✅ Mini meat breed of chickens. Mini meat chickens

Those of us who are actively interested in different breeds of chickens know that they are divided into meat and egg. Both directions are popular in their own way, are represented by many types and have their adherents. But many farmers are increasingly thinking about economic benefits, and for this, the chicken must lay eggs well, provide enough meat, and not be too voracious. In our opinion, mini-meat chickens have the above qualities; they come in such varieties as P-11 and B-33, which we’ll talk about today!

Breeding history

There are three main colors for mini meat chickens:

All three subspecies have the dwarfism gene. It was obtained through long-term selection and strict breeding work. To create the breed, Plymouth Rocks, Leghorns, Cornish, and Rhode Island dogs were used.

Today, preference is given to mini meat chickens to obtain:

egg products;
early maturing young animals;
highly productive maternal stock. In this case, a producer belonging to a large meat breed is placed with the chickens. As a result, early ripening broiler young animals are born; their meat is classified as a gourmet product.

Breeding

Note! The brooding instinct of mini-chickens P-11 and B-33 is weakened - this is the result of genetic changes to which they were subjected. To obtain offspring, they use an incubator or place eggs under an active hen from other breeds.

Mini chickens of breed B-33

Secrets of success in breeding:

select only the best representatives of the breed for the parent herd;
lay the largest eggs for incubation;
check each egg with an ovoscope;
provide the hen with everything necessary to prevent leaving the nest.

The chicks hatch at 20-21 days. Further care and feeding of the offspring is carried out according to standard rules.

general description

The dwarf form of mini meat chickens is widespread in European countries. The birds have the characteristics of almost all famous chickens that are raised on private farms. For example, we can cite Kokhs and Brahma; dwarfs will differ from them in their size.

Mini meat chickens have a compactly built body, typical for meat production. They have short limbs, the size of the metatarsus is 30% smaller when compared with a normal meat breed.

Initially, the breed had two main colors: white and fawn. But today there are red and black birds that are very similar in color to the Rhode Island.

All lines have dense plumage and a small leaf-shaped crest. If you place chickens with different colors into one flock, you will get chickens with unusual feather colors:

Varieties

There are several hundred dwarf breeds in the world - recognized and not standardized.

The most popular varieties are:

mini-meat chicken breeds;
mini eggs.

There are dwarf representatives of the decorative trend, but in terms of population size and popularity they are not able to compete with practical laying hens of the meat and egg production type. Below are brief reviews of the most popular mini breeds.

Mini meat breed P-11

The variety bred by breeders from VNITIP received the code name P-11. This species is the result of crossing Rhode Island with carriers of the dwarfism gene. P-11 is a mini-meat breed of chickens, the description of which repeats the characteristics of standard Rhode Island representatives with only a few differences:

body weight up to 2.3 kg in a male;
chicken weight - up to 1.8 kg;
shortened metatarsals;
a miniature, erect comb.

Mini chickens of breed P-11

There are 2 color options for the P-11 plumage:

Attention! The P-11 rooster is distinguished from the hen by the black-green tint of its flight feathers and tail braids.

A thoroughbred rooster completely replicates the traditional Rhode Island rooster in appearance, has the same physique, developed skeleton and wide chest. Chickens are distinguished by a less pronounced breast and belly, and a dull shade of plumage.

Fawn mini meat chickens are distinguished by increased egg production rates - they produce up to 200-240 eggs per year. They begin to lay eggs at 22-24 weeks of life. But the qualitative and quantitative indicators of the masonry directly depend on nutrition.

Mini egg breed B-33

Chickens obtained by crossing carriers of the dwarfism gene and Leghorns. Exterior differences between the male and female dwarf leghorn B-33 are presented in the table.

Important! If there is even a small colored mark, or if the body weight exceeds 1.7 kg, the birds are subject to culling. They are not used to produce offspring, but are used for meat.

Decorative dwarf chickens

The decorative type of chickens is an area of increased interest for collectors and breeders of exotic breeds. Among the representatives of dwarf varieties there are the most popular.

Millefleurs are French mottled chickens with an unknown breeding history. The birds are distinguished by their variegated, multi-colored colors and miniature bodies. Weight from 700 g to 1.4 kg, egg production - 120 eggs per year.
Cochin is a Chinese dwarf copy of the famous representatives of the meat type. There are about 10 different colors. Distinctive characteristics are a developed skeleton and muscles, curvaceous forms and rich feather cover. The dwarf Cochin's paws are covered with feathers to the tips of the toes.
Chabot is a Japanese bantam, no larger than a pigeon. Weighs about 500-800 g. There are different color variations, so there are no strict requirements for the color of feathers. The difference is a long tail sticking out above the back at a right angle. The body is miniature and elongated.

