Exotic Chinese Silk Chicken
The Chinese silk chicken is a completely unusual breed, a native of Southeast Asia that can be seen in a photo or video. Her feathers are more like rabbit fluff than the usual bird plumage. The skin and meat of chickens and roosters are black. The breed belongs to the decorative ones that are worth admiring, although recently it has begun to be bred on an industrial scale. In Western Europe and North America, exotic black meat has become popular.
Chinese silk chicken
Description of the breed
The Chinese silk chicken is very ancient. The first descriptions of it date back to the 13th century. Bred birds at the courts of Chinese emperors. Black meat and testicles were used to treat diseases. Birds came to Europe in the 18th century. At first, there were legends that these chickens were born from crossing a rooster with a rabbit. It was easy to believe in them, because the plumage of the chickens is completely unusual.
In silk individuals, feathers do not have specific hooks with which they are fastened together. In addition, there is no solid nib shaft. As a result, the plumage becomes fluffy and soft like silk. It seems that the Chinese black silk chickens are covered with soft down, the normal feather structure is only on the primary feathers. Chickens do not shed at juvenile age. Otherwise, the description and characteristics of appearance are as follows:
- Small head
- Rose-shaped scallop, no teeth
- Small beak
- Scallop and beak color - bluish gray
- Earrings are poorly developed, red-gray shade
- The earlobes are small, turquoise in color
- On the head there is a lush and fluffy tuft, tanks and a beard
- The neck is short, stocky, giving the birds a proud bearing
- The body is strong and tightly knit
- The back is shortened and widened, rises steeply
- The tail is short, hiding behind the fluffy plumage
- Feet completely covered
Another distinctive feature of babies is the presence of five well-developed toes. Their skin is almost black, which gives the carcasses a special exotic look. The character of chickens is very calm and friendly, they can follow on the heels of their master, sometimes they even sing in an original way. It is better to see the appearance of a Chinese silk chicken in the photo and video.
Colors of silk Chinese chickens
Those who deal with silk Chinese hens are aware of the variety of their colors. Despite the fact that the skin of birds is black, the color of the feather can be almost any. Unless a completely white color is extremely rare. The most popular colors of silk Chinese chickens:
- Completely black plumage
- Silver
- Blue
- Shade of lavender
- Little red
- partridge
- Yellowish
In addition to the standard breed, there are also dwarf ones. They weigh about half a kilogram. Dwarf chickens are also black, with fluffy plumage and approximately the same body structure as large ones.
Product characteristics
Chinese silk hens are admired by many.But can they be useful for something else besides decorating the yard? the food characteristics of hens and roosters are rather weak. They are compensated by the high cost of meat, despite the fact that it is black. Here is a description of the breed's performance:
- Chickens weigh -1-1.1 kg, roosters - 1.5-2 kg
- Annual number of eggs - 80-120 pieces
- Egg mass - 35-40 g
- Egg production begins early, at 4 months
Their meat is very tasty, it contains a unique set of amino acids, minerals and vitamins. Silk chicken is considered a delicacy in China and many Asian countries. The meat and eggs of silk Chinese chickens are used to make medicines in oriental medicine. A dark carcass is unattractive in appearance, but this is fully compensated for by its taste and useful properties. Black meat is good for broth, it can be grilled, marinated in honey juice, etc.
In addition to traditional products, fluff is also obtained from this breed. Crested downy hens get their hair cut every two months. For two haircuts, it is easy to get 120-130 g of product. The silky edge can be used for stuffing pillows, making yarn for knitting. the life expectancy of chickens is 5-6 years. All this time, they lay eggs perfectly and reproduce.
Advantages, disadvantages and features of selection
Not so many farmers are engaged in Chinese silk chickens. But they get great reviews. After all, these beauties are grown not so much for the sake of meat and eggs, as for the sake of the original appearance. The advantages of the description of the breed include:
- Decorativeness
- Unpretentious content
- Cold resistance
- The beneficial properties of meat and testicles
They have Chinese silk chickens and their disadvantages. The disadvantages of the breed include:
- Low productivity
- High cost
Sometimes black meat is brought into the disadvantages. But now it is becoming so popular that it is more of a virtue. White mascaras in stores are cheaper than black ones. To increase the productivity of chickens, while maintaining the original plumage and dark color of the carcass, experts carry out complex breeding. The following breeds take part in it:
- Brama and Orpington - to increase weight
- Yurlovskaya breed of chickens, Leghorn, Rhode Island - to increase the number of eggs
- Araucan - an increase in egg weight, the acquisition of an interesting green color
These breeds are crossed with silk chickens only once. In the future, mating occurs only between hybrid Chinese hens and cockerels.
Keeping chickens
Despite its exoticism, Chinese silk chickens are unpretentious in keeping. They are able to live like in cages, and free-range or in a closed poultry house. With the cage content, the productivity of layers increases by 25-30%. Therefore, in industrial breeding, they prefer this particular method of keeping.
If you decide to keep silk chickens in the poultry house, try to equip it correctly. The area of the room must be at least 10-15 m². You can keep 2-4 chickens on one square meter. It is best to cover the walking area with a net to protect the chickens from predators. Both the room and the pen should be kept clean. Delicate silky feathers quickly get dirty and deteriorate, especially on the paws. You can put ash containers for chickens so that they can take a bath. This will not only keep the plumage clean, but also protect from parasites.
The lighting in the house should be good. For 10 m² of floor it is desirable to make one window with an area of one square meter. The power of the bulbs in the house should be 60 kW. the chicken coop is regularly ventilated or a hood is installed in it. Make sure that there are no drafts. Heating is not necessary, unless the region has very cold winters. The litter is changed regularly as soon as it becomes dirty. The thickness of the litter should be at least 10-15 cm; only the top layer can be removed when replacing. Mix well shavings or straw with ash or slaked lime to combat microbes and parasites.
Feeding chickens
Chinese fluffy chickens are unpretentious in food. They are small, so the consumption of feed is not too large. You can feed the birds ready compound feed, or compose the menu yourself. The diet should contain:
- Grain (wheat, corn, oats, barley)
- Legumes (peas, lentils)
- Vegetables (boiled potatoes, beets, carrots, zucchini, pumpkin)
- Greens or herbal flour in winter
- Meat and fish meal
- Sunflower or soybean cake
- Brewer's yeast
- Mineral additives - gravel, chalk, salt
- Vitamin supplements such as Premix
It is allowed to feed chickens with kitchen waste, but always fresh. There should always be some water in the poultry house, change it at least twice a day. All chickens are fed 3 times a day. In the morning and in the evening, they give grain, and at lunchtime, wet mash. It is important to feed at the same time. Separate containers are placed for wet and dry food, as well as for water.
Diseases of chickens
Chickens of the Chinese silk breed are quite resistant to various diseases. Most problems arise from improper maintenance and care. Some infections can also affect the livestock, especially if they arose in neighboring chickens. The most common pathologies:
- Pulmonary diseases (pneumonia, bronchitis)
- colds
- Gastrointestinal infections and inflammations
- Rickets
- Worms
- Skin parasites
If you properly care for Chinese silk chickens, there will be no problems. Small chickens must be vaccinated. Vaccination helps prevent the most dangerous infections that can kill an entire herd. Periodically, you can mix antibiotics or potassium permanganate in your drink. For the prevention of helminthic infestations, birds are given antiparasitic agents. Regular grooming and insecticide treatment of feathers helps to fight skin parasites.
It is difficult to determine the pathology on your own. If the slightest symptoms appear, you should contact your veterinarian. For the treatment of diseases, immunomodulators, antibiotics, antiviral agents are used. In case of vitamin deficiencies, nutrition is adjusted, supplements are prescribed. Be sure to tell the veterinarian in detail about the diet of chickens and caring for them, this will help to quickly identify the problem and cure it.
Breeding chickens
To breed chickens, you need to buy a hatching egg or form a parent flock of adult chickens. Chinese roosters are very active, so one rooster can be kept for 7-10 females. Mother hens can produce chicks up to 5-6 years old, males are kept only for 2-3 years. Chinese silk chickens are excellent brood hens, there are no problems with natural breeding. Sometimes they are used to hatch the eggs of other chickens and even ducks.
Chickens of the Chinese silk breed are very sensitive to temperature extremes. Improper maintenance and care of them in the first weeks can lead to the loss of half of the herd. If chicks are bred without a brood hen, they are placed in a broiler as soon as they hatch from the eggs. brooder or a box with a temperature of 30 degrees. Over the course of a week, it is gradually reduced by 2-3 degrees. They do well for a month at normal room temperature.
Feeding with silk chicks is no problem. Like other breeds, they first eat a boiled egg and curd with herbs. Then they are given porridge, steamed grain. Boiled potatoes are added to the diet from a week, and mineral supplements from two weeks. To prevent intestinal diseases, potassium permanganate, chloramphenicol or other antibacterial drugs are mixed into the water.
How much are the birds of this breed. If you decide to get serious about Chinese silk cuties, be prepared for their prices. A hatching egg costs 200-250 rubles. Daily chickens - 400-500 rubles. The price of adult hens and roosters is about 1000 rubles per head. A family of a rooster and 3-4 chickens can be bought for 4000-5000 rubles. The implementation is carried out in the Moscow region, Moscow and other large cities. The breed is really royal, therefore, its elite farms are bred.