direction. Here are the characteristics of these amazing laying hens:
- the annual number of eggs is 300 or more;
- weight at the age of 4.5 months - 2.5 kg;
- the survival rate of chickens is 94-99%, the hatching egg is well fertilized;
- average daily feed consumption - 120-125 g, average annual - 45 kg;
- eggs Weigh an average of 70 g.
Chickens begin to hatch at the age of 5 months, reaching maximum indicators in a year and a half.At about 3 years old, some of them are sent for meat, leaving only the best specimens. Productivity decreases slightly during the molt period, which begins in late autumn and lasts for about two months. The average lifespan of Dominant chickens is 9-10 years, but keeping birds for so long is unprofitable, unless they are valuable individuals intended for the tribe. This primarily applies to roosters.
There are different types of Dominant laying hens. The performance of these crosses can vary for the better or for the worse. In addition, the varieties have different plumage colors. All Dominants are being sold. Before you buy a hatching egg or chicken, you need to carefully read all the lines. Details of the different crosses are described below.
Varieties of the breed
Different crosses were bred on the basis of Dominant laying hens. They differ in performance indicators, appearance, plumage color. A common feature of all crosses is high egg production, good tolerance to low temperatures and other unfavorable conditions, and resistance to infections. Everyone who decided to start this breed is not even talking about replacing it. Below is a brief description and description of all varieties.
Dominant speckled D 959
Chickens of the Dominant speckled breed have a cuckoo, black and white plumage. They adapt perfectly in cold climates, rarely get sick. The eggs are white or cream colored. In the cross Dominant speckled, it is easy to determine the gender, the black and white hen grows feathers earlier than the roosters. Egg production is defined as good, reaches 300 pieces per year, the average weight of an egg is 65 g.
Dominant partridge D 300
The birds of this species have become popular because of the beautiful color of their feathers. They shimmer with brown and gold colors, like the Italian gold breed and brown Leghorns. Distantly resemble the plumage of wild birds. The egg production of this hybrid is not too high, 25-265 pieces per year, therefore partridge hens are bred in private households, partly as decorative birds.
Dominant tricolor D 301
The dominant tricolor D 301 was obtained by crossing triple-colored Leghorns with brown Leghorns. The result is beautiful birds with very interesting plumage. It shimmers with red, gold and brown tones. Colored chickens do not have too high egg production, about 20-250 pieces per year, because their cultivation and sale is practiced in private farms, the poultry farm is interested in higher productivity.
Dominant black D 109
Dominant black D 109 are distinguished by very high immunity, viability reaches 100%. The color of the feathers of chickens and roosters is black, the earrings and combs are bright. Layers Dominant black cross D 109 - very good hens and mothers. Their productivity is 300-315 eggs per year, weighing up to 70 g. The mass of females reaches 2 kg, males - 3 kg. This cross has a wonderful character, the black bird is absolutely not shy, it gladly makes contact.
Dominant black D 149
Like the previous cross, the D 149 has a bright black plumage, which is why it is appreciated in private households. These chickens are bred to obtain environmentally friendly products. They are distinguished by their peaceful nature, good adaptability when kept in any conditions. A black laying hen produces 290-300 eggs per year with an average weight of 62 g, dark brown shells.
Dominant Sussex D 104
the dominant Sussex adapts well to cold climates, the vitality of birds is 98%. The color of the feathers of this Dominant is white with a silvery sheen, only the head and tail are of a dark gray shade. Carries well, gives 290-310 eggs per year, with good nutrition this figure rises to 320 pieces. The maximum egg production is observed at 18 months. Roosters Weigh about 2.5 kg, chickens 1.6-1.8 kg. In this cross, like in others, it is easy to determine the male and female type of chicks by their feathering speed.
Dominant Sussex D 304
In appearance, this cross resembles D 104. The feathers of birds are white, and the head and tail are black. It differs from the previous cross in lower egg production. Females produce 25-260 eggs a year, weighing about 60 g, with a white shell. The weight of the birds themselves is 1.5-2 kg at the age of 18 months. This cross is bred most often on personal plots and in small private farms.
Dominant Leghorn D 229
This cross dominant has white feathers. Differs in strong vitality, in the region of 96-97%. Laying hens productivity is also high - 305-310 eggs per year. The birds weigh a little, about 1.3-1.5 kg. Good egg production at low feed costs made White Dominants very profitable for breeding. They are most often found on industrial farms. The hatching egg of this hybrid may cost a little more than the rest.
Dominant red D 853
The Red Dominant is one of the most unproductive crosses of this breed. Chickens begin to hatch at 23 weeks, the average is 250-270 eggs per year, sometimes less. The plumage is very beautiful, red and brown. Chickens got this color from their parents, brown and red Rhode Islands. Layers red Dominant are unpretentious in keeping, well suited for breeding near a private house and in small farms.
Dominant amber D 843
The birds have a beautiful amber plumage color, calm and peaceful temperament. The egg production of a hybrid is 300-310 pieces per year. The average weight of one egg is 62 g, the shell is brown. Laying hens weight - about 1.5 kg, cockerels - 2 kg. Viability reaches 93-96%. The average feed consumption for this cross is 120 g per day or 45 kg per year.
Dominant blue D 107
The dominant blue D 107 is a very beautiful bird, resembles the color of its plumage of Andalusian chickens, looks very beautiful in the photo. It adapts well to harsh climatic conditions, surpasses the black cross in terms of vitality. Chickens can lay about 300 eggs per year, the weight of one is 60 g. The weight of males is 3 kg, adult chickens are 2.15 kg.
Dominant brown D 102 and D 192
Dominant brown D 102 is one of the most productive varieties. Egg production reaches 320 pieces per year, the average egg weight is 62 g. The weight of the birds themselves is small, roosters weigh about 2 kg, hens - 1.4 kg. Brown cross Dominant D 102 is one of the most popular in households and industrial farms. Differs in strong immunity, good adaptation to low temperatures. Cross D 192 has a lower productivity, layers produce 300-305 eggs per year. Compared to other breeds, this is not such a significant drawback.
Dominant red striped D 159
Cross red striped dominant came from crossing a Rhode Island rooster with red plumage and a chicken of the same variety with brown feathers. The result is a bird of an interesting color, in which both parental shades are combined. Layers of striped Dominants produce up to 305-310 eggs per year, their weight is slightly more than 60 g.
Dominant red striped D 459
Cross Dominant red striped D 459 was obtained by crossing Island roosters and Sussex hens. The result is beautiful birds that have a variegated, red-brown color. Their productivity is high, females carry 300-305 eggs per year, with a brown shell and weighing 60-65 g. This value can increase with balanced feeding.
Advantages of the breed
Laying hens of the Dominant breed won the hearts of their owners for a reason. The years of work of Czech breeders were not in vain. It is difficult to overestimate the merits of crosses. Here are some of the most significant benefits of this variety:
- High egg production of chickens (from 300 to 320 pieces throughout the year).
- Birds begin to lay at 4-5 months and very soon reach the threshold of their 50% productivity.
- Dominant chickens do not stop running even with a decrease in daylight hours, although artificial lighting can increase egg production.
- The breed can be kept both in cages and free-range.
- Chickens are very viable, 94-99% of the young survive.
- The Dominant breed of chickens is undemanding to feed, birds do not need special additives or mixtures, the food standard for all domestic chickens is quite suitable.
There are practically no drawbacks in Dominant laying hens. Sometimes farmers note that chickens become aggressive in winter, peck each other and your own eggs. This is due to a lack of vitamins and minerals. Correcting this behavior is simple: you need to balance the diet, introduce vitamin supplements, chalk, crushed shells and other useful substances into it.
Features of the content
Chickens of the Dominant breed are absolutely unpretentious in keeping. They can be bred in cages, poultry houses with an aviary or free grazing. It is noted that the productivity of the cross increases if the birds have the opportunity to walk in the fresh air, therefore the last two options for keeping are more acceptable.
What are the requirements for a poultry house? This can be the most common barn, like for other poultry. But to increase productivity, it is worth adhering to the following rules when arranging a room:
- No more than 4-5 birds should live on 1 m² of the area.
- It is better to make the floor wooden; a litter of straw or peat is placed on the boards.
- For the prevention of diseases, the litter is treated with slaked lime, changed as it gets dirty.
- Heating for the chicken coop is not required, but before winter all cracks should be carefully caulked, the outer walls should be insulated.
- If the temperature in the region drops below -10 ° C, temporary heating of the house should be considered. Even hardy chickens like the Dominant can freeze.
- It is advisable to equip a walking area at the rate of 3-4 m² per individual. This can be an aviary or a fenced yard.
- The house should have separate feeders for grain, wet food and water tanks.
- The poultry house is cleaned 2-3 times a month, general cleaning is carried out every six months.
Laying hens of the dominant breed do not fly well, they do not need a corral with a high fence. This cross tolerates low temperatures better than high ones, therefore you need to ensure that in the summer it is not too hot in the poultry house, especially when caged. It is better to equip the aviary in a shaded place, on the north or east side. The chicken coop is regularly ventilated; with a large population, it is best to install a hood. They also make sure that there are no drafts in the room: this can undermine the health of the birds and reduce egg production.
Bird feeding
Feeding Dominant chickens at home is not difficult. Even if the food is of poor quality, the egg production of birds is maintained. But it is not possible to achieve maximum productivity in such conditions, therefore it is better that the diet be varied and balanced. The food includes the following foods:
- grain of wheat, barley, oats;
- wheat bran;
- soybean or sunflower meal;
- meat and bone meal;
- boiled potatoes;
- peas;
- sugar beets;
- return;
- animal fats;
- herbal flour;
- complexes of vitamins.
In summer, chickens can get green feed on their own. They are given grain and wet mash of boiled vegetables three times a day. You can also feed the birds during this period with zucchini, pumpkin, plant tops, peelings. In winter, be sure to add hay or silage to the feed. It is important to increase the protein content of the diet in cold weather. Chickens are given peas and hay from legumes, reverse, meat broth.
Be sure to put a separate container with water in the house, which must always be clean and fresh. A vessel with crushed shells and pebbles is placed next to it. These substances contribute to the grinding of coarse grain feed in the goiter, make up for the lack of minerals. For the eggshell to be strong, birds need calcium and vitamin D, therefore fish oil and chalk can be included in the food. At the end of winter and early spring, to increase the number of eggs, premix or other vitamin complexes are added to the diet.
Breeding chickens
To breed chickens of the Dominant breed, you need to choose the right cross. If you grow birds in a backyard environment, any variety will do. For commercial commercial breeding, it is best to choose:
- Sussex D 104;
- Black D 109;
- Speckled D 954;
- Blue D 107;
- Brown D 102.
The instinct for incubating chicks in hybrid birds is poorly developed (with the exception of some crosses), but the offspring survive well, therefore it is better to plant on the hatching egg on other chickens (for example, Loman Brown) or keep it in an incubator. The hatchability rate is high, and the survival rate of the chicks is good, even beginners are able to hatch the chicks. The incubation conditions are standard for them. If you follow the instructions, in 80-90% the result will be positive.
In the first days after the chicks emerge, they are kept warm at a temperature of 28-30 ° C. It is lowered daily by 1-2 degrees until the numbers 18-20 ° C are reached. The box where the chickens live should be clean and dry, the bedding is changed daily. To prevent diseases, the chicks are vaccinated in the early days.
You need to feed the chickens after birth 6 times a day. They give a boiled egg, crumbly porridge, chopped nettle, quinoa, green onion. From 2-3 days, you can add cottage cheese, bread to the diet. Be sure to add crushed shells, coarse sand, chalk to the feed in order to improve the digestion of food. Special vitamin supplements will also come in handy. At 3-4 weeks, the chickens are taken outside, they gradually learn to look for food on their own. The Dominant is gaining weight quickly, almost like a broiler. It starts to rush very early. Distinguishing between males and females is simple: pullets become feathered faster.
How much does a Dominant chicken cost? The average price is 250-350 rubles per individual, a hatching egg costs 20-30 rubles. You need to buy chicks and testicles only from trusted producers. If a company is reliable, then it must have a certificate. There are specialized farms selling chickens in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. When buying chickens, be sure to check (not by word, but by documents) whether they have all the vaccinations.