Additional Information! Fayumi is recognized as the oldest dwarf breed. The Egyptian bird existed long before our era, but received official recognition only in 1940. Fayumi is small in number and is on the list of protected species, so incubation material can only be obtained from gene pools and private collectors.

Mini chicken of Fayumi breed

Productive characteristics

If crossing with a meat producer is not carried out, then purebred chickens will fatten well. According to the control indicators for weight gain, the following results can be observed:

Livestock are culled if there is a significant deviation in weight and external characteristics

4 months and older

The maximum weight for a cockerel is 3 kg, for hens - 2.7 kg. Birds reach sexual maturity at the age of 6 months.

The white variety was obtained from the dwarf Leghorn breed. Chickens have universal productive qualities, and their egg production is almost equal to the best indicator inherent in the egg direction - approximately 180 pieces, average weight is 60 g.

What to look for when buying a hatching egg for mini meat chickens?

It is advisable to purchase an egg from a mature, well-developed laying hen that has not reached the age of three.
Roosters and hens must be of the same breed, but not related by blood. The appearance of the egg itself is also important. It should have a smooth shell, free of roughness, bluish dots, cracks and breaks. When choosing a farm that specializes in selling hatching eggs, it is recommended that you carefully read the reviews of other customers. It is advisable to deal with those farms that are located near your farm. Vibration and temperature changes that occur during the transportation of eggs significantly reduce the chances of getting chicks.

Conditions of detention and care

The mini meat breed is distinguished by its size, which means that it does not require much space to keep them; the room can be made very small. There are no subtleties, it is important to follow the following principles:

The mini meat breed is perfectly adapted to the climate of the middle zone. They don't have to build a heating system. But with the onset of winter, the owner will have to take care of additional lighting so that egg production remains at the level.
There should be nests and perches in the room.
The chicken coop must be provided with ventilation, but drafts must not be allowed to occur.
The litter must be dry and clean. It is recommended to use hay, straw or sawdust for this purpose. It is necessary to systematically agitate the layer so that it does not cake, remove contaminated areas and add new layers as needed.

Chickens that are kept for meat production can be kept in a cage-based manner. They have a wonderful, calm character and therefore can live without walks. But it will still be better if the birds can spend some time in the walking yard to find pasture or fresh greens.

White mini chickens V-66 and fawn chickens V-76, V-77

Basic rules for caring for ficus at home

Mini white chickens B-66 are very popular. On average, they lay up to 200 eggs per year. Adult roosters weigh 3 kg, chickens - 2.7 kg. At the same time, the feed consumed will be half as much as when achieving the same result from standard broilers. The meat from these chickens is of the highest quality.

B-76, B-77 have the same characteristics, but have a fawn color.

Peculiarities:

You should not let the bird out for a walk in rainy weather, because due to its low position, its feathers get very wet, and this bird loves dry keeping, warm and dry bedding;
nests should be placed no higher than 60cm from the floor;
Frequent cleaning and disinfection of the chicken coop is necessary, these chickens love clean keeping;
these chickens do not fly, and they can be released for walking without any fear in this regard;
per day, one individual needs 130g of food; in summer it is better to let it out for walking; in winter, you need to add hay to the food, give chalk, shells or shells.

Mini chickens of productive directions are a very economical investment that will quickly and more than pay for itself. A small cage with a herd of 10 bantams or, even better, millefleurs, will become fun and decorate the poultry yard. And, in general, the entire poultry yard with a mini bird can fit in one warm, but small room with a small walk.

Lyubov Kiseleva, Russia, told you about chickens.

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How did you appear?

This breed of chicken was developed in Russia. Its selection was carried out by the Zagorsk Institute of Poultry Breeding, which is located in the Moscow region. Abroad, mini-meat chickens became common a little later than breeding. And in some countries, these chickens have almost surpassed the standard meat or egg population.

The appearance of this breed became a sensation in poultry farming, because previously bred hybrids did not provide such productivity, both in egg production and meat quality. They quickly won the love of farmers because they are easy to maintain and can be suitable even for beginners in this business.

Reviews

Mini chickens have become synonymous with the word profitability for many farmers. Thanks to significant savings on feed, space and energy, it is possible to raise more livestock at lower costs. They also love the breed because they reproduce “in themselves”; it is enough to have a high-quality stock and not worry about it for about 2 years. We have already mentioned savings on feed, but the savings on one dozen eggs are also considerable - 600-800 g. Thanks to this, many farmers abandoned traditional chickens in favor of their smaller copies, as evidenced by their numerous positive reviews.

Distinctive features

First of all, the distinctive and main feature of such chickens is their rapid growth. Despite the fact that the bird eats little compared to other breeds of chickens, it gains weight much faster than its peers in age, but of a different breed.

On average, after 2 months, cockerels can gain weight up to 2 - 2.5 kg, and hens - 1-1.5 kg. And there are breeds of mini-meat chickens that can reach 3 or more kg at this age.

They are undemanding when it comes to types of feed. They feel great if they consume regular feed mixtures, both specialized ones and those mixed by hand. This breed of chickens is also characterized by high digestibility of food and fast metabolism, which is why they consume little feed. And their breeding becomes profitable and inexpensive for the poultry farmer.
These chickens also differ in that they are kept primarily in cages. About 10-11 chickens can be planted per 1 square meter.
But they will also feel great free-range in the chicken coop. To prevent various diseases, it is worth keeping clean both in the cages and throughout the chicken coop, since chickens react very sharply to any disease. This is due to the special physiology of these birds.

What types of dwarf chickens are there?

Miniature chicken breeds are divided into three main types: meat, meat and egg and egg. There are also decorative and fighting types.

Farmers prefer to breed versatile birds that are productive in two ways at once.

It is advantageous to use meat mini-chickens for fattening for meat. They consume little food, while their weight increases rapidly.

Egg breeds are bred specifically to produce eggs. They deserve wide distribution because of the opportunity to receive a stable income from the sale of these products. In addition, some chickens are able to incubate eggs and hatch offspring.

Care requirements

In order for a bird to feel comfortable and healthy, it is necessary to properly maintain it, prevent the occurrence of any diseases in a timely manner and provide adequate nutrition.

Mini meat chickens love warmth and dry bedding, so in the cold season you need to carefully insulate the chicken coop, and in the summer, make sure that the chickens do not walk in rainy weather, since their metatarsus is 30% - 40% lower than other chickens, because they are a dwarf subspecies. Because of this, the bird can rub its belly on the wet ground and catch a cold.
It is advisable that there is a bath filled with sand in the cage or poultry house so that the bird can clean itself, since the bottom of the bird gets dirty more often and more than ordinary chickens.
Nests for chickens should be located lower than usual at approximately 60 - 70 cm from the floor. General cleaning and disinfection of the chicken coop and run should be carried out more often than usual, preferably once a year, since mini meat chickens love cleanliness.

Feeding

One bird needs 130 grams of feed per day. You can feed them with both specialized feed and regular grain mixed with mineral and vitamin supplements. In the summer, you can give chickens free range if possible. They will eat grass roots, shrub foliage, and vegetable roots. The bird also loves insects, happily feasting on ant eggs, worms, bloodworms, and flies.

In winter, you need to provide chickens with hay. If the food is mixed by hand, then you should take care of the presence of fish or bone meal, chalk, and eggshells in it. Young animals should be given vitamin supplements. This ensures proper bone formation and good growth.

If the bird's diet is unbalanced, then the chickens may begin to peck at their own eggs. If this happens, then in the future the bird will continue to “mess up”, even if you adjust the diet. Therefore, it is better to either place such a bird in a separate cage, or fatten it before slaughter and slaughter it.

Successful examples

Rules for planting and caring for cordan roses at home

Here are some examples of successful and original designs for a chicken coop in the country.

Tunnel aviary

If you love your garden, but don't want to deprive your chickens of the opportunity to eat grass and insects, create a run for them in the form of a mesh tunnel. It can be carried as the birds pluck the grass. Roll the mesh into an arc, connect the edges at the bottom with fishing line, synthetic fiber rope, or wire. Such ligaments are also suitable for fastening parts of the tunnel together.

Chicken coop closet

A strict building reminiscent of a wardrobe. It has one drawback - additional lighting is required, since chickens do not see well in the twilight.

Chicken coop hut

The simplest design is more suitable for those who are interested in observing bird life, rather than deriving practical benefit from it in the form of eggs.

Chicken coop-nest

The house with mesh walls is raised above the ground on one support, to which a circular ladder is attached.

Try to make the house for the chickens as comfortable as possible, provide them with high-quality food and water - and, believe me, they will thank you with fresh eggs.

A detailed story about creating a winter chicken coop is in the video below.

Breeding history

Mini meat chickens were bred at the Zagorsk experimental breeding center in the 80s of the last century. Individuals of such key foreign breeds as Leghorn, Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Rock, and Cornish were used as parents.

Thanks to the selection work done, mini meat chickens of 3 main colors were bred:

fawn;
snow white;
brown-black (red-black).

Peculiarities

Decorative dwarf chickens have been bred for many years. Poultry of this species is characterized by high productivity and is perfect for both breeding laying hens and preparing reserves of the most tender meat. If you provide your dwarf chicken with proper care and feed it properly, then in the future she can demonstrate excellent egg production.

The main advantage of charming dwarf chickens is that they consume much less feed than their counterparts. These poultry do not need to build a separate non-standard chicken coop. Dwarf chickens do not need large areas - they can live quietly in small buildings.

Also, dwarf chickens are characterized by an easy-going and calm character. They are very peaceful and do not cause serious inconvenience to their owners. Small chickens can coexist without problems with other animals in the same area. They produce no less eggs than birds of normal standard size.

The only problem that a poultry farmer may encounter is a highly developed nesting instinct. For this reason, it is recommended to prepare a good incubator for small chickens.

Dwarf chickens have another distinctive feature - they do not tolerate severe cold and frost very well. Because of this, walking time during the winter season has to be limited.

These pet birds require baths with water, sand and clay. With such components, dwarf chickens can easily get rid of various kinds of parasites that often appear on the body of birds or in their plumage.

General description and characteristics

Compared to other breeds, mini meat chickens have a specific appearance, character, and have a number of advantages and disadvantages.

Appearance

Mini meat chickens are characterized by a compact body, small limbs with the size of the middle part (tarsus), on average, 30-35% smaller than other breeds, dense and even plumage. In addition to short limbs, a distinctive feature of such chickens is a leaf-shaped, small comb. Such chickens reach sexual maturity at the age of 6 months.

Character or temperament

Birds of this breed are characterized by a calm character - when released from the poultry house into an unplanted garden, they do not make total “excavations” in the beds and paths; They do not emit loud cackling, and quite rarely, out of impatience, they peck at the hands of the owner who brought the food. Mini meat breed roosters do not have a lively disposition and rarely attack humans.

Productivity

Chickens of this breed have the following productivity characteristics:

The maximum weight when grown for meat products is the weight of chickens can reach 2.7 kilograms, cockerels - 3.0-3.1 kilograms.
Egg production - with proper feeding and care, one chicken of this breed can produce up to 170-200 eggs per year.
The weight of one egg - the weight of one egg, depending on the conditions of detention and feeding, ranges from 55-57 to 60-66 grams.
Hatchability of chickens - when hatching chickens using the incubator method, this indicator is, on average, 85%.
Survival of chicks - with proper care and feeding in the first days of life, about 94-99% of chicks obtained by incubation survive.
Survival rate of adults - for various varieties of this breed this figure is more than 90%.

Sources:

https://fermers.ru/porody/kury/mini-myasnye https://selo.guru/ptitsa/kury/porody/myasnie/vidy-ki-osobennosti-uhoda.html https://dachamechty.ru/kury/ porody/mini-myasnye.html

Some popular groups

In reviews of the first 3 groups of species, in their own way, VNITIP (the first letter “B” in the name) all the characteristics of the breed are similar in terms of productivity, hatching and other indicators, but they differ in the color of the plumage.

B66

Although this variety of mini-meat chickens is as versatile as other subspecies, it can be classified more as a meat breed.
They have strong bones and a wide, developed chest, the legs are short, but strong and correctly positioned, like all mini-meat species. The color of this subspecies can be exclusively white. Any other presence of shading on the feathers of the tail, wings or back may indicate a defect.

Main declared standards:

The average egg production of this subspecies is approximately 180 pieces per year, but experienced poultry farmers note that up to 260 pieces per year can be achieved with good care and feeding.
The weight of an adult rooster reaches up to 3.3 kg, and that of a hen up to 2.7 kg.
The egg is large, no more than 65 grams.
Begins to lay eggs at the age of six months.
At 2 - 3 months, one individual can weigh from 1.3 kg to 1.6 kg.
The maximum fertilization rate of eggs is approximately 93%.
Young animals survive in 85% of cases, but experienced poultry farmers claim that if all the features and proper care are observed, this percentage can be higher.
Feed savings are quite significant and are 35% - 45% less compared to other types of birds.
They have a high taste of meat.

B76

These birds are the same dwarf as others of this breed, but have white plumage with fawn shades. Bred by crossing the father's line B77 and the mother's line B66. Basically, all the characteristics remain the same as those of the B66.

B77 and egg production

The bird of this breed has dense light brown plumage with a golden tint, as in the description of the fawn breed of chickens. Brought out by selection and breeding. All other characteristics of B77, including egg production, are similar to B66. B77 is also called the fawn subspecies of this breed of chicken.

Subtleties of breeding

A number of subtleties of breeding unusual dwarf chickens should be taken into account.

Depending on the specific breed, small hens begin laying eggs at about 7 months. The final formation stage ends after a year. The immediate instinct to incubate makes itself felt from about 2 years of age.
One rooster can provide normal care for 7 hens. If there are more laying hens, the percentage of fertilization will be less. Approximately 7 eggs should be placed under one mini-hen.
Chickens of such decorative breeds, as a rule, are distinguished by pronounced maternal qualities. They incubate the eggs and take care of the chicks. They are engaged in their education and immediate protection. If these birds are provided with appropriate conditions, the survival rate of chickens will be very good (at least 85–95%).
Dwarf chickens, especially bantams, are kept on certain farms as natural incubators. They can sit in the nest for up to 3 months, giving life to several broods in one season. It doesn't matter to them whose chicks they hatch. The process itself is much more important.
Dwarf chickens are simply not bred on an industrial scale. They can decorate the courtyard of real enthusiasts with their unusual appearance. However, all over the world they take careful care to preserve the genetic reserve of ornamental breeds of poultry, so finding them for further breeding will be easy and simple.

Varieties

There are many breeds of cute dwarf chickens. Each of them has its own description, its own distinctive characteristics and external parameters. Let's take a closer look at the most common and famous breeds of mini-chickens.

Welsumer

These dwarf chickens are rightfully recognized as the most famous and popular. They were bred in Holland in the 20th century. They have a characteristic low-set body and a medium-length neck. The same applies to the bird's chest. It has a round structure. The tail is located at an obtuse angle and resembles a sickle from the side. The head of the welsumer is small and, as a rule, almost bald. The ears have a characteristic almond shape.

The eyes of birds of this breed in most cases are yellow or orange. The most powerful parts of this chicken's body are its legs and thighs. Velzumer is good because it is unpretentious. You don't need to spend a lot of money on it. For representatives of this breed there is no need to build a large and spacious enclosure. Welzumer also does not need large amounts of feed. Representatives of this breed have a very calm and peaceful character.

Hamburg

Hamburg chickens are egg-laying representatives of the breed. They are distinguished by high egg production. Moreover, this bird can show excellent productivity in almost any conditions, which distinguishes it from most of its counterparts. Hamburg dwarf chickens adapt quickly and easily to a wide variety of environments. They do not require complex and expensive care - this is what attracts poultry farmers. TO

In addition, one should highlight the good decorative qualities of this interesting and unusual breed of poultry. Hamburg chickens do not need to be given a lot of food - they can be kept very economically. Despite the fact that the egg production of Hamburg chickens demonstrates itself to be highly effective, its time period itself is very short.

This bird has no brooding instinct. Perhaps these are the only shortcomings that the little Hamburg chicken has.

Phoenix

Poultry of this breed can be normal or dwarf. The main distinguishing feature of the mini phoenix chicken is its luxurious decorative tail. It is lush, flat and long due to narrow integumentary and tail feathers. The legs of this chicken usually do not grow very high, and the legs have good plumage. The colors of these representatives of the breed are usually wild.

The dwarf phoenix cannot boast of good egg production. Even normal-sized birds are not of great interest in the meat or egg departments.

Gates

Interesting dwarf brahmas are distinguished by lush and voluminous plumage on their limbs and tail. The very structure of these birds is dense and slightly thickened. Such beautiful and unusual birds can decorate any yard. Dwarf brahmas easily tolerate heat and cold. They are characterized by high survival rate and resistance to external factors. But this applies to adults.

Chickens of this breed cannot boast of such vitality. They are sensitive to temperature changes or precipitation. As a rule, they are kept in warm and dry poultry houses, where nothing threatens them.

Mini meat

Meat breeds include mini meat chickens. Despite the fact that this type of poultry is a meat bird, it is also distinguished by its good egg production. Most of these individuals are white or fawn. The main characteristics of birds of this breed are:

rapid growth rate;
undemanding in matters of feeding;
the body of these little chickens seamlessly absorbs all the necessary nutrients present in the feed;
It is permissible to keep small meat chickens both in an aviary and in cages;
these poultry are very profitable economically - they eat very little and take up very little free space;
eggs of meat dwarf chickens are large in size;
These birds behave quietly, do not make unnecessary noise and are more often interested in digging up the earth